I listened to it over radio. It may be harder in Singapore than in Britain to get employment support for learning disabilities (where 15% of people with learning disabilities are employed, already at one of the highest levels of employment in the world), but I think Singapore and other Asian countries have lots to learn from Britain.
But one of the things I learnt is, well, employment support is not merely extension of exam timings or exemption from project work. Most of the time, in my opinion, it just means more understanding between lecturers or coordinators and students in respect to doing one's best in work.
I actually think some of these people, though not all, can be the cog in the million-dollar machines. It is merely ignorance and the lack of support for these people with special needs and learning disabilities that left them out from mainstream society.
Look no further than some bus enthusiasts I know who happen to have autism. They can tell which bus routes need more buses, how long it takes to reach from Place A to Place B, what is the loading of buses in different times, bus arrivals etc. better than operational researchers, even with somewhat incomplete information.
But we know how greedy public transit companies like SMRT are, for they and LTA just won't publish bus schedules on paper.
Also, some people with learning disabilities that I know do have talents in photography, video-editing and even composing music. It is simply unfortunate that MediaCorp and other media companies may have missed out these talents. I am sure international audiences, not just Singaporeans, will treasure unique talents as they are. Not even the Singapore Media Academy could uncover more of such talents, for they are either unemployed or in transit between different sheltered workshop arrangements.
However, the fact remains that 90% of people with learning disabilities will not get a job. Coupled with Singapore's lack of welfare, even though some of this group of unemployed people may have talents that inspire us.
More accurately, Singapore is a flawed society where we value only a narrow set of talents, while we do not regard other wonderful talents as well as we could and we should.
But one of the things I learnt is, well, employment support is not merely extension of exam timings or exemption from project work. Most of the time, in my opinion, it just means more understanding between lecturers or coordinators and students in respect to doing one's best in work.
I actually think some of these people, though not all, can be the cog in the million-dollar machines. It is merely ignorance and the lack of support for these people with special needs and learning disabilities that left them out from mainstream society.
Look no further than some bus enthusiasts I know who happen to have autism. They can tell which bus routes need more buses, how long it takes to reach from Place A to Place B, what is the loading of buses in different times, bus arrivals etc. better than operational researchers, even with somewhat incomplete information.
But we know how greedy public transit companies like SMRT are, for they and LTA just won't publish bus schedules on paper.
Also, some people with learning disabilities that I know do have talents in photography, video-editing and even composing music. It is simply unfortunate that MediaCorp and other media companies may have missed out these talents. I am sure international audiences, not just Singaporeans, will treasure unique talents as they are. Not even the Singapore Media Academy could uncover more of such talents, for they are either unemployed or in transit between different sheltered workshop arrangements.
However, the fact remains that 90% of people with learning disabilities will not get a job. Coupled with Singapore's lack of welfare, even though some of this group of unemployed people may have talents that inspire us.
More accurately, Singapore is a flawed society where we value only a narrow set of talents, while we do not regard other wonderful talents as well as we could and we should.
