Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Birth Dearth.
Undeniably, the ever falling birth rate is a grave problem Singapore is facing now, in spite with all sorts of bold measures taken by the government to encourage married couples to conceive more children or to encourage couples to marry, to procreate. Procreation polices have not worked its magic, and the baby dearth had hit its bottom to 1.24 in 2004. Slightly increasing to 1.25 in 2005, it is still not sufficient for Singapore will require a total of 2.1 children per woman in order to replace our current population.
With a decreasing birth rate, there is certainly not enough human resource to cope with the demands of manpower around the island. National service wise, there are lesser men now to defend this small country, and soon, we might have to enlist women for NS. Also, the economy needs people to keep the cycle going. For Singapore is surviving on a knowledge-based economy (KBE), workers must take on the work scope of two-three people at once in order to protect their rice bowl, but that also increases their worth in the company. People that are less competent tend to lose out, and these are the lesser or uneducated people. Yet they are those who are more willing to procreate then the higher educated colleagues. Irony is in the fact that people who can afford a child, isn’t the one that are procreating. Those that cannot afford that many children are giving birth to way more then they can handle.
The lack of brain resource within our people will lead to an increase in immigrants coming to Singapore as foreign talents to assist us. This can actually cause displeasure within our own citizens as these foreign talents are mostly in the higher positions and our workers cannot stand the fact that we’ve to work under them. Unhappiness slowly building up in the bottom workers’ heart can actually lead to inefficiency in their performance, affecting the company’s overall production. In some cases, protests or petitions against their superiors can even be submitted to the highest level of management. That will affect our image to the universe adversely when words get out.
To change this, firstly we’ve to build a health work-life balance. Secondly, we’ve to change the expectations that Singapore parents impose on themselves and their children. Child bearing should not been seen as an opportunity cost, for some mothers might have to put their careers on hold. We all know parents want their children to have the best and walk the easiest road for an ensured future, but just because the parents cannot or have a hard time crossing a certain hurdle in life, that should not restrict or scare them from conceiving babies. Some are good at studying, some at other areas, while some, are just contented being good people. As long as they have integrity, independent and resilient, what else more do you want? Sometimes, it is just the mentality that is in the way. Singaporeans will need to revise their thinking; if not boosting fertility will be in our top priority in a long run.
I'M MEIHUI.Labels: Birth Dearth
