Shorter Bonds for Government Scholars

Four years for those who study here, then overseas

By Jermyn Chow, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2012

THOSE who enter local universities on government scholarships from next year and go on to pursue master's degrees abroad will serve shorter bonds.

These will last four years.

The bond is currently six years for those who earn their first degree here and go for higher studies at American or British universities.

Those who go for further studies at universities elsewhere serve five-year bonds.

There is no change to the four-year bond for those who stay here for their studies; those who choose overseas universities for their first degree will continue to serve six-year bonds.

The secretariat of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the government agency which oversees civil service recruitment and awards government scholarships, told The Straits Times that the change is aimed at encouraging the country's brightest to study at universities here, and then to "diversify their experiences" with master's degrees from overseas.

The change comes amid the annual race among the public and private sectors to snag the top brains; it is also being made to counter the growing popularity of bond-free scholarships offered by universities here.

Besides the PSC, the various government ministries also give out scholarships. All told, more than 500 go on offer each year.

It is understood that for every five individuals on these scholarships, two take the local track, and would thus be eligible for four-year bonds even if they furthered their studies abroad.

Mr Paul Heng, managing director of human resource consultancy NeXT Career Consulting, described the change as a win-win solution for the Government, which wants to attract the best brains, who might be deterred by longer bond periods in public service.

A shortened bond may still not be as attractive as having no bond at all. A survey this year by scholarship, higher education and career portal BrightSparks found that the bond-free scholarships of the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University were the most popular among recent A-level and International Baccalaureate diploma graduates.

Scholarships with bonds given by the Changi Airport Group, Singapore Airlines and the Economic Development Board (EDB) were respectively ranked third, fourth, and fifth in desirability.

The PSC's scholarships, ranked second in last year's survey, came in at No.6 this year.

Raffles Institution final-year student Stephanie Siow, 18, said a shortened bond would be an incentive for those put off by lengthy bonds and who do not want to "tie themselves to just one job in the public sector".

But she said the length of the bond should not be the only factor when picking a scholarship: "Ultimately, you must want to be in the public service, or you will be unhappy, no matter how long the bond period."

The last time the civil service amended its bond period was in 1999, when it shortened the bond for overseas scholars from eight to six years. The PSC's latest move may trigger similar tweaks in private-sector scholarships.