mrs budak's lair was suspended

As a reader of mrs budak's lair I was surprised that it was suspended by LiveJournal. It wasn't until today, I realised why. She was suspended because some stupid pre-NUS student didn't like his letter to be reproduced and her rebuttal. This of course is pure speculation but read the letter and rebuttal yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion.

I'm reproducing what mrs budak can't.

the letter to the Straits Times:

Why can’t I get subsidy for university education?

I am a student of the National University of Singapore and have just matriculated two months ago. What is very displeasing to me are the subsidies and the financial aid to help me pay my school fees.

My family’s income is only $1,000 a month and paying $3,000 for each semester (there are eight semesters) is totally impossible for me.

SINDA did not help me when I approached it for financial assistance. SINDA told me there is no policy for Indian tertiary students to receive financial help.

It is very unfair because two of my Muslim friends who approached Mendaki for help have had their entire education fees sponsored. The full amount comes close to $25,000.

All their school fees have been taken care of, and unlike me their families’ incomes are below $2,000 but well above $1,000.

How can I swallow that? Well, I decided to take a loan from NUS. But taking the loan is not solving the root cause of my problem. It is just piling up the debts with the bank when I graduate.

Why do I deserve to be put in this situation when other students can receive financial aid so easily?

The few bursaries that I had applied for in NUS did not get any attention. The Registar’s office kept telling me the results would only be known at a ‘certain date’, and when I called to ask, it pushed the date further back.

As an eye opener to those who are unaware of it, the bursaries are only $1,500 a year and they don’t cover me for each semester. So that is really not much of a help.

Worse still, the bursaries are not given throughout the course of study but only once. What’s the point then?

How is this situation affecting me? Simple. It is literally impossible for me to concentrate on my studies when deep down inside, I feel I am being deprived of any help at all.

I and my family are making sacrifices to make ends meet.

NUS is among the top 20 universities in the world. But there is nothing to brag about when you can’t even help your own students realise their dreams.

Girish s/o Ahsin Thannabal, Sept 30, 2005, ST Forum

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[info]mrsbudak's post:

Student says: Why no free education for meeeeeee??????
Fact: University school fees are expensive.
Fact: Financial assistance to students is limited.
Fact: Many university students come from poor families.
Fact: These students are able to complete their education in the university.

Another one of those “I’ve been there” posts. When I received the acceptance package from NUS, one of the first things we did was to discuss how to manage the finances of a university education. My mom was prepared to give me a lump sum pocket allowance every year, from the money she painstakedly guarded for 10 years. However, it was clear that I’d have to take up a Tuition Fee Loan and apply for all sorts of grants and bursaries.

The bursaries and grants will not help you defray 100% of the costs; they’re not meant to. These are no-bond grants given out based on need, and are actually a lifeline for students struggling to manage their financial situation. The Tuition Fee Loan also does not cover 100% of the fees; it covers up to a maximum of 85% (I think), so you’ll still have to pay the remainder in cash. But don’t forget - it’s interest-free during your studies and for one year after graduation. If you pay off the loan within one year of graduating, you don’t pay interest! Where else can you find such a loan? It’s a sibeh good deal!

So I applied for the POSB loan, applied for the bursaries, and applied for anything basically. I got the loan and the grant for the first year.

I also got to work on campus, and earned about $200 per month as a computer lab assistant. There’re actually several employment opportunities on campus. Otherwise, there’s the usual private tuition route, which actually pays very well. I also worked during the vacation for some additional pocket money. It did mean that activities such as overseas attachment were out for me, but that was fine.

So your family can be poor, but you will still be able to afford a university education - if you’re willing to put in the work. But what I’m reading here is this student expects his university expenses to be sponsored 100%. He’s complaining that he doesn’t get “any help” at all.

Wait a minute:
1) Bond-free grant of $1,500 per year;
2) Tuition Fee Loan which settles 85% of your fees and on which no interest is charged as long as you are still studying;
3) On and off-campus part-time employment opportunities.

I think he’s blinded by his sense of entitlement. He says he can’t concentrate, because his friends got full subsidy but he has to take up a loan and end up in debt. Well buddy - SO DO MANY OTHER STUDENTS! My loan was almost $10K; budak’s was about $15K (one extra year plus foreign student rate). We paid off our respective loans within four years of graduation.

So because you must actually fork out money for an education, you feel so buay song (unhappy) that you cannot concentrate?

Sorry, my sympathies are not with you.