Best ideas come in the shower.

Like the title suggests, I got this idea in the shower; it concerns overseas university education and NS.

Here's the problem. When you turn 18, a fresh faced graduate from a prestigious high school. Intelligent and vivacious, you manage to score a place at an awesome US university like the Ivy Leagues, Engineering colleges like MIT or brand name business schools like Tepper. But wait! Since the school is so prestigious and awesome, you spot a statement on their website that sinks your dreams. "NO DEFERMENT IS ALLOWED"

Shattered. You'll have to compete for a place in 2 years and retake all the entrance exams you already got a good score in. You'll probably do worse, because NS will burn out your brain, you'll forget all your AP physics, math, chem, bio and what have you, and you won't have awesome college councillors to help you along the way.

All because of NS. D:

So here's a solution,

Defer NS for people studying in overseas colleges. Simple.

But before you cry foul, or shout elitism, listen to my arguments why its a win-win for both SAF and intelligent students.

Here's the plan:

If you are guaranteed a place in the 2012 intake of a overseas university that does not grant deferment, you are allowed to defer your NS until the end of your undergraduate studies, upon which, you return to Singapore to complete the rest of your NS, 2 years, no different from those who did not defer. Before going overseas however, you attend BMT for 3 months from January to March, after all the application stuff is settled. Since 2012 intake will start in August or Sept, that leaves plenty of time to prepare.

First, I'm not suggesting SAFOS, their overseas scholarship pays for overseas education and defers NS for those lucky enough to get it. Instead, I'm asking that those already guaranteed a place in a prestigious overseas university *that does not allow deferment under any circumstances* to be allowed to defer, scholarship or no. If the university allows you to defer, you should go for regular NS anyway.

You may say, "Doesn't that leave our NS force very short staffed?" But the number of people going to overseas universities is a tiny fraction of the entire year's population of NS recruits. Those going to local universities, or not going for tertiary education at all should attend regular NS. Thus, the majority of NS men serve out the normal time, and after 4 years, those returning after undergrad will join the NS men ranks as well,

You may cry "Doesn't that give those who defer an advantage?" No, those who opt for this has to serve two years of NS after their studies, and thus can't take a job, negating any advantage.

How does the SAF win? For one, they will have a batch of highly educated, highly experienced 22 year olds to serve NS. This will allow them to post them to more demanding posts, requiring more intelligence and thus giving more benefit to SAF who would otherwise have to fill these posts with the limited numbers of regulars. Examples would be aircraft technicians, officier posts, and IT experts. They'll also save themselves a lot of discontent over NS, and demands that the system be reduced or changed.

How does the students win? They get to continue their education seamlessly from high school to university without a 2 year brain melting break. They get to fulfill their highest potential, going to the best universities around the world, instead of having to settle for another one because of deferment. Their applications will not be tarnished by the fact of the 2 year deferment and have a higher chance of getting in. Singapore also wins by having a larger international academic presence and having highly trained scholars having to come back to Singapore instead of being headhunted overseas, thus having a more highly trained workforce.

This is not the final solution, and can definitely be improved to address the loopholes and include graduate studies too. Singapore has come to the point that having a more intelligent army is better than having a numerous army, the latter being a point inevitably being surpassed by other countries. NS should not fossilize, but instead, evolve to keep up with the times. Rigid bureaucracy will kill us all.