It is common knowledge that our education is far more successful in science and technology than in the humanities. Hence, it is heartening to note that the newly-formed Remaking Singapore Committee headed by Minister of State for National Development Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, will look into ways to boost humanities education and re-cultivate the spirit of humanity.

　　Developing a sense of humanity hinges on a good humanities education. Why have we done so much better in the teaching of technological subjects than in the humanities? The answer is simple. The government's priority has been on developing the economy from day one and the humanities have never been put on a par with science and technical, business or accounting subjects. This is the reason why the spirit of humanity among Singaporeans is in an “anaemic” condition today.

　　We need to have a common understanding of what humanity is before we can re-cultivate it. We need also to fully comprehend and appreciate its significance to the growth of a person, a people and a nation.

　　Humanity has two meanings according to traditional oriental philosophy.

　　Firstly and fundamentally, it represents an ideal state of human nature. Questions such as what makes an ideal person and what makes an ideal life have to be addressed. Otherwise, mankind will have little difference from animals.

　　Secondly, what can we do and how do we bring about the ideal person and ideal life?

　　Humanity is also about making the well-being of mankind as the starting point.

　　What is the ultimate aim of our education? Is it to turn our citizens into cogs in a machine or people with individuality and the ability to think independently? Is it to encourage us to cultivate and nurture values dear to our hearts, or to allow us to lose our feeling of self-worth in the relentless tide of technological progress?

　　In the spirit of humanity, we should appreciate and take pride in our success in building a thriving economy and in the field of research and development. The people behind these achievements deserve even greater accolades. Sadly, Singaporeans often fail to see the “people” who make “things” happen. They have nothing but praises for high technology and often forget that this is meant to serve, and not create trouble, for us.

　　Take some computer programmers, hardware designers, and software developers, for example. They are meticulous about saving cost, energy and space, but pay little attention to matters such as the impact on the vision and general health of the users. Sometimes, the learning process is also made more complicated rather than simpler.

　　Why is it that the welfare of mankind is disregarded? Obviously, these people are concerned only with numbers, not people.

　　One reason we have not been very successful with the humanities is that our students are not keen on subjects such as history, geography and the arts in various forms. The root cause, however, is that we have built a gigantic “education pyramid” to eliminate and select students at different levels, based on criteria already agreed upon, to pick the cream of the crop.

　　This is, of course, a very standardised process. The best products of such a system are technocrats, not people with talents in other areas. Unfortunately, humanity is not a pillar of this pyramid.

　　Few Singaporeans are familiar with the term humanity. It will be a tremendous and formidable task to “revamp” our school system to make the cultivation of humanity a key concern.

　　But if the overhaul was successful, in addition to our enviable reputation as an “economic model”, we would also stand to bag the honour of being an “excellent example for developing humanity”. Do Singaporeans and the government have the resolve and determination to take up the challenge?

(The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.)

　　我国的人文教育远不如科技教育成功，这是众所周知的事实。最近，政府设立以国家发展部政务部长维文医生为首的“改造新加坡委员会”，所负的使命就包括了探讨如何加强人文教育与重建人文精神。

　　人文精神的建立首先要靠人文教育，为什么我们的人文教育不如科技教育成功？不须讳言，打从建国那天起，政府为了优先发展经济，没有把人文教育摆在适当的位置（至少是跟科技、经商理财的学科平起平坐），这才造成今天新加坡人的人文精神患了“贫血症”。

　　要重建我们的人文精神，首先大家要对人文精神有个共识，要充分与深入了解它对一个人、一个民族、一个国家的成长的重要性。

　　“人文”是什么？按照东方传统哲学，它包含两层意思：第一，它代表的是一种理想的人性，什么样的人是理想的人，什么样的人生是理想的人生，这是最根本的。如果这个问题没弄清楚，人跟一般动物有什么两样？

　　第二，用什么办法（或通过什么方式）来达致理想的人性与理想的人生（中文里“文”的意思就是美化、修饰）。

　　人文精神也是一种以人为本的精神，我们的教育的终极目标是什么？是把人培养成一部大机械中的小部件，还是有独立思考能力与独立人格的真正的人？是追求人自身价值的不断完善与提升，还是人在科技进步的大潮中被淹没，人自身的“贬值”？

　　按照人文精神，我们不仅重视与赞美经济建设与科研成果，更要重视与赞美创造这些成果的人。然而，新加坡好多人往往见“物”不见“人”，对于高科技无限推崇，却往往忘记了高科技应当为人服务，而不是给人增添麻烦。

　　具体的例子是一些搞电脑程序编写的人，或搞电脑硬件设计与软件开发的人（当然不是全部），节省成本、能源、空间等等因素都考虑得十分周全，就是对于人的眼睛的损害、心身的影响往往欠考虑，有些设计不是简化步骤，而是使步骤更复杂更难学。

　　这都是由于这些人“心中有数，目中无‘人’”。在这里，以人为本的精神不见了。

　　再说说我们的人文教育，其所以不很成功，固然跟学生少学历史、地理、文艺（广义的文艺是包括各种艺术）有关，但根本原因是我们构建了一座巨大的“教育金字塔”，按照既定的标准，通过层层筛选、淘汰，选拔出符合既定标准的精英。

　　既然是一切按照既定标准选拔出来的，当然是非常规范的，这种体制的最佳产品是技术官僚，而不是别的人才。遗憾的是，这座巨大的“教育金字塔”并不是以人文精神作为支柱。

　　在新加坡，人文精神对很多人来说十分陌生。要将我们的教育体制来个大“翻新”，将人文精神当作主要的柱梁，工程浩大且艰巨。

　　然而，如果这项“翻新工程”成功，新加坡就不仅可以保住“经济建设模范生”的地位，还可以争取到“人文精神建设优等生”的荣誉。新加坡政府和人民，有这样的毅力和决心吗？

·作者是早报副刊执行级编辑

《联合早报》

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