More Degrees, Less Security
How the most educated generation is still fighting to stay afloat.
Recently, Senior Minister Lee admonished some young Singaporeans for “lying flat”, failing, in his view, to fully utilise the opportunities handed down to us. ‘We did all these for you,’ he said. ‘Make use of it and show us that you’re better than us.’ He pointed to the improved standard of living, education, and global job access that our generation enjoys compared to our parents.
It’s a familiar sentiment. Older generations often view Gen Z as unmotivated, ungrateful, and unwilling to work hard.
I take this as an affront, both personally, and on behalf of my fellow Gen Z. This view is a fundamental misreading of our generation, and if left unchallenged, it risks alienating and undermining the very people we hope to empower.
Not Lazy, Just Tired
We live in turbulent times. The formative years of our youth were spent in a pandemic that disrupted our education, social lives, and personal development in ways we’re only beginning to understand. We inherited a world defined by climate anxiety, rising inequality, and geopolitical instability.
Beyond economic inflation, we now face achievement inflation. A bachelor’s degree – once considered a ticket to upward mobility – now barely opens doors. Some students clock up to 10 internships before graduation. Others juggle freelance gigs, part-time jobs, and full-time coursework. Summer breaks have become resume-padding marathons.
The race starts earlier, and the finish line keeps moving. Internship culture has already bled into junior college. Before long, I expect we’ll see secondary school students chasing internships and work experience too.
Meanwhile, competition for elite university places has grown exponentially. Admissions standards are fiercer than ever. One wonders: could some of today’s most prominent leaders, with their Harvard or Oxford degrees, have secured those places under today’s standards? Would they be able to replicate their academic and professional success?
We’re told to measure ourselves against the success of those who came before us. Against those who climbed a very different mountain under very different conditions. This is not to downplay the struggles and resilience of the earlier generations. They faced poverty, gender inequality, and nation-building challenges.
Just because we face a different set of challenges does not make our lives automatically easier. To suggest that this generation has it easy is to ignore how drastically the rules of the game have changed.
I Followed the Script. Here’s What I Learned.
This isn’t one of my usual data-driven pieces (though one is coming, especially if we get full access to the dataset). This is personal.
I’ve walked what many (or at least, the past version of me) might call the ‘Singaporean dream’: top grades, elite Bukit Timah school, academic awards, national sporting achievements, Olympiad medals. A PSC Overseas Scholarship offer before I even sat for my IB exams. A Master’s from Oxford, with strong results.
It’s a familiar pipeline. One that mirrors the biographies of many in public office today.
But, I am not so naive as to believe this journey was purely the result of my own effort. Nor do I believe that those who haven’t achieved the same are somehow lazy or “lying flat”.
I had parents who made me breakfast, and drove me to and from school. These were luxuries that gave me more sleep and better nutrition – something we now know significantly boosts learning and academic performance. I never had to take on a part-time job during school. I had access to private tuition and enrichment classes, personalised support that my school alone couldn’t provide. I had time to explore hobbies and sports.
My friends’ parents were involved in the school community, with their time, with their donations. These things matter.
Even my passion for marine conservation, the cornerstone of my scholarship application, was rooted in privilege. I learned scuba diving at 15. That hobby became a platform: I volunteered in coral restoration projects and ocean cleanups, experiences I leveraged into a compelling scholarship narrative. Not everyone can afford to scuba dive. Would my application have stood out without it?
Many of my friends who were also awarded scholarships come from similarly resourced households. Our privilege gave us access to niche opportunities, mentorship, and the space to reflect and craft polished applications that sounded “unique” – because others didn’t have the same access.
Merit Isn’t the Whole Story
We overestimate how much of our lives are shaped by personal effort alone, and underestimate the influence of structural inequality and circumstance. There is no truly level playing field. Some start the race miles ahead.
There are students working magnitudes harder than I ever did – students who care deeply, who show up every day despite hardship – but who receive a fraction of the recognition and opportunities. You might not see them sprinting ahead, but they’re expending all their energy just staying afloat.
Calling them lazy isn’t just wrong. It’s insulting.
Real Opportunity is Structural
Much of what limits young Singaporeans in their twenties today began in childhood. The doors that were, or weren’t, open to them years ago continue to shape their options now.
So if we want to understand why some are struggling in adulthood we need to look at the structures that shaped them in school. The support must start early – long before they enter the job market.
We must put action behind the slogan that ‘every school is a good school’.
Real educational equity means:
Providing financial support so teenagers don’t have to work while in school.
Making costly co-curriculars (music, robotics, overseas trips) accessible to all. These are the kinds of experiences that inspire passions and shape worldviews.
Value enrichment not just as a bonus, but as a core part of holistic development.
And most of all, we need to listen to young people instead of dismissing them with “you have it easier than we did”. We need empathy, not nostalgia. Blaming work ethic ignores the structures that keep some down and raise others up.
Singapore could be a more compassionate, creative and future-ready country if our youth weren’t stretched to their limits just trying to survive. The pressure to constantly do more is not the same as being given more.
Redefining Success, Reimagining the Dream
One week freshly graduated from Oxford, I’ve been reflecting: how much of this journey has brought me joy?
To be honest? I feel more relieved than proud. I’m grateful my goals aligned with my values, and that I had the opportunity to pursue them. But I also know that this path, the grades, prestige, and resume, is not the only one worth celebrating.
Success doesn’t look the same for everyone. And it shouldn’t have to.
Let’s stop asking why some aren’t sprinting ahead. Let’s ask what’s weighing them down.
And let’s stop confusing exhaustion for apathy.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
More of us are university-educated than ever. Yet full-time employment is no longer guaranteed.
In June 2025, the employment rate for fresh university graduates stood at just 51.9%. This was framed as a silver lining, because it was slightly higher than the year before.
In what other context would we call a 50% success rate a victory?
Among those who found jobs, the proportion securing full-time employment dropped from 84.1% in 2023 to 79.5% in 2024 (we are still waiting on the 2025 numbers).1 These cohorts had virtually identical qualifications. So why the drop?
We’re told to upskill while still studying. We’re urged to network, to intern, to keep doing more. But none of this guarantees anything anymore. It’s not laziness, it’s an impossible race against a shifting tide.
We are adapting, reflecting, and trying to build something sustainable – often while burnt out and while carrying the weight of expectations that no longer match the reality of our times.
So no, we’re not “ashamed” of ourselves.
To our leaders and elders,
It’s time to redefine the Singaporean Dream, and that work starts with those in power. Build systems that recognise diverse paths to success and make room for all young people to thrive, not just those lucky enough to follow a well-worn script. Policymakers must stop clinging to outdated metrics and start listening to the realities of today’s youth.
Invest in equity, not just excellence. In support, not just scrutiny. In structures that uplift, not exhaust. If you truly want the next generation to “be better than you,” then give us a country where that’s genuinely possible.
And when our lives do become easier than yours, when we succeed not through suffering but through support, celebrate with us instead of resenting us. Isn’t that what you always said? That you did it all for the kids?
Ministry of Education. (2022). Graduate Employment Survey - NTU, NUS, SIT, SMU, SUSS & SUTD (2025) [Dataset]. data.gov.sg. Retrieved July 18, 2025 from https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_3c55210de27fcccda2ed0c63fdd2b352/view
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