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Bulletin - April 2013
School – For Everyone Who Still Has Something to Learn
With the Credit Suisse Youth Barometer International Survey
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1. School – For Everyone Who Still Has Something to Learn With the Credit Suisse Youth Barometer International Survey The world's oldest banking magazine – since 1895. 4/2013 Bulletin
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3. Bulletin 4/2013 — 1 — Editorial — 1 Barbara Achermann and 2 Espen Eichhöfer Barbara Achermann is a prize-winning reporter and journalist who lives in Basel. Africa holds a special place in her heart, and she has reported from Sierra Leone, Togo and Tanzania. For Bulletin, she traveled to South Sudan, the world's newest country. She was accompanied by photographer Espen Eichhöfer, a German who was born in Norway,livesinBerlinandhasworkedallover the world, from Ukraine and the Philippines to Oman and Cuba. This is already Espen Eichhöfer's second trip to South Sudan, which became an independent country in 2011. Page 64 3 Julica Jungehülsing Julica Jungehülsing is a freelance journalist and author, and has lived in Sydney since 2001. In a suburb of that city, she met music teacher Alun Renshaw, who helped to cre- ate the anthem for everyone who rebelled against traditional education, directing the choir on Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall." That song remains part of Renshaw's life even today. Page 22 4 Ludger Wössmann Ludger Wössman, a professor of economics at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, focuses primarily on one topic: the economics of education. Wössman, 40, has spent time at Harvard and Stanford and received numerous awards. Here he presents his own studies as well as research by other scholars. His main conclusion: "Good education is the crucial factor in prosperity, for individuals as well as the overall economy." Page 4 The following people contributed to this issue: 4 "I f you are planning for a year, sow grain. If you are plan- ning for ten years, plant a tree. If you are planning for 100 years, educate people." This Chinese proverb dates back to the year 645 BC – and is just as relevant and true today as it was then. The current issue of Bulletin, which is devoted to schools, underscores the enormous importance of education for every in- dividual and every society. S ince this is a global topic, we looked at education around the world. We conducted photography workshops with stu- dents in China, Mexico and England (page 10). We trav- eled to South Sudan, which has the world's lowest literacy rate, and visited Juba Technical High School, where victims of war – as well as former child soldiers – are preparing for civilian life (page 64). And in Australia we met Alun Renshaw, a former teacher and the director of the children's choir that sang with Pink Floyd on its recording of the legendary anti-authoritarian anthem "Another Brick in the Wall," which proclaimed that "we don't need no education." Nonconformist Renshaw explains how the stir caused by this song resulted from a misunderstanding (page 22). T he core of this issue of Bulletin is the traditional Credit SuisseYouthBarometer,whichincludesSingaporeforthe first time this year. The Barometer now provides insight into youth on four continents: North America (United States), South America (Brazil), Asia (Singapore) and Europe (Switzer- land). How are young people around the world doing in 2013? The bottom line: Many of them are less hopeful today than they were over the past three years. Optimism has declined worldwide – understandable, given that youth unemployment is rampant in some regions. Nevertheless, they continue to express considerable satisfaction with the political situation. Moreover – and this too is welcome news – the current generation of 16- to 25-year-olds does not agree that "we don't need no education." These young people, who are growing up in economically challenging times, recognize that school and education are enormously important, and that lifelong learning is essential. The Youth Barometer can be found as a comprehensive dossier on pages 29 – 51. We hope you will enjoy learning more about today's young people. Your editorial team Young People in 2013: We Want Education! 1 32
4. Bulletin 4/2013 — 3 4 Education Is Everything Personal Advancement, Prosperity for Society: Why Education Is So Important. 10 Everything "Clicked"! A Day in the Life of School- children in Beijing, London and Mexico City: Photographed for Us by Them. 18 James J. Heckman Nobel Laureate Explains in an Interview Why the Biggest Benefits Come from Investing in the Smallest of Us. 22 Another Brick in the Wall The True Story behind Pink Floyd's Anti-Authori- tarian Anthem. 26 Never Too Old to Learn Continuing Education Is Worthwhile at Any Age. For Everyone. Bulletin: School neutral Printed Matter No. 01-13-424363 Ð www.myclimate.org © myclimate Ð The Climate Protection Partnership PERFORMANCE Publishing details: Published by: Credit Suisse AG, content strategy, articles: Ammann, Brunner & Krobath AG (www.abk.ch), design concept, layout, production: Crafft Kommunikation AG (www.crafft.ch), photo editing: Studio Andreas Wellnitz, Berlin, pre-press: n c ag (www.ncag.ch), printer: Stämpfli AG, circulation: 150,000, contact: bulletin@abk.ch (content), abo.bulletin@credit-suisse.com (subscriptions) New in the App Store The News & Expertise app, including Bulletin and other current publications of Credit Suisse. www.credit-suisse.com/bulletin — Content — Cover: Fab and Seray, two pupils at Daubeney Primary School in London. Photography: Muir Vidler SAVING IS "IN" 52 The Star Wars Kid Strikes Back Internet Witch-Hunt: A Victim of Bullying Reflects on His Mistreatment. 58 Daniel Humm From Swiss High-School Drop- out to Top Chef in New York. 62 Bad Report Card Education Expert Ken Robinson: Schools Are Doing Everything Wrong. 64 On the School Front Report from South Sudan, Where Victims of War Can Finally Attend School. Also: An Interview with UNICEF's Jo Bourne. 76 Take Note! Seven Remarkable Develop- ments in Education. 80 Nonstop Illustrated by Jody Barton. 29 CredIt SuISSe Youth BArometer Four Countries, Four Conti- nents: The Big Survey 33 GoALS IN LIFe ANd VALueS 36 SChooL, CAreer, FINANCeS 38 Switzerland Young People Appreciate the Country's Advantages and Are Well Aware of Threats to the Status Quo. 41 PoLItICS & SoCIetY 45 LIFeStYLe ANd LeISure 47 Singapore Religious, Proud, Pessimistic: Young People in the Asian City-State of Singapore. 50 Brazil Rude Awakening after the Economic Boom. Photos: Michael Spindler / spindlerfilms.com; blackred / iStockphoto; Espen Eichhöfer
5. 4 — Bulletin 4/2013 2.0 1.8 Averageannualrateofgrowthinrealper-capitagrossdomesticproduct(inpercent,1960–2009) Student achievement measured in terms of PISA test scores, in ascending order 2.8 3.4 2.4 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.0 3.5 2.3 3.3 2.6 1.5 2.92.9 1.2 1.8 2.4 2.9 1.2 0.8 1.2 1.0 Education is a modern society's most important resource and the best means of lifting developing countries out of poverty. And for individuals, more education means a higher income. Get an Education! By Ludger Wössmann School achievement and long-term economic growth: Education increases a country's wealth. Norway High growth despite low school achievement, thanks to abundant natural resources. UNited StateS Favorable institutional conditions (free markets) but a lack of educational breadth. — School —
6. 4.94.9 4.8 5.6 4.4 3.7 3.6 3.2 3.4 3.0 2.8 3.3 2.8 3.2 3.5 2.9 3.1 2.8 3.2 2.2 2.8 0.9 2.8 3.13.1 CHiNa Substantial potential for growth after move from planned to market economy. SwitZerLaNd Favorable economic development, student achievement in middle range relative to other countries studied. Illustration:Crafft Illustration explained on next page
7. 6 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — J ohn F. Kennedy once said: "There is only one thing in the long run more expensive than education: no education." The latest research on the economics of education reveals how right he was. Nothing is more important than a good education for the long-term prosperity of individuals as well as society. The evidence is overwhelming. Recent empirical studies demon- strate that educational achievement, as measured by international tests of stu- dents' basic skills, for example, is the most important determinant of a country's long- term economic growth. To shed more light on this issue, we combined the results of international tests of student achievement in mathematics and science conducted since the mid-1960s – predecessors of the PISA studies – to arrive at a measure of average school achievement. The illustration on the previous page shows the following results for the 50 countries for which internationally com- parable economic data were available, after controlling for the effects of other impor- tant factors: The better the results on these tests, the higher the growth in per-capita gross domestic product since 1960. The correlation is striking: Countries where skill levels are high have grown rapidly; countries with low skills have shown little improvement. This simple model explains a large part of the international differences in long-term economic growth. Recent research provides clear evi- dence that this is a causal relationship re- sulting from higher levels of educational achievement. What's more, when educa- tional achievement is taken into account, the effect of the number of years of edu- cation disappears entirely. In other words, schooling has an economic effect only to the extent that it produces higher levels of skills. Simply attending school or uni- versity is not enough; what is important is what a student actually learns. Education Is the Foundation It is also evident that economic growth is significantly affected by both the level of education of the public at large and the number of highly qualified individuals in that society. It is therefore important not to neglect either aspect – broad-based education or performance at the top – as both are essential. And although studies point to the economic importance of ba- sic math and science skills, these skills are often associated with similar strengths in other subjects or with non-cognitive skills like persistence and teamwork, which are not so easy to measure. Accordingly, these findings should be interpreted as evi- dence of the effects of overall educational achievement: Education lays the ground- work for long-term growth, and ultimately for a society's prosperity. Conversely, inadequate educational achievement is expensive. In the context of the OECD study "The High Cost of Low Educational Performance," I collaborated with Eric Hanushek of Stanford Univer- sity to calculate projections that showed, among other things, that if Switzerland were to improve its educational perfor- mance to the level of Finland, a leader among PISA countries, its gross domestic product would increase by roughly 1 bil- lion Swiss francs over the long term (i.e., over the lifetime of a child born today). Inadequate education results in enor- mous costs in terms of forgone economic growth. This holds true for developing coun- tries as well as for the highly developed economies. For example, the exceptional- ly dismal economic trend in Latin Ameri- ca over the past half century is due largely to a lack of high-quality education. While the average number of years of school- Key to Illustration The illustration shows the results of a regression analysis. The length of the pen- cils indicates the portion of real average annual growth in per-capita gross domes- tic product between 1960 and 2009 that cannot be explained by other factors in the model. Countries are arranged by stu- dent achievement, in ascending order from left to right (various tests, 1964–2003, measured in terms of PISA test scores; again, only the portion that cannot be ex- plained by other factors). Presentation by Crafft, based on Eric A. Hanushek and Ludger Woessmann (2012), "Do better schools lead to more growth? Cognitive skills, economic outcomes, and causation," Journal of Economic Growth 17 (4): 267–321.
8. Bulletin 4/2013 — 7 — School — does not reduce the economic opportu- nities available to others. The idea that a good education is worthless if it is avail- able to everyone is simply false, and based on the mistaken notion that the economic "pie" is of a fixed size. In fact, the econ- omy as a whole benefits when individuals acquire more education; the pie expands. More is available not only to those indi- viduals who are adding value, but also to society as a whole. And the additional resources can be invested in shoring up social security systems, for example. In short, since modern economies rely pri- marily on the skills of the population, ed- ucation is the key factor determining our future prosperity. Other important dimensions show positive effects as well: Good education allows people to be independent and par- ticipate in society. It promotes civic aware- ness and encourages behavior that is in keeping with the norms of civil society, and fosters a shared system of values and social cohesion. Numerous studies have also shown that higher levels of education are associated with increased health con- sciousness and lower rates of teen preg- nancy and criminal behavior. The key role of education in eco- nomic prosperity raises the question of what policymakers can do to increase educational attainments. Initial research results are sobering: Simply spending more money does little to improve stu- dent performance. A substantial body of literature is virtually unanimous in con- cluding that reducing class sizes and in- creasing expenditures within the system as it is currently structured will have little effect on student performance. Indeed, a comparison of countries shows no corre- lation between money spent and student achievement; the top-ranking countries do not systematically spend more mon- ey. The problem is not primarily a lack of funding – instead, the issue is putting money to effective use. How to Improve the Educational System In the interest of making better use of available funding, it is important to look at how money is distributed across edu- cational levels. There is a certain life ing in many Latin American countries is quite respectable, the skills students ac- tually acquire in these countries – as in sub-Saharan Africa – are alarmingly weak relative to other countries. This alone can explain these countries' poor economic performance since 1960. Thus there is an urgent need for a reorientation of the international commu- nity's development goals. Both the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals and UNESCO's Education for All ini- tiative focus on achieving quantifiable goals, specifically by expanding access to schooling (see page 74). Yet even in coun- tries with high levels of secondary school attendance, achievement tests indicate that less than 10 percent of young people master even basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills. And it is these skills, and not the length of time spent in school, that have an economic impact. Develop- ment goals make sense only if they focus on what children and young people actu- ally learn. Better education pays off not only for society as a whole, but also for each individual. For the individual, higher ed- ucational attainment reduces the risk of unemployment and increases income. Ac- cording to the latest OECD figures, the unemployment rate for university gradu- ates in Switzerland is 3 percent; for sec- ondary school graduates (and particular- ly graduates of apprenticeship programs) it is 5 percent, and for individuals who have not completed secondary school it is 8 percent. The differences are even more striking in the countries of the European Union, where the respective unemploy- ment rates are 5 percent, 8.5 percent and more than 15 percent. A good education is the best insurance policy against un- employment, which in nearly every de- veloped country today affects primarily low-skilled workers. And even among those who have a job, the average income of university gradu- ates in Switzerland – and in most OECD countries – is over 50 percent higher than that of secondary school graduates (grad- uates of apprenticeships) and more than twice as high relative to non-graduates of secondary school. Empirical labor mar- ket research suggests that every addition- al year of schooling increases later income by some 7 to 10 percent (depending on the study). This positive effect of education on labor market success is one of the most robust findings of empirical economic research. And the few studies that have looked not only at the correlation between years of schooling and labor market suc- cess, but also at the relationship between skill levels and success, have underscored the importance of the skills that are actu- ally attained. The critical economic situations of the crisis-plagued Southern European countries and the inflexibility and frag- mentation of their labor markets un- doubtedly play a larger role in these coun- tries' astonishingly high rates of youth unemployment than do individuals' lev- els of education. Here, too, however, an artificial boom in construction with rela- tively high wages for low-skilled workers encouraged many young people to drop out of school, and now they're paying the price. In Spain, even academically trained young people are finding themselves with- out a job, but the situation is less dire for them than for those with less education. Particularly over the long term, the best way to reduce high unemployment rates will be to increase productivity by provid- ing young people with a better education. Everyone Wins, No One Loses It is clear from the fact that improved edu- cation leads to increased overall econom- ic growth that better education for some Both are crucial: broad-based education and performance at the top.
9. 8 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — cycle with respect to educational fund- ing: The returns on educational in- vestments tend to decline as children grow older, and the highest returns are achieved when public funds are invested in early childhood education for disad- vantaged children. Shifting public funds from later to earlier periods in the educa- tional life cycle would make the financ- ing of education both more efficient and more equitable. Making more effective use of re- sources requires institutional reforms as well. Educational systems need to create incentives to ensure that the efforts of all concerned pay off. International compari- sons of students reveal three crucial in- stitutional factors: external achievement reviews, greater autonomy for schools and teachers, and increased competition be- tween schools. Student achievement turns out to be considerably higher when the various levels of schooling are subject to external review. This is evident from international comparisons as well as from a compari- son of the German states – a comparison facilitated by the fact that by the middle of this century's first decade, roughly half of the states were conducting centralized final examinations while the other half were not. External reviews require that all involved take responsibility for their actions, while also ensuring that efforts to learn are apparent to others and pay off later on. International comparisons also show that students learn significantly more when teachers and schools are more au- tonomous. School autonomy and external performance reviews go hand in hand: A successful education policy sets standards and provides for an external review of the degree to which they are met, but leaves it to the schools themselves to decide how best to achieve those standards. Schools need considerably more freedom, particu- larly in matters of staffing and in conduct- ing their day-to-day operations. Students learn more when schools are allowed to decide how to allocate their budgets and when teachers have a voice in decisions about materials to be purchased. Finally, competition among schools to come up with the best ideas, which re- sults when parents are given more choices, has a critical effect on educational out- comes. When schools compete with one another, parents can choose the one they prefer and poor-quality schools lose stu- dents. International comparative studies have repeatedly shown that school sys- tems do best when they have both rela- tively large percentages of independent schools and relatively high levels of state funding. Only when government funding provides all students, regardless of their backgrounds, with equal access to alter- native schools will schools compete to de- velop the best ideas, ultimately benefiting all students. Tracking: Yes, But Not Too Soon Empirical evidence has shown that to achieve greater equality of opportunity, it is important not only to focus on early childhood education, but also to look at when decisions are made about sending students to different levels of schooling. The later students are assigned to different schools, the less student performance at the end of secondary school is correlated with socioeconomic background. More- over, delaying this process does not have a negative effect on performance levels. To sum up, a good education is crit- ical for the prosperity of each individual as well as society as a whole. An edu- cation policy that allows all people to achieve the highest possible level of skills is therefore also the best social and eco- nomic policy. The problem is not primarily a lack of funding; instead, the issue is putting money to effective use. Ludger Wössmann is a professor of education economics at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and director of the Center for the Economics of Education and Innovation at the ifo Institute for Economic Research in Munich. Photo: Yury Teploukhov / fotolia
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11. 10 — Bulletin 4/2013 In London. Photo: Muir Vidler
12. Bulletin 4/2013 — 11 Things really "clicked" for these schoolchildren: They took photographs of an ordinary day in their lives as part of a workshop that Bulletin conducted in Beijing, Mexico City, and London. A professional photographer helped them put everything into perspective. The schoolchildren showed us how they see the world, from their classmates and the snacks they eat to how they get to school. Attention, please: Virtual class is starting. Workshops and documentation: Katharina Hesse (China), Mark Powell (Mexico), Muir Vidler (UK); Organization: Maria Leutner and Peggy Wellerdt Class Photos In Beijing. Photo: Katharina Hesse In Mexico City. Photo: Mark Powell — School —
13. 12 — Bulletin 4/2013 Min's little sister. School entrance. Almost home with my best friend. Zenglin's room. On the way to school. Break-time snack: grapes and melon. Ms. Wang teaching. Jiajia's favorite corner: the public telephone. Vegetable garden at school. China and all its provinces – Enze loves the map. On the way to school.
14. Bulletin 4/2013 — 13 BEIJING CAOCHANGDI The school on the outskirts of Beijing serves both city and country children, which is rather unusual. Caochangdi is a well-known artists' quarter, home to famous galleries and such celebrities as Ai Weiwei. The children's pictures were born out of an afternoon art group: Parents want their children to learn as much as possible, so they continue to cram after school. There are six age levels with four classes each. Each class has about 35–40 students. Homework. Ning's best friend. A friend from school. Tongtong's school bag. Schoolyard. Mushroom in the schoolyard. Playground. Min's deskmate and best friend. From left to right: (back row) Ms. Wang (teacher), Ms. Mao (teacher), Tongtong, Zenglin, Zhiqiang, Chunfeng, Enze, Katharina Hesse (pho- tographer), Tu Qiang (photographer's assistant); (middle row) Wenjie, Shouhua, Min, Jiajia, Ning, Fei, Xingling; (front row) Ruan.
15. 14 — Bulletin 4/2013 MEXICO CITY DECROLY This private school is in the heart of the city. Three hundred children attend the primary school's 21 classes. Instruction is based on the method- ology of pioneering Belgian educationalist Ovide Decroly (1871–1932), who promoted a "global approach." His teaching follows children's natural logic: from the concrete to the abstract, and from the simple to the complicated. The photos were taken during summer school. Cora, Nicole's sister. Sofia's room, photographed by Dario. Auditorium. Eva in the classroom. Classroom. From left to right: Sebastian, Julian, Patrizio, Eva, Camilo, Dario, Rebecca (teacher), Emma (on the scooter), Paola Donatella, Diego, Luisa Gabriela, Gaia, Nicole, Maria, Sofia. Titelbild: xxxx
16. Bulletin 4/2013 — 15 Schoolyard. A side entrance to the school. In front of a classroom during cleaning. Camilo's breakfast: tortillas. A small snack before school starts. Camilo practices the recorder. On the way to school . Seen on the way to school: A post-earthquake meeting point (punto de reunión). Dario and Patrizio. A fence keeps cats away from the sandboxes.
17. 16 — Bulletin 4/2013 Schoolyard with painted walls. A side entrance to the school. Emana's room. Shanice's brother. Shanice's cat. Nora's breakfast. Annalise's route to school along Homerton High Street. From left to right: (4th row) Merit (red sweater), Nora, Caleb, Esmond, Shamsher, Hussain, Temi; (3rd row) Annalise, Emana, Ilerih, Joshua, Fab, Edward; (2nd row) Alika, Nura, Joel, Omar, Seray; (1st row) Elaine, Hanan, Shanice.
18. Bulletin 4/2013 — 17 LONDON DAUBENEY This primary school in Hackney, northeast London, is highly diverse, with 91 percent of pupils belonging to ethnic minorities. A total of 605 children attend the 22 classes at Daubeney Primary School. Bulletin visited teacher Lauren Backhouse and her class, 5B. Schoolyard. Recess king. Ilerih, Shanice and Annalise in the schoolyard (left to right). Annalise's backpack on her seat. Alfie's self-portrait. 5B's classroom. Reading corner in the classroom. Caleb. Lunch: baked beans. Annalise's seat. Classroom. 5B's teacher, Lauren Backhouse.
19. 18 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — The Sooner, the criminality, teen pregnancy, dropping out of school, unhealthy living conditions – and low levels of education and social skills. The skill gap between the disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged begins in the earliest stages of childhood. Can you give a specific example? Just look at the number of different words that children under the age of 3 are exposed to: The number is 500 for children in families that receive welfare benefits, 700 for children in working- class families and 1,100 for children in professional families. These differences are nearly impossible to overcome later on. Children with significant disadvan- tages cannot achieve the same level of success as those who have enjoyed support from an early age with any amount of support – no matter how intensive it may be. This is a serious issue. In the United States, a growing under- class is emerging because the early childhood years are being neglected. And that's why you advocate early support for young children, ideally beginning at birth. What specific target groups do you have in mind? My main focus is on children from disad- vantaged families. Early support for such children, from birth to age 5, can counter- act achievement deficits and lead to better education and health, as well as improved social and economic outcomes. This support reduces the need for expensive programs and spending on welfare, Success in life depends in large part on what happens before children enter school, according to James J. Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics. He is a strong proponent of investing in early childhood education. Interview: Daniel Ammann and Simon Brunner Professor Heckman, how important are the circumstances into which a child is born for success in later life? The "accident of birth," as I call it, is a major source of inequality. According to the most recent studies, 50 percent of income inequality in the United States can be attributed to factors that are in place before children reach the age of 18. The percentage is as high or even higher in Western Europe, where there is gener- ally less inequality in the labor market. In other words, one's development is largely determined by one's background. What, exactly, do you mean by "accident of birth"? We have no control over the circumstances into which we are born. Parents, genes, education and health – all of these things are determined by our families. But there are a number of major differences that we can influence to a certain extent later on. I focus in particular on the unequal distribution of the resources families have to support their children. Compared to fifty years ago, more children in the US are being born into disadvantaged families in which children receive less support than they do in other families. In Western Europe, the rising number of non-inte- grated immigrant families is resulting in a similarly adverse trend. What consequences can this inequality have for society? There is a demonstrable correlation be- tween certain social problems – such as
20. Bulletin 4/2013 — 19 — School — Better – By Far "One's development is largely determined by one's background." James J. Heckman at the University of Chicago, where he is a professor of economics. Photo: Michael Spindler/spindlerfilms.com
21. 20 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — while increasing the productivity and earning potential of the people involved. Every dollar spent to promote the early childhood development of disadvantaged children can produce a return of 7 to 10 percent per child per year. In the end, we will have people who are more highly skilled and productive, and we will not have to spend enormous sums of money to solve problems that could have been prevented in the first place. When you refer to "disadvantaged" families, do you mean families living below the poverty line or families with poorly educated parents? Disadvantage is not always a matter of poverty or parental education. All of the evidence suggests that parenting quality is of critical importance, and that a lack of parental support is detrimental to child development. We are talking here about simple things such as affection and emotional security. In economically and socially disadvantaged families, people also tend to talk less and are less likely to read books to their children. Rather than going to a zoo or museum, the children sit in front of the television set. The family environment plays an important role in the acquisition of cognitive and non-cog- nitive skills and in physical and mental health, persistence, attention, motivation and self-confidence. What are the most important skills a child needs to learn? To do well in later life, both personally and professionally, children need to be able to get along and work with other people. They have to learn to control their emotions. They have to be able to think creatively and be willing to try new things. It is also very important to encourage persistence. In addition, if children are to become independent individuals, they need to be able to express their own opinions and question authority. Not all parents want to hear that. It's true. Successful programs change a child's values and motivations. Some- times that runs counter to the parents' ideas. There is often an enormous discrep- ancy between the child's needs and the parents' willingness to accept support measures. What principles did you follow in parenting your own children? I focused on common sense and main- taining a close relationship with them. I let them make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. I encouraged them to follow their interests and develop their personalities. We've read that you became interested in doing research in this area after living in the American South during the era of racial segregation. That's right. I was born in Chicago, and really knew nothing about segregation until my parents decided to move to Lexington, Kentucky. I must have been about 12 years old. That was where I first experienced state-imposed segregation. My sister and I were taken aback when we saw that African Americans were sitting at the back of the bus. When we got on the bus we walked to the back, where the windows were bigger and the view was better. We were quickly told: "You can't do that. You're not allowed to sit at the back. That's for those people." And I remember the signs on drinking fountains and park benches: "Whites only" and "Colored only." How have these experiences shaped your professional life? Among other things, I was fascinated by how stubbornly people resist change, James J. Heckman, 69, is one of the most influential economists of our time. He is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, and received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2000 for his contributions to microeconometric theory. Heckman is married and has two children. "If children are to become independent individuals, they need to be able to express their own opinions and question authority." no matter how small or gradual. I have long thought about why blacks are treated differently. I've wanted to understand where the disparity between black and white comes from. That led to my focus on early childhood develop- ment. When we look at the achievement gap between ethnic groups, it is clear that despite all of the efforts that have been made to improve the circumstances of African Americans, a great deal remains to be done. Do your findings call into question the idea of lifelong learning? Not at all. On the contrary, learning is always valuable, at any age. Our research has shown that when children are not motivated early on to learn and engage with the world, they are more likely to fail in adulthood, both socially and economically. The longer society waits to intervene in the life cycle of disadvan- taged children, the more it costs to help them overcome their disadvantages.
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23. — School — No marching to a different drummer! Still from the film "The Wall" (1982).
24. Bulletin 4/2013 — 23 As the choir in Pink Floyd's biggest hit, Alun Renshaw's pupils sang the anthem for everyone who rebelled against traditional education. To this day, the music teacher can't escape "Another Brick in the Wall." By Julica Jungehülsing The Sound of the Wall Photography:Interfoto/MaryEvans
25. 24 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — "We don't need no educa- tion. We don't need no thought control!" Few pop songs from the 1980s have been as enduring. The re- frain was a rebellion, a provocation, and an anthem all at once, shocking strict teachers whether sung along to a Walkman or shouted along dreary school corridors. "Hey, teacher! Leave them kids alone!" Pink Floyd's song shot to the top of the British charts as well as in various Euro- pean countries, North America and Aus- tralia in 1979 and 1980. The concept album "The Wall," in which the legendary rock band related the story of young Pink, who faces ridicule and abuse from teachers and society, sold more than 33 million copies world-wide. But not everyone was thrilled with it: South Africa banned radio stations from playing the single. Teachers dread- ed hearing the chorus, and many parents were appalled by the idea of "uneducated youth." All of that had little influence on the song's success. "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" became Pink Floyd's most popular single by far. Momentous Misunderstanding "There was a fundamental misunder- standing back then," says Alun Renshaw, brushing his long, shaggy hair from his forehead. He explains: The album criti- cized the authoritarian school days that Roger Waters, the band's bassist and vocalist, experienced in the 1950s, not the significantly more relaxed educa- tional environment of the 1970s. "When the song was written, many schools were in upheaval, and methods had long been much freer," says Renshaw, who knows a good deal about the subject. Renshaw spent weeks rehearsing the rebellious chorus with his school pupils leading up to the recording. He took them to the recording studio. He and his choir shared in the song's ensuing internation- al renown. ments to the ground floor and shook up the system completely. "I wanted the pu- pils to ask questions and learn to think." For him, class was more an interpersonal encounter than a way to statically deliver knowledge. He always incorporated the real world into day-to-day school life. "I'd send them out to the main street and ask them to note what they heard, or we'd go around the school hitting walls and lis- tening to the sound they made." He found studying sounds, tones and noises to be just as important as learning about Bach, Beethoven and Stockhausen. When a sound engineer from Bri- tannia Row Studios around the corner asked him if a few of his pupils could sing on a Pink Floyd song, he didn't hesitate for a second. "What a unique opportuni- ty! I thought it would be wonderful for the kids to experience a real recording studio." He didn't know what they would be singing, nor did he have any sense of the consequences. But it wouldn't have stopped him. At the time, Islington Green was one of the first comprehensive schools, and the headmistress Margaret Maden was trying out a progressive style: "Informal but not sloppy." For the first time, pupils from different environments and income brackets were together in the same class. "North London was something of a tough world," says Renshaw, recalling gangs and violence. Discipline was a problem – and not just for the students. "I would often "It was a thrilling, fantastic time," recalled the 68-year-old, leaning back between computers, mixing boards and slightly dusty equipment in the studio. The for- mer teacher and composer now lives in a western suburb of Sydney, Australia, called Mount Druitt, where he writes books, makes music theory accessible and works on a website with a former student. The Englishman has lived in Australia for almost 35 years – since right about the time that the Pink Floyd song shot up the charts, a minor media storm was unleashed over his school, and many parents forbade their singing children from appearing in the song's video. Was his emigration a coincidence? To some degree: "I had already agreed to take a three-month position composing in Brisbane. But then I just didn't fly back to Europe," Renshaw recounts. "Margaret Thatcher had taken over the helm. I could see ultra-conservative clouds gathering, and I didn't want to stick around for that." "What an Opportunity!" Renshaw had an unconventional, very en- ergetic teaching style; he felt it was more important to inspire than to instruct. When he began teaching at Islington Green School, music class was held in the attic piano room. Teachers played, and the pupils sang or studied theory. "It was terribly boring." Renshaw hated boredom; he wanted to inspire and pro- mote creativity. So he moved the instru- "It was obvious to me that the lyrics would upset a few people. For a while after that, the headmistress was somewhat cross."
26. Bulletin 4/2013 — 25 — School — "I had pupils hit walls to listen to the sounds they make." At the time, Alun Renshaw had a somewhat unconventional teaching style. The Englishman now lives in Australia. to concerts, and composed his own pro- ductions, such as "Requiem for a Sinking Block of Flats." Hierarchies were never his cup of tea. "I didn't ask the headmistress back then if I could take the pupils to the stu- dio," Renshaw grins. "It was obvious to me that the lyrics would upset a few people. For a while after that, she was somewhat cross." After the first waves of indignation ebbed away, Islington Green made peace with the unwanted fame. When Renshaw went back to London on vacation in 1983, he discovered a commemorative plaque on a wall at the school announcing that the children from the school were featured on the Pink Floyd song. "Brick in the Wall (Part II)" was also played at the school prize-giving ceremony. "In the 1980s it must have been like an unofficial school anthem," he ventured. "So ultimately Islington was actually somewhat proud of it." Fame in His Lifetime The episode opened many doors for Renshaw himself. He has been repeatedly invited to compose pieces, bringing people together through music in his way. At present, London producer Andy Harries of Left Bank Pictures is working on a fea- ture film about Alun Renshaw's life. "I'm fortunate to have so much recognition," rejoices the elective Australian, with an extra dose of British humor. "Most com- posers don't become famous until after they die." Julica Jungehülsing has been living and working as a freelance journalist in Sydney since 2001. Her articles from Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the South Pacific have appeared in such publications as Stern, GEO Saison, The Financial Times and Die Zeit. stand by the gate to see which teachers showed up when – and if they were so- ber," the former headmistress recalled in an interview. Discipline was no problem in Renshaw's class. On the contrary, the 11- to 16-year-olds felt comfortable in the music room. Many of them came voluntarily on weekends to practice or fled during breaks to the creative atmosphere of Renshaw's worlds of sound next to the cafeteria. Still in Contact with his Pupils "It was cool and a safe place to be. You could be yourself there," recalls Caroline, a member of the choir. "Without the music department, I don't honestly know how I would have got through." Now in her mid- forties, she shares memories with a dozen former classmates who met in London in 2007. Microphones were involved again, but this time to record a television pro- gram: An episode of the BBC documenta- ry series "One Life" tells about the record- ing of the song and what became of the pupils in the Pink Floyd choir. A "hope- less loafer" became a business executive and one girl got out of the drug scene and became a teacher herself. Renshaw flew in from Australia to shoot the episode, and the reunion with his former pupils was heartfelt and emotional. "I've kept in contact with most of them since then," Renshaw relates. One of them emails him nearly every day, which seems to confirm his methods: "For me, teaching is mainly about building a re- lationship and respecting pupils as in- dividuals," says Renshaw. "Without this personal level, teaching is just a faceless person behind a lectern passing on infor- mation." Some of his pupils later went on to study at conservatories, and one girl sang opera in New York. "But that was never my goal. First and foremost, I wanted them to learn how to think and to find their way. Music is a powerful tool for that." Ren- shaw tells of children who got better in math thanks to their music lessons. "They asked different questions and learned bet- ter." He traveled with some pupils to the Carl Orff Institute in Salzburg, took them Photography: Jeff Herbert / Newspix / action press
27. — School — It pays to join in: Older workers are often skeptical about continuing education, or even reject it. That should not be the case.
28. Bulletin 4/2013 — 27 — School — O ur lives are constantly chang- ing because of new findings and technologies. If people want to participate in so- cial, political, economic, and cultural life as they age, they must take these changes into account. Further development and re- orientation, in a personal and professional context, are growing ever more important, and with them the willingness and abil- ity to acquire new knowledge continuously. This is also relevant to managing our soci- ety's demographic change. The issue of older people's learning aptitude and willingness to learn has long been controversial. Despite much proof to the contrary coming from gerontological research, until the second half of the 20th century the assumption held that biologi- cal factors meant less aptitude for learn- ing and diminished performance capabil- ity with increasing age. Attitudes toward older people were long marked by this view of aging known as the deficit model. Everyone Ages Differently Now people have a differentiated view of aging. Talk is no longer only of deg- radation and decline; rather, changes in abilities are recognized as specific to in- and friends, technical literature, comput- ers, or audiovisual aids. The focus here is not on professional benefits, but on aspects of personal development and lifestyle. Ex- ploring new interests, expanding personal knowledge, and opening new areas of ac- tivity for post-retirement life all lure older people to adult education centers. Youth-Centric Labor Market Certain leisure activities and volunteer positions also provide reason to learn. It can be useful and enriching to refresh foreign language skills before a vacation and learn about the culture in your coun- try of destination. Activities related to volunteer work can require preparation and, in some cases, learning new skills. Accordingly, 65- to 75-year-olds partici- pate in continuing education activities at a relatively high rate. About 28 percent of people in this age group attend classes or seminars and 35 percent teach themselves new things, especially if they are already highly qualified. When continuing education is ori- ented toward professional benefits, how- ever, employers and individuals no longer place it at the top of the priority list for those over 50 or 55. It is less common dividuals and functions. In other words, everyone ages with different timing and in different ways, and not all physical and mental functions are affected in equal measure. In general, older people today stay mentally and physically fit longer than they did a few decades ago due to medical advances and better living condi- tions. They also are more aware of the fact that they can have an influence on their own aging process. This sets the scene for lifelong learning. But does it correspond to reality? Studies show that older people are participating less in continuing educa- tion. Although Switzerland has the third- highest continuing education rates among OECD countries, after Sweden and New Zealand, participation rates are decreasing sharply here for those who are approaching or have reached retirement age. According to studies by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, on average about 65 percent of 45- to 54-year-olds attend continuing educa- tion events, with the proportion falling to nearly 54 percent among 55- to 64-year- olds (see figure on next page). Participa- tion decreases to a lesser degree for con- tinuing education that is not job-related or for informal learning through family The jury is in on learning: It should continue throughout life! Everyone needs continuing education these days, even after age 50. It benefits both employees and companies. By Sara Carnazzi Weber, Illustration: Jay Wright You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
29. 28 — Bulletin 4/2013 — School — for employers to encourage employees in this age group to pursue continuing ed- ucation or to pay for the courses. Older employees themselves are often skeptical and defensive about the issue of continu- ing education. Although it sounds un- imaginable today, employees not long ago strongly resisted the introduction of com- puters. As age increases, the perceived need for continuing education falls sig- nificantly. While about 55 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds agree with the statement that they do not need any additional edu- cation or training, this figure increases to almost 73 percent for 55- to 64-year-olds. Age, along with health, is increasingly cited as an impediment to participation in continuing education activities during the later working years. The fact that the willingness to in- vest in employee development decreases with increasing age is a reflection of the labor market's pronounced focus on youth. The point at which a person becomes one of the "old guard" in a company is coming earlier and earlier. In decades past this was expressed primarily in an uptake in people entering early retirement. This trend has weakened somewhat, but it has recently been superseded by another trend. Re- ports of Swiss employers disproportion- ately laying off workers over age 50 are piling up. Top executives and highly qual- ified specialists have also been affected. The situation on the job market has got- ten noticeably worse for those over age 50, and their risk of long-term unemployment is growing. According to the employment agency Adecco, only one-third of com- panies still regularly hire employees over age 50. "Too old" and "too expensive" are common reasons given. Nevertheless, Switzerland is doing very well compared to other countries in terms of the labor force participation of older employees. Only Sweden and Ice- land have more employed people aged 55 to 64. And about one-third of the labor force continues to work past the legal re- tirement age. This comparative advantage should not be gambled away. Companies that adopt short-sighted policies which exclude older workers – increasingly due Sara Carnazzi Weber is Head of Macroeconomic and Policy Research at Credit Suisse. to economic pressure – will soon be con- fronted with the next challenge. By 2025, 34 percent of employed persons in Switzer- land will be over the age of 50. Continued immigration at the current level cannot reverse this development. Accordingly, attempts to reform the pension system are heading toward increasing the retirement age; in doing so, it is important not to lose sight of the incentive structures for em- ploying older workers. Age-Based Human Resources Policy Employers are being forced to rethink things in order to make better use of the potential of an aging workforce. An age- based human resources policy should have flexible conditions – from functions to wages to setting work schedules – and make targeted use of older employees' ex- perience and specialized knowledge. Old- er employees can transfer knowledge to the younger generation. They are also par- ticularly good at implementing newly gained knowledge thanks to their life ex- perience, and they usually have better judgment and a holistic view of their work. Sometimes the paths that are taken appear unconventional at first glance. For example, when top managers reach a cer- tain age, they can be outsourced to their own consulting firm, as jointly practiced by ABB, Alstom and Bombardier. Keep- ing employees fit for work is ultimately in the company's best interests. A culture of lifelong learning – and appreciation for expertise – can make an important contri- bution. It wasn't that long ago that employees strongly resisted the introduction of computers. EDUCATION OVERVIEW Participation in various types of education by age, 2011 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Formal learning (obligatory school- ing, secondary and tertiary levels) Non-formal learn- ing (continuing education courses and seminars) Informal learning (friends, technical literature, computers) None Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, micro census on training and development 15–24 years 25–34 years 35–44 years 45–54 years 55–64 years 65–75 years
30. Bulletin 4/2013 — 29 — Lorem Ipsum — What young people think is important in life. A major survey targeting the US, Brazil, Singapore, and Switzerland. Credit SuiSSe Youth Barometer uSa Singapore Switzerland Brazil
31. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 30 — Bulletin 4/2013 hat do young people con- sider important in life? What are their views about school, and how do they invest their money? What do they worry about most? how do they see their future unfolding? The fourth Credit Suisse Youth Barometer provides informative answers and unique in- sights into the attitudes of the young generation, ages 16 to 25. For the first time, this interna- tional survey conducted by the research institute gfs.bern on behalf of Credit Suisse covered four countries and four different cultures: the United States, Brazil, Switzerland, and now Singapore too. The inclusion of the up-and-coming Asian sphere yields an even broader look at the com- monalities and differences in values, lifestyle and attitudes among the world's youth. one striking finding: in all four countries, the protracted economic crisis is affecting young what Young people think w people's lives. Growing youth unemployment is viewed as the greatest problem everywhere. Furthermore, for the first time, young people in the United States, Brazil and Switzerland are more pessimistic about their future now than in the past three years. indeed, in Singapore only a minority are optimistic. These results indicate a reversal of trend and could harbor potential for social tension. For now, however, young people are responding to their uncertain career prospects with pragma- tism. The majority express national pride and trust in their government. only in Brazil is a clear majority demanding reforms, with people already taking to the streets. however, the focus is on striving for security and their own profes- sional careers. School and education are tremen- dously important, and lifelong learning is indis- pensable for this generation. But achievement isn't everything; their social environment and contact with family and friends continue to take high priority. According to the survey, the situation of Swiss youth is exceptional in many respects, thanks to the nation's prosperity and its dual education system. They have a more post-mate- rialistic attitude than their counterparts in the United States and Singapore, and their pros- pects of making their dreams come true remain extraordinarily high. Your editorial team
32. — Lorem Ipsum — the SurveY roughly 1,000 young people ranging between 16 and 25 years of age in Switzerland, the United States, Brazil and Singapore were surveyed for the 2013 Credit Suisse Youth Barometer. The research firm gfs.bern conducted the survey between April and may 2013, primarily online. The Credit Suisse Youth Barometer has been compiled annually since 2010. The editorial staff evaluated the results for Bulletin. The country data (pages 32, 35, 40, and 44) comes from the World Bank and is for 2012, with the exception of life expectancy (2011). p. 33 p. 36 p. 41 p. 45 new: with Singapore With the addition of Singapore, the Youth Barometer looks for the first time at the trends, lifestyle and attitudes of young people in Asia. 01: life goalS and valueS Shift in young people's attitude toward life: how they view their future, and what goals they have set. 02: SChool, work, finanCeS No truants: how they envisage their careers, and where they spend their money. 03: politiCS and SoCietY Strong national pride and some social problems: judging the situation in their country. 04: lifeStYle and leiSure "hot or not" is a key concern for youth: Which communication devices and leisure trends are "in" and which are "out"? the Complete StudY We summarize the most important and interesting results for you here. For the complete study, with all the questions and responses, see the Credit Suisse Youth Barometer website: www.credit-suisse.com/youthbarometer Bulletin 4/2013 — 31Photos on previous page: reto Sterchi; Yves Suter; Stefen Chow; eudes de Santana
33. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 32 — Bulletin 4/2013 population: 198.7 million gdp (Current uSd): 2,253 billion gdp growth: 0.87% life expectancy: 73.4 years Brazil romulo Souza, 22, entrepreneur, São paulo "i would like to be successful in whatever i do. God willing, my business will do well."
34. Bulletin 4/2013 — 33 Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 0.0 2.0 1.0 Young people's attitude toward life has changed. Shaken by rampant youth un- employment, they are less hopeful than in the past three years. Confidence has clearly fallen in the United States, which scored lowest in this regard. only one- quarter of young people there are opti- mistic about the future of their coun- try, representing a complete reversal of the euphoria that came with President obama's election in 2008. But the spirit of optimism is clouded in Brazil as well, declining for the first time. interestingly, youth in the booming city-state of Singa- pore have the greatest confidence in their society's prospects but are most pessimis- tic about their own future. hope is stron- gest in Switzerland, where young people are considerably more positive about their own future than about their society's (65% compared to 29%). despite globalization, the sur- vey results show cultural differences. Whereas Swiss youth are the least ma- terialistic and religious in their orienta- tion, their counterparts in the US and especially in Singapore are predomi- nantly focused on career and status. in Brazil, a new system of values seems to be developing; young people are quite materialistic and hedonistic, but are at the same time extremely religious and prize solidarity. These different values are reflect- ed in concrete ways. What young people around the world share, however, are the goals of owning their own home, fol- lowing their dreams and achieving a 33%of young americans regard their society's future as relatively bleak. in 2010, just 20% were pessimistic. dwindling optimiSm – eSpeCiallY in the uS "What does your own future look like to you? does it look gloomy, bright, or mixed – or does it vary?" Answer: "bright", in percent SwiSS Youth leSS religiouS, ameriCanS leSS ventureSome indices compiled from various questions about values. For example, respondents were asked how often they visit a house of worship, or whether they regard themselves as risk-takers and hungry for success. religioSitY riSk Fig. 01.1 Fig. 01.2 1.3 1.0 1.5 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.8 0.7 uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland 01goalS in life and valueS 68 65 50 45 67 62 54 2010 2011 2012 2013 Photos: eudes de Santana; diego_cervo / iStockphoto
35. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 34 — Bulletin 4/2013 good work-life balance. A majority in all four countries want to have a family with children, an aspiration that is particularly common in Brazil and Switzerland (68% in each country). Characteristic of the upward- mobility mindset that predominates in Singapore and Brazil is the focus on making a career and achieving prosper- ity. The goals of having a lot of money and being better off than their parents are particularly important in that regard. Brazilian youth also place the greatest emphasis on higher education. They are more likely than their contemporaries elsewhere to value a solid position in so- ciety and to fight for social justice. Young people in Switzerland attach greater importance than others to learning about different cultures, sus- tainability, and flexibility in planning. higher education, a career and status are less significant in their vision of the future. Just 27 percent have the goal of being better off than their parents. Young people in the United States are closest to the Swiss in their values, although religion is much more impor- tant to them. one third of American re- spondents visit a house of worship at least once a week. interestingly, the higher their income, the more often they visit a house of worship. Also striking is the difference in willingness to take risks. The American dream notwithstanding, young people in the US are pessimistic and the most likely to shun risk. goalS and valueS of Young people in Switzerland "When you think about what you are striving for in life: how important are the following things to you personally?" in percent dream of home ownerShip "When you think of goals in your life: what do you strive for above all, what do you not want under any circumstances, and where would you make up your mind depending on the circumstances, and then only in the future?" in percent 69 80 68 85 following your own dreams Fig. 01.3 Fig. 01.4 uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland 68%of Brazilians want a university degree (Ch: 33 %, uS: 53 %, Singapore: 51 %). havingfriendsyoucancounton honesty havinganexcitingcareer loyalty havingagoodfamilylife/partnership enjoyinglifetothefullest Beingrespectedasaperson livingandactingresponsibly 91 76 81 8485 8889 74 61 59 68 68 having a family with children 72 65 77 82 maintaining a good work-life balance 70 76 75 74 having your own house/ apartment 66 62 76 51 pursuing a career 56 62 66 43 having a lot of money 65 60 67 27 Being better off than my parents Photo: Stefen Chow
36. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 35 Jamie lim, 21, marketing student, Singapore "i want to be the person who brings greater relevance to marketing in Singapore. it should become ethical and authentic." population: 5.3 million gdp (Current uSd): 275 billion gdp growth: 1.32 % life expectancy: 81.9 years Singapore
37. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 36 — Bulletin 4/2013 high telephone deBtS, But not in Switzerland "do you personally have any of the following liabilities?" in % For this generation it's clear: education is very important and must be a lifelong pursuit. if you don't enjoy your work, you should find a different profession, and if you do enjoy your work, you'll be suc- cessful. however, the realities of the la- bor markets in the US, Brazil and Sin- gapore contradict these precepts because a majority of people in these countries think you should be happy to have a job at all. The situation in Switzerland, with its economic stability and dual system, is unique. Youth unemployment is lower than in other countries, and significantly more young people are happy with their job situation than in other countries. Switzerland's special situation is also reflected in the extraordinarily high degree of skepticism about a uni- versity education. Less than one-third of respondents consider a university de- gree to be the best foundation for a ca- reer, compared to more than two-thirds of people in Singapore (71%) and Brazil (80%). Swiss people are much more criti- cal of education, not least because real work experience can be gained in Swit- zerland at a younger age. only 43 per- cent of Swiss respondents believe that a person who performs poorly in school will not have good career opportunities. And just 37 percent find school to be good prepara- tion for the working world. in Brazil, the US and Singapore, however, a significant major- ity agree with these sentiments. There is a noticeable difference in deci- sions about education between the two gen- ders. in Switzerland and Singapore, women tend to choose an academic path, while men are more likely to choose a trade (apprentice- ship, vocational matriculation examination certificate). in Brazil, there are hardly any differences in this regard, while it is precisely the opposite in the US. At the same time, young women in Switzerland place greater value on a work-life balance (83%), and less on having a career (44%) and earning lots of money (40%) than women in the other countries surveyed. in terms of involve- ment, young women in Switzerland, Brazil and Singapore are more likely to demon- strate social responsibility and environmen- tal concern than young men. it's alarming that a majority of women in every country feels that women are at a disadvantage in the world of work. As far as spending money goes, will- ingness to save is still very high, and it has even increased slightly in comparison to re- cent years. Swiss young people, however, are by no means the best savers in the world: They only set about half their money aside, while their contemporaries in the US and Brazil save two-thirds, and those in Singa- pore save three-quarters of their money. And what are 16- to 25-year-olds sav- ing for? mostly for their own house and a family, while young Swiss people primarily are saving for hard times. equities and funds are particularly popular investments in Sin- gapore, and particularly unpopular in Swit- zerland. Young Swiss people are the most free-spending, and they are willing to spend the most money on vacations. in Singapore and Brazil, as well, young people prefer to spend their money on trips, while cars are a more popular purchase in the US. Living on credit has decreased slightly over 2012. The greatest financial debt among young people is still found in Brazil and – to a lesser extent than before – the US. debts are significantly lower in Singapore, and es- pecially in Switzerland. Fig. 02.2 familY debt to friends/family 20 28 16 12 02SChool, Career, finanCeS 177 272 Young people want to Save, Save, Save "Let's say someone gives you 10,000 units of your currency. how would you allocate the money?" Fig. 02.1 325 350 BuY preSentS Save for a houSe 1,389 1,227 1,394 792 Photos: Creativeye99 / iStockphoto; wragg / iStockphoto
38. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 37 Fig. 02.3 private deBt personal loans 26 26 17 4 moBile phone debt to mobile phone providers 25 32 22 5 auto Car loan/lease 20 22 10 3 Credit CardS Credit card debt 21 28 13 4 mortgage mortgage must be serviced 20 12 10 1 70%of people in Singapore would like to have a government-related job. in contrast, that figure in the uS is only 41% (Brazil: 73%, Switzerland: 52%). uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland SavingS aCCount ClotheS/JewelrY 865 544 145 585 donate it 3,727 3,464 3,371 2,536 go on vaCation Spend on mY familY 740 667 632 560 379 699 315 291 BuY a Car uS: uSd Brazil: Brl Singapore: Sgd Switzerland: Chf 828 660 1,492 461 385 347 347 399 diSCrimination againSt women ContinueS "to what extent do you agree with the following statement? Women are at a disadvantage in the professional world." 57% 55% 49% Photos: Antagain / iStockphoto; huskdesign / iStockphoto; grafart / iStockphoto; blackred / iStockphoto; electriceye / fotolia; archives / iStockphoto; themacx / iStockphoto uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland 50% 399399399
39. 38 — Bulletin 4/2013 "Young people are feeling the gloBal Competition" mr. Freitag, our Youth Barometer surveyed young people on four continents for the first time. Is there a global youth culture these days? At least as far as the use of new commu- nication media goes. As "digital na- tives," today's young people have practi- cally been born into it. in addition, young people combine materialistic and post-materialistic ideology. They know that they need a certain level of pros- perity to evolve personally and develop aspirations and visions. Why are young people in all four countries less optimistic than those in the last three years' surveys? Globalization and the debt crisis are indicators of a jeopardized status. Young people are feeling the competition from a growing number of well-educat- ed immigrants. They are afraid of losing the material foundation of their largely worry-free lifestyle over the course of a long-term, structural economic crisis. What makes young Swiss people tick in 2013? Compared with Brazil, the US, and Singapore, young people in Switzerland aspire more to intangible personal development and less toward public recognition. They are critical about limitations on individual freedoms and personal development and assign comparatively great importance to values of solidarity and family and friends. Young people in Switzerland appreciate and relish the advantages of their social, political, and economic situation, but are aware of impending threats that could imperil the status they have achieved. Did you notice anything in particular about the results? The degree of national pride is notewor- thy – more than 80 percent of young people are proud of their countries – as is the ongoing high level of satisfaction with the political system, which goes hand in hand with a clear rejection of a need for reform. it is interesting how the fostering of Swiss traditions and culture is accompanied by a push toward foreign countries – in keeping with the slogan "think globally, act locally." The increasingly pressing issues relating to crime, personal safety, youth violence, and violence at sporting events are alarming. Swiss young people are most concerned about foreigners and integration. This has become accentuated in comparison to the last three years. For a start, young Swiss people's per- sonal interactions with foreigners continue to be largely positive. Nearly everyone rejects xenophobia and racism. immigrants only become a problem for young Swiss people when Switzerland's cultural identity is threatened and – more importantly – when a more challenging economic environment threatens individuals' economic status. Threats can be direct – through competition for housing or jobs – or indirect – through financing and covering the increasing costs of integration. in Singapore as well, the survey revealed that young people are skeptical about foreigners. Growing public resentment over the influx of foreigners and the stiffer competition for jobs and apartments led to a more restrictive immigration policy there in 2012. A heavy involvement in politics is not fashionable among young Swiss people. But the survey does show that the majority of young Swiss people oppose a night-time ban on retail alcohol sales. And two-thirds of them are confident they will be able to find ways around the ban. traditional political work is too time- consuming for young people and they don't get enough out of it personally. But as soon as limitations are placed on their opportunities for personal devel- opment, they wake up. This was shown by the demonstration in Berne against legal restrictions on the city's nightlife ("tanz dich frei") and is reflected in the strong opposition to the ban on retail sales of alcohol. Why does religion play such a thoroughly subordinate role in Switzerland, as compared to the US, Brazil and Singapore? religion has always had greater sig- nificance in the other countries. Swiss young people are more likely to seek Political scientist markus Freitag talks about the values of young people in Switzerland and the new generation's rather gloomy attitude toward life. interview: michael Krobath Switzerland Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013
40. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 39 educational offerings. in addition, the dual system of professional education seems to offer a certain level of security. even young people with less schooling have an opportunity to get jobs with reasonable pay. Swiss young people do not really see many issues requiring action. This may point to a functioning politico-economic system, but it could also be an expression of rampant indifference to public concerns. in the latter case, young people would do well to remember the words of John F. Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." answers and help from their friends and family than from religion. They attach greater importance to the here and now. The specter of youth unemployment haunts this generation. How can it be overcome? Fighting youth unemployment is soci- ety's core task in the coming decades, because the future of our social solidar- ity and the coming generation's sense of self-esteem are at stake. it is a difficult undertaking, although Switzerland is doing better than some other countries. Some see a fundamental evil in the strong protection against unwarranted dismissal and the employment guaran- tee for older workers that is getting out of hand, which make it more difficult for young people to enter the employment market, while others point to young people's lack of flexibility and a certain amount of complacency on their part. They are interested only in their dream careers, and want to start right away, without having to endure the sacrifices associated with a longer training period. Do you think young people will become radicalized? it's not out of the question. it's not for nothing that the international Labour organization (iLo) recently warned that there will be more social unrest in europe, due in part to youth unem- ployment. In Switzerland, young people still feel that making an effort is worthwhile and professional dreams can come true. What is working better here? overall, the labor market structure in Switzerland corresponds better to the "Swiss people are critical of limitations on personal freedom and development." markuS freitag is the director of the institute of Political Science at the University of Berne, where he holds the chair of political sociology. he has written numerous articles on social and political life in Switzerland and around the world. As part of a pan-euro- pean project over the coming years, he is studying the informally imparted conditions of youth unemployment. Switzerland a SpeCial CaSe: univerSitY iS not CompulSorY "how much do you agree with the following statements about careers and education?" in percent lifelong learning is important a university degree is the best foundation for a career School is good preparation for the working world Bad grades in school = bad career opportunities an apprenticeship opens doors for ongoing training 80 68 67 58 52 87 77 80 69 60 87 72 71 70 52 82 75 35 37 43 uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland Photo: Personal collection
41. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 40 — Bulletin 4/2013 thomas maxwell nolen, 25, actor, new York City "What do i want to be? So far things are going great – i just hope they stay that way." population: 313.9 million gdp (Current uSd): 15,685 billion gdp growth: 2.21 % life expectancy: 78.6 years united StateS
42. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 41 03politiCS and SoCietY Although young people have historically had a critical relationship with govern- ment, today the majority – with the ex- ception of Brazil (39%) – are proud of their countries. National pride is partic- ularly strong among young Swiss people (83%). The attitude toward government failure and the need for reform is along the same lines. While only one-third of those in Switzerland are demanding po- litical reform, that figure is 80 percent in Brazil, as was recently demonstrated by a national protest movement. Perception of problems is marked by each country's national political dis- course, with the main issues remain- ing relatively stable. A great worry for young people in all four countries is un- employment / youth unemployment. in the United States (54%) and Singapore (42%) it is the greatest worry of all; in Brazil it ranked second (42%) and in Switzerland third (32%). Surprisingly, retirement provision features among the more important is- sues, except in the United States. Swiss young people are particularly worried about their own pensions (37%). demo- graphic trends and the resulting prob- lems of an aging society are a top con- cern for young Swiss people (71%). in fact, 34 percent think that the relation- ship between young and old will get worse in the future. issues specific to certain countries include the price of oil (44%) and terror- ism (33%) in the United States. Brazilian young people find urban violence (29%) and – more than ever – corruption (63%) to be particularly big problems for their country. in Singapore, economic issues dominate, which is somewhat surpris- ing in light of the booming Asian city- state's economic success: Along with unemployment and retirement provi- sion (26%), young people in Singapore are concerned about inflation (41%) and wage development (38%). Young Swiss people, in contrast, are less worried than last year about eco- nomic issues. A mere 11 percent are still worried about the financial crisis (–8 percentage points) and just 2 percent are worried about inflation (–5 percentage points). Worries about personal safety and youth violence, on the other hand, have increased by 8 percentage points to 26%. There is a greater focus on the is- sue of immigrants, as compared to 2012. half of young Swiss people (+6 percent- age points) are worried about issues re- lating to foreigners and integration, with migration representing the biggest problem. At the same time, 72 percent believe that Switzerland benefits from foreign workers. Not only in Switzer- land (62%), but also in the United States (58%) and Brazil (52%), a majority be- lieves that the issue of immigration has gotten worse in recent years. it's par- ticularly alarming in Singapore, where 81 percent of respondents are worried about immigrants (for more about this, see page 47). internationally speaking, concerns about the environment are quite low. in Bra- zil (7%), Singapore (9%) and even in the United States (10%), the issue interests only a small minority. only young Swiss people consider protecting the environ- ment and global warming to be one of the most important issues (27%). energy issues have also established themselves among the top problems (22%) after the Fukushima incident and the 2011 an- nouncement by politicians of a withdraw- al from nuclear power programs. national pride Fig. 03.1 "Are you proud/very proud of your country?" in % 39 83 74 67 Photography: reto Sterchi; images: liangpv / iStockphoto; philpell / iStockphoto; imegastocker / iStockphoto; moonrun / fotolia
43. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 42 — Bulletin 4/2013 immigration BeComeS an iSSue "do you agree with the following statement: Problems with immigrants have gotten worse in the last two or three years?" in % uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland the Challenge of demographiCS Fig. 03.5 the BiggeSt proBlemS Fig. 03.3 "in this list you will see some topics that have been discussed and written about a lot recently. Please look at the whole list, then select from the list the five points that you personally see as the five biggest problems in your country." Fig. 03.2 54 % unemployment / youth unemployment 50 % immigrants integration free movement of persons 32 % unemployment / youth unemploy- ment 26 % personal safety 22 % energy 44 % gas / oil prices 33 % terrorism 27 % Corruption 25 % health care 25 % educational system 81 62 52 58 71 "in the foreseeable future, your country will have more and more older people of retirement age and fewer and fewer young people. do you consider this to be a big / very big problem?" in % united States Switzerland 613745 Photography: mgkaya / iStockphoto; dNY59 / iStockphoto; aldomurillo / iStockphoto % nergy 54 unemployment / nited States
44. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 43 gloBal warming and environmental proteCtion – a SwiSS iSSue Fig. 03.4 uneven deSire for reform "does the political system in your country need to be fundamentally reformed?" in % Fig. 03.6 9 27 7 10 Number of respondents naming global warming and environmental protection as one of the top five problems in the respective country. in % 11%of Swiss young people are very worried about the economic crisis. a year ago, it was 19 percent (united States: 19 %, Singapore: 14 %, Brazil: 8 %). 63 % Corruption 42 % unemployment / youth unemployment 37 % retirement provision 27 % environmental protection / climate 42 % unemployment / youth unemployment 41 % inflation 38 % Salaries / salary trend 27 % educational system 27 % wages / development 25 % gas / oil prices 24 % health care 24 % retirement provision 29 % urban violence 26 % health care 26 % retirement provision 34 73 Brazil Singapore 80 uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland 65 Photography: wragg / iStockphoto; mkurtbas / iStockphoto; oleandra / fotolia ealth care uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland
45. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 44 — Bulletin 4/2013 andrea Speck, 23, administrator, oberarth "What are my career goals? i'd like to be a department head. What is my biggest dream? taking a five month trip." population: 7.9 million gdp (Current uSd): 632 billion gdp growth: 0.97 % life expectancy: 82.7 years Switzerland
46. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 45 04lifeStYle and leiSure Nothing unites young people like how they spend their free time. meeting up with friends and talking to them is im- portant in every country, and for Swiss teenagers it is the most important thing of all (93%). in addition, smartphones have become a dominant lifestyle prod- uct since the survey was first started. Usage patterns for them are ever chang- ing, as shown by the way WhatsApp has abruptly squeezed out SmS messaging in Switzerland. Social media remains a core trend, with Facebook continuing to be used a good deal, although it is not as "in" as it once was. the current debate about inter- net monitoring makes the survey results about the perceived risk of information being misused particularly interesting. Young Swiss people are most skeptical, with 95 percent of them indicating that they are aware that their Facebook data could end up in the wrong hands. in Bra- zil this figure was only 54 percent. in the US, a higher-than-average number of young people (46%) said that they had experienced problems such as bullying on Facebook. Swiss teenagers were least likely by far to have had bad experiences of this nature (15%). The "What's out" lists have a ma- jor common denominator: Young people are not into smoking or taking illegal and performance-enhancing drugs. Alcohol consumption is likewise out in Singapore and Brazil, but not in the US and Swit- zerland. in Singapore (39%) and Swit- zerland (51%) participating in political demonstrations is not cool. The home- maker model does not much appeal whatSapp dominateS "Which forms of communication do you use to get in touch with your friends?" in % Fig. 04.1 SmS whatsapp email mobile phone 62 4 11 18 uS 31 15 Brazil 46 69 8 7 Singapore 40 66 Switzerland 44 5231 21 28%of young people in the uS like to vacation abroad. among the Swiss, this figure is 84 % (Brazil: 48 %, Singapore: 61 %). uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland free newSpaperS popular onlY in Switzerland Fig. 04.3 internet: news sites/ newspaper sites free newspapers internet: facebook/twitter/ myspace/orkut news apps on smartphones television "What is the most important source of information for you?" in % 25 34 17 20 18 24 9 15 22 17 14 19 14 23 16 9 Smartphone Boom "Are smartphones in with your friends, and do you have one?" in % Fig. 04.2 85 81 67 64 47 43 36 2010 2013 3 Photos: Yves Suter; scanrail / iStockphoto
47. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 46 — Bulletin 4/2013 to young people in Brazil and Switzer- land, while sexual adventures are out in Singapore and Brazil. in the US, two so- cial media platforms, hi5 und myspace, are among the top 10 on the out list. there are greater differences by country in media use than in commu- nication. Although the speed of getting information is universally very high, sig- nificant differences appear with the most important information sources. in the US and Brazil, the new media in particu- lar dominate, along with television – and in Singapore it's smartphone news apps. Young Swiss people have the most tradi- tional focus when it comes to obtaining information. They continue to get most of their information from free newspa- pers (22%), followed by news websites (20%). News apps for smartphones have become much more popular. They were the most important information source for only 5 percent of respondents in 2010, but this figure has risen to 16 percent to- day. Paid-for daily newspapers are the most important information source for only 7 percent of young Swiss people. today's young people are espe- cially interested in information about music, brand and product news, com- puters, games and sports. only in Swit- zerland do such traditional news areas as the weather (64%) and regional current events (58%) dominate. Business news is most interesting to Brazilians (41%) and Swiss people (39%). Americans are the least interested in it (22%). generation CliCk: digital iS in "We have listed a number of very different things in life. Please tell us if they are in with your friends and if you use them." (top 3 in each country) Both charts in percent drugS are out "We have listed a number of very different things in life. Please tell us if they are out with your friends and if you do not do them." (top 3 in each country) Fig. 04.4 Fig. 04.5 67 65 65 Smartphones such as iphone/Blackberry/android email facebook 57 44 42 myspace golf drugs 77 74 73 facebook email SmS 53 47 43 drugs Smoking performance-enhancing drugs 81 77 73 Smartphones such as iphone/Blackberry/android facebook email 49 47 44 Smoking orkut performance-enhancing drugs 93 85 84 meeting friends Smartphones such as iphone/Blackberry/android vacationing abroad 62 61 51 drugs performance-enhancing drugs attending political demonstrations flop top uS Brazil Singapore Switzerland Photos: Chrishepburn / iStockphoto
48. Bulletin 4/2013 — 47 cated that they were very proud or fairly proud of their young nation, which be- came independent a mere 48 years ago. Consequently, for the youth of Singa- pore, it is only natural to adorn their win- dows, banisters and rear-view mirrors of cars with their country's red and white flag on August 9, Singapore's National day. every year, hundreds of thousands also watch the military parade, accom- panied by folk dances and chants prais- ing the unity of Singapore. in the West, such things smack of totalitarian coun- tries. Jayasutha Samuthiran, a political science student of indian descent, finds these things normal and necessary. "We are a young nation. We need celebrations like this to reinforce our inner cohesion." "You are what you own" The fact that many young people claim that the economic outlook for Singapore is rosy contradicts the findings of the study, namely that many young people are also worried about their own person- al futures. Among the most frequently mentioned problems are the fear of un- employment, inflation, cost-of-living increases, and low wages, which are in- adequate to cover the high cost of liv- ing in Singapore. Jayasutha Samuthiran certainly understands this. "i don't want simply to have just enough food on the table. i want more," says the young mei Jin is burning a bundle of bank notes. She and her of- fice colleagues have set up a metal barrel right in the middle of the street in a side alley of Chinatown. in it, a fire blazes. Slowly, mei throws play money into the flames. A small altar adorned with in- cense sticks and food is situated next to the entrance to the advertising agency where she and her colleagues work. it is lunchtime in the city-state of Singapore, and it is Ghost month. during their break, 23-year-old mei Jin and her col- leagues gather at the altar to pay homage to their deceased ancestors, offering food and burning symbolic money, sticks of incense, clothing and papier-mâché cars in order to make their stay on earth as comfortable as possible. At banquets held in honor of the dead, chairs are kept emp- ty for their spirits. many Chinese believe that the gates to the realms of heaven and hell are wide open in the seventh lunar month, allowing the innumerable souls of the deceased to travel back to earth. Like many other young people in Singapore, mei Jin and her young col- leagues are using religious rituals to commemorate the deceased. The Credit Suisse Youth Barometer indicates that Singapore Young people in Singapore are religious and have great national pride, but they are pessimistic about their future. Their goal: earn a lot of money to buy a car and a home. By ruth Bossart anxietY aBout the future in aSia'S Boom CountrY the youth of Singapore are much more religious than their contemporaries in Switzerland. Around one-fifth visit a temple, mosque or church at least once a week. only six percent never attend a house of worship. For irene Ng, social scientist at the National University of Singapore, these results are not surpris- ing. in Southeast Asia even young people hold the family in high regard. And since religious rituals frequently take place in the context of the family, religion is often tightly interwoven with family tradition. Sociology professor ho Kong Chong explains that for many young people religion is also a question of identity. "religion is closely linked to ethnicity in Singapore." The majority of malays are muslim; most indians are hindu, and Chinese, who make up three-quarters of the population, mostly consider themselves Buddhist or taoist. Young people of all ethnic groups are very happy to hold a Singaporean passport. in the survey, 74 percent indi- "we are playing in the first division – that comes at a price." Jayasutha Samuthiran Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013
49. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 48 — Bulletin 4/2013 woman, who spends her free time work- ing as a dJ and modeling. With these jobs she earns the spending money she needs to buy expensive name-brand clothes and shoes. Because in Singapore, the rule is, "you are what you own: the clothes you wear, the place you live in, and the car you drive." The car, an ex- pensive proposition in Singapore with its high taxes and tolls, is an important sta- tus symbol. She and her boyfriend, who are 22 and 23 years old respectively, are already saving for a Jaguar. owning their own home is also on the couple's wish list. Unfortunately, prices have increased drastically over the last ten years – a two- room apartment in a 30-story building on the outskirts of the city will cost the equivalent of half a million francs. But she would really rather have a house in- stead of an apartment in a large build- ing. Samantha Kundus, a 25-year-old Pr specialist, would also like to buy her own apartment. But this is wishful thinking. Prices are just too high, even to rent. So instead she still lives with her parents. One in three a foreigner many young people say that the for- eigners are to blame for the plight of the housing market. A number of economic studies showing that immigrants have caused an increase in the price of real es- tate confirm this. Singapore's population has grown 65 percent in the last twenty years. today, one in three of the 5.4 mil- lion residents holds a foreign passport. Besides, with an area six times smaller than Switzerland, this island nation has almost no large parcels of land left. After the embarrassing outcome of the last election two years ago, in part due to their liberal immigration poli- cies, the governing party has tightened its entry requirements for foreign work- ers. Since then, the city fathers are taking every opportunity to repeat their popu- list slogan: "Singaporeans First." Spe- cifically, that means that Singaporeans should be given preference over foreign- ers in the education system, as well as in the labor and housing markets. Jayasutha Samuthiran believes that this is only fair. Samuthiran says that she sometimes feels like a foreigner in her own country. And she feels frustrated when overcrowded buses simply drive past her bus stop be- cause there is not enough room for an- other passenger. "Not least, the large numbers of foreigners are to blame for this." migration pressure is also evident in the labor market – in particular be- cause of well-educated immigrants from China and india. Samuthiran talks about fellow students from abroad in technical fields of study who studied incessantly, and then later in their careers even took work home on weekends. "We Singa- poreans don't stand a chance against that." Young people in Singapore, she says, want a personal life in addition to a career. it does, in fact, seem to be more difficult for young Singaporeans to find suitable jobs. the unemployment rate among 15- to 24-year-olds was 6.7 per- cent last year, while average unemploy- ment was only 2.8 percent. Xenophobia is widespread among young Singaporeans – in the survey, over two-thirds rated the presence of foreign- ers in the city state as a problem – and the growing unease is evident on inter- net forums, where there is frequent criti- cal and even racist commentary. But to date, the internet seems to be one of the few outlets where young people can ex- press their dissatisfaction. According to the Credit Suisse Youth Barometer, digital communica- tion is omnipresent in day-to-day life. 65 percent growth in twenty years: population growth is driving a housing shortage for young people. Photo: munshi Ahmed / Bloomberg via Getty images
50. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Bulletin 4/2013 — 49 Four out of five young Singaporeans think smartphones are in, and 69 percent use the WhatsApp app to send free SmS messages via the internet. WhatsApp is the communication tool of choice for 66 percent of young people in Switzer- land, 11 percent in Brazil and only 4 per- cent in the US. Badi Siruno is 21 years old, has just finished his military service and wants to study political science in europe. "Parents send a WhatsApp mes- sage to their kids from the bedroom to remind them to brush their teeth or set the air conditioning." Then, at the break- fast table, children meticulously check everything that happened on Facebook and twitter while they were sleeping. Strong belief in the state in Singapore, there is no place for open criticism, much less political protests. A slew of laws serves the state by nipping rebelliousness in the bud. From child- hood on, Singaporeans are conditioned to stay within certain boundaries. There- fore, says Samantha Kudus, who also studied in the US, only a very few will risk causing trouble for themselves and their families by voicing opposition. Peo- ple are focused on their own worlds, their careers, their families. Jayasutha Sa- muthiran agrees with them, adding that so far, government leaders have not done a bad job. "Four decades ago we were still a developing country, and today, we are playing in the first division – that comes at a price." Around one-third of the approximately 5.4 million residents of Singapore are under the age of 24. The city state spends 3.3 percent of its gross domestic product on education. Around 91 percent of young people successfully complete secondary education. The average age at first marriage is 28 for women and 30 for men. Singapore 28 % extremely important 2 % no re- sponse 1 % extremely insignifi- cant 1 % very insignifi- cant 9 % fairly insignifi- cant 30 % very important 29 % fairly important 55%of youth in Singapore would definitely like to work abroad (Brazil: 55 %, uS: 43 %, Switzerland: 40 %). Singapore'S materialiStiC Youth "When you think about what you are striving for in life, how important is it for you personally to have a lot of money?" Singapore RuthBossart is Southeast Asia correspondent for "NZZ am Sonntag" and Swiss broadcaster SrF.
51. 50 — Bulletin 4/2013 Brazil was shaken last June by social protests in which up to a million people took to the streets across the country. Those protests died down again quickly over the summer. Did that surprise you? Social protests always come in waves. This is completely normal. No one would expect so many people to protest for months at a time. What is important is the fact that the demonstrations took place at all and that they conveyed the deep frustration prevalent in all regions. Now it remains to be seen how the political system will react to it. There were a great many young people among the demonstrators. Why are they dissatisfied when internationally Brazil is considered a model for success? recently international enthusiasm for Brazil has diminished substantially because the country's growth rates have been low and the infrastructure is so poor – the public transportation sys- tem, the health system, the schools are all in urgent need of revitalization. Not only do young people feel excluded from politics, they experience daily that almost all state institutions are inadequate and corrupt. The fact that the education system works so badly is particularly serious for young people. The universities are not educating enough engineers and other technical personnel, and the teachers in second- ary schools and high schools are poorly educated themselves. in interna- tional education comparisons, Brazil's youth always occupy the lowest ranks (see also page 4). What is the actual impact of this? Someone with a Brazilian qualification applying to an international company, for instance, will not usually land a demanding and well-paid job, but can only hope to eventually be promoted from third undersecretary to second undersecretary. For Brazilian philosopher José Arthur Giannotti, his country's younger generation has every reason to be worried about the future. interview: Sandro Benini "Young people feel exCluded" Brazil "Now it remains to be seen how the political system will react": protests in rio de Janeiro, June 2013. Credit SUiSSe YoUth BArometer 2013 Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP Photo
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