Subheader
Black Holes and Revelations
such change , there is little doubt that more aesthetically pleasing school facilities and the introduction of ground-breaking programs like the Gap Semester has enriched our student life .
Rafflesian Times
38
The school is becoming too corporate . There ’ s no room for passion or idealism or any of that nowadays , and what is “ right ” doesn ’ t matter so much as shiny figures and statistics and Ivy league / Oxbridge admissions .’
Aside from the perceived elitism within a school population , some students have taken to RJ Confessions to voice their concerns about the increasing corporatisation of RI , especially with regards to how the school markets itself to others . Over the past few years , there has indeed been a visceral difference not only in how the school presents itself to visitors , but also how it has refurbished its campus and tweaked the learning experience for Rafflesians . Out go the more traditional , green velvet-backed notice boards , the warm red bricked walls and student-produced videos — replaced by high-tech LCD television screens , sleek glass and steel facades , and professionally produced Open House videos with a touch of class . While the more nostalgic side of us may feel an instinctive aversion to
However , there have been legitimate concerns raised over the way RI has tried to make itself seem like an attractive destination for new students , with one confessor of the opinion that ‘ RJ went overboard with its self-celebratory news release about Oxford and Cambridge admissions after the A-Level results were announced .’ In the fine balance which invariably has to be struck between publicising our Oxbridge admissions rate and avoiding a corporate overemphasis on results , it could be argued that RI should have erred more on the side of the latter .
Another anonymous poster agrees with this sentiment , commenting that ‘ the school is becoming too corporate . There ’ s no room for passion or idealism or any of that nowadays , and what is “ right ” doesn ’ t matter so much as shiny figures and statistics and Ivy league / Oxbridge admissions .’
Even though RI ’ s desire to brand itself as the nation ’ s best institution is perfectly understandable , many confessors are of the opinion that the school management should simply let our results do the talking , and invest all its efforts in fostering a nurturing school environment . After all , key performance indicators and numbers on a glossy magazine page just cannot replicate that authentic sense of belonging .