Can money motivate reading culture? Literary scholar questions Singapore's results-driven approach

Singapore's approach to encouraging reading through financial rewards and performance metrics may be counterproductive to building a sustainable reading culture, according to literary scholar Gwee Li Sui. The academic has questioned whether monetary incentives can effectively cultivate a meaningful relationship with literature among young Singaporeans.

Gwee's analysis touches on broader concerns about how Singapore's results-driven educational environment shapes students' creative and cultural development. He points to curious patterns in student writing—such as Singaporean children frequently writing about winter despite living in a tropical climate—as evidence of how external pressures can disconnect learning from lived experience and authentic cultural expression.

The scholar also addresses the role of technology and artificial intelligence in reshaping literacy practices, alongside questions about the place of Singlish in formal education. His commentary suggests that cultural development cannot be accelerated or engineered through conventional performance metrics alone.

Gwee's observations reflect ongoing debates in Singapore about balancing academic achievement with cultural enrichment and creative development. His perspective challenges policymakers and educators to reconsider how incentive structures might inadvertently undermine the deeper goal of fostering genuine appreciation for literature and language among the younger generation.