I refer to the letter Ethnic relations course: Public feedback on draft vital by Dr Lim Teck Ghee.

I agree with him that, as a general principle, the ethnic relations course content should be subject to public feedback. But surely the real issue here is whether such a course should be compulsory for university students at all.

Indeed, we should be asking whether any compulsory course is appropriate for university students, including the LAN compulsory subjects foisted upon private sector students.

The notion underlying this move is that 19 to 22-year-olds (they are young adults, not children) are deficient in knowledge of their own country and its multi-ethnic composition. After 12 years of compulsory schooling, this is a pretty shocking state of affairs.

What on earth is being taught in the schools? The average Form 1 pupil should already have a basic understanding of recent history and the racial accommodation that prefaced independence. We do not need to be forcing more politically motivated compulsory material onto university students who are supposed to be specialising in their chosen areas.

One reason (among many) that there is such concern about the employability of local graduates is that they continue to be treated as children long after they can drive, smoke, drink, marry, procreate, join the army, vote and pay taxes.

It's time we treated them like adults. Who knows, we might be pleasantly surprised at the results.