Essay Guide

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‘Censorship is a hindrance to education.’ Discuss with reference to your society.

Key terms
Censorship The restriction or suppression of free expression e.g., in published or broadcast material.
Censorship in Singapore occurs in all forms of the mass media e.g., TV, films, plays, the newspapers and
the internet. Censorship implies restriction of individual liberty. There are different degrees of censorship
ranging e.g., from cuts of certain scenes in a play to the ban of a book, movie or play
Hindrance Impediment/obstruction/obstacle/barrier
Education Consider learning in a wide context – academic, social, political, moral, religious

Possible approaches:
A] Yes, the statement is true
B] No, censorship is not a hindrance to education
C] Combination of [A] and [B]. The statement can be true to a [specified] extent depending on certain
conditions/circumstances. Students need to show balance in their essay, therefore best to adopt
approach [C]. This stand is made in the conclusion.

Possible arguments
Censorship is a hindrance to education
1] Censorship is an impediment to a broad education that considers diverse points of view or a wide
range of information. Such an education enables us to make more intelligent or objective judgments/
decisions. Censorship therefore suppresses our learning to evaluate, it retards our growth into mature,
critical individuals. Censorship is detrimental when it results in the suppression of alternative views that
prevents the “other side” of the issue/story from being shown e.g., when the state objects to legitimate
criticisms or grievances against the government that are incompatible to its political views. Censorship
thus limits and controls the way people think and feel and is not consistent with the ideals of a democratic
education.
Examples
2006: Political pod casting and video casting was banned during the election period.
2006: “Today” newspaper suspended Mr Brown's opinion column after the publication of his article,
"Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!" concerning the rising costs of living in Singapore.
2005: Media Development Authority [MDA] withheld the license for the play “Human Lefts’‘by the Fun
Stage that made references to the death penalty. The play, about the hanging of Shanmugam Murugesu,
former national athlete who was executed for possession of marijuana, was to have been staged one day
after the controversial execution of Australian national, Nguyen Tuong Van.
2002: A documentary on opposition politician J. B. Jeyaretnam, ‘”Vision of Persistence” was withdrawn
from the Singapore International Film Festival. Lecturers and students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, who
made the video, were warned that the Political Videos Act could be used against them.

2] Censorship retards/stifles/impedes an individual’s social education, his learning of the harsh facts of life
e.g., violence. Excessive and unrealistic censorship results in people who are out of touch with reality.
Example
2003: Royston Tan's short film “15” on teenage gangsters in Singapore, suffered 27 cuts from the Board
of Censors as the scenes depicted gangsterism, truancy, self-mutilation and delinquency. The film was
eventually released with an R(A) rating.

3] The suppression of the free expression of literary masterpieces/works of art obstructs literary/aesthetic
education/artistic merit /creative endeavours. Artistes impart their vision and commentary on life’s
important issues and the state of the human condition, but censorship stifles our learning and
appreciation of these insights.

Censorship is not a hindrance to education

1] Censorship upholds traditional/moral/religious education. The state may censor what it considers
corrupting e.g., blatant pornography and gratuitous violence to uphold moral education or protect public
morals. This it does as the internet, publications and films form the bulk of the entertainment industry that
may be exploited by unscrupulous people who capitalize on mindless violence and sexploitation. Some
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internet websites and movies for instance are not works of art but offensive to decency. The type of
“education” that follows is likely to not be desirable. Is it then parents or the state’s responsibility to
exercise censorship to protect children from such education? In light of this, censorship may help
preserve moral education or traditional values such as the sanctity of marriage and the importance of the
family. It therefore enables us not to be misled by the unchecked liberal media as children and some
adults are not mature enough to discern what is good for them. Censorship can thus protect against the
miseducation of the individual.
Examples
2007: At the IndigNation Pride Festival, items banned by the MDA and police authorities include Alex Au's
"Kissing", a photographic series of same-sex couples kissing and a pencil drawing of copulating lesbians
by Genevieve Chua at the Idiosyncrasies art exhibition.
2006: MDA imposed a fine of $10,000 on Singapore's only cable television operator, Starhub Cable
Vision (SCV), for airing scenes of lesbian sex and bondage in the American reality TV show “Cheater”.
MDA stated the programme promoted lesbianism as a lifestyle and “The visuals were …offensive to good
taste and decency.”

2] State censorship is sometimes necessary to uphold national/social education. The government thus
censors published or broadcast material that is offensive to certain ethnic or religious groups to maintain
racial, religious harmony. This helps to eradicate socially/racially undesirable practices as well as
influences. It thus upholds national education that works constructively for the greater/societal good.
Examples
2007: The MDA banned Madonna's “The Confessions Tour: Live from London, as it featured the
singer performing the ballad “Live To Tell” while suspended from a giant mirrored cross, on grounds
that it was religiously insulting to Christians.
2006: The MDA annulled the licence for “Smegma”, an English-language play by Agni Kootthu
(Theatre of Fire) as it undermined the values underpinning Singapore's multi-racial, multi-religious
society, and might negatively impact upon our bilateral relations with our neighbours. The play
portrayed Muslims in a negative light.
2005: The MDA banned Danish caricatures of the prophet Mohamed that angered Muslims around
the world.
2005: Three bloggers were arrested and charged under the Sedition Act for posting racist comments
on the Internet; two were sentenced to imprisonment.

Possible conclusion
To argue in favour of absolute freedom is to argue in favour of anarchy. On the other hand, indiscriminate
censorship retards social/political/literary/aesthetic education. There is no hard line, as a mix of some
censorship is needed. And there are several questions. Can the benefits of censorship be assessed
objectively? Who is qualified to decide what should be censored and what should not? Thus, there will
always exist a tension between what should be allowed and what should be censored. It is impossible for
any government to get that right all the time. But some will say that it is probably better to err on the side
of caution.