What this lesson teaches
I can explain how groups that put different things first make decisions for society harder.
Syllabus K230, Issue 1, Guiding Question 3, Challenges in deciding what is good for society. Differing priorities
Make a guess
In 2020, COVID-19 nearly stopped air travel. What do you think happened to plans for Changi Airport's new Terminal 5?
- The project was cancelled for good because people stopped flying.
- Building sped up so the terminal was ready when travel came back.
- Work paused for about two years while lives and jobs came first.
Show the answer
Work paused for about two years while lives and jobs came first.
The terminal still mattered, but it was no longer the most urgent need. Work resumed after a May 2022 announcement.
People can agree on what matters but disagree on what should come first.
Priorities are about order: what to do first. Residents may all support both healthcare and education, but disagree on which should get money first.
When resources are limited, doing one project first delays another. Good reasons for putting something first include urgency, how serious the harm is, how many people are affected and long-term benefit.
"Everything is important" is not a priority. A good answer explains why one thing should come first.
Priorities can change when circumstances change. In 2020, COVID-19 almost stopped air travel. The government paused work on Changi Airport Terminal 5 for about two years, while it put money and effort into protecting lives and jobs. In May 2022, as travel recovered, it announced that work on the terminal would resume. The project still mattered, but it was no longer the most urgent need.
- Priority
- What should be done first.
- Reasons to prioritise
- Urgency, seriousness, number affected, long-term benefit.
Real examples to use
Changi Terminal 5 pause, 2020 to 2022
Work paused for about two years during COVID-19 and resumed after a May 2022 announcement, with the terminal expected around the mid-2030s. Use it to show priorities shifting with urgency.
Worked example: Pausing Changi Terminal 5, 2020 to 2022
Terminal 5 was planned to keep Changi Airport growing for decades. When the pandemic hit in 2020, flights collapsed. The government paused the project for about two years. It used the time to review how air travel would grow and to redesign the terminal for travel after the pandemic. Work resumed after the May 2022 announcement, with the terminal now expected around the mid-2030s.
- Urgency: in 2020, the crisis at hand was saving lives and jobs, not airport capacity years away.
- Evidence: pausing let planners check how travel would recover before spending large sums.
- Long-term benefit: the project was delayed, not cancelled, because Changi still matters to Singapore's economy. A good answer explains why one goal came first at that time.
Watch out for this
Different priorities always mean people want completely different things.
People can want the same things but rank them in a different order.
Check your understanding
Which is the best reason to fix a flooded walkway before an old recreation room?
- The flooding causes daily problems for many residents.
- The recreation room is used by fewer young families than the walkway.
- The walkway is closer to the town council office.
Show the answer
The flooding causes daily problems for many residents.
Yes. Urgency and the number affected are strong reasons to prioritise.