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I refer to the article, “ ” (Dec 8). The move by the National University of Singapore (NUS) towards more self-funding for its master’s programmes may discourage people from following the Government’s advice to practise lifelong learning, and for educational institutions to serve as pit stops where workers can refuel throughout their working life ( , Dec 7). Not all educational pit stops offer the same level of depth. I obtained three specialist diplomas, but did not feel confident that I had learnt enough. The master’s programmes in our autonomous universities are of much higher quality – they packaged knowledge in a manner that gave me more. I am currently enrolled in an NUS master’s programme that will have reduced subsidies in the new academic year. It is a pity that a programme with such good rigour and training will be out of reach for some who are in a similar situation. The Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) subsidises fees for those who are sponsored by their company to attend SkillsFuture Singapore-supported courses. Instead of covering just shorter courses which may not have as much depth, perhaps this funding could be extended to master’s programmes at local universities. Alternatively, since programmes based on research will continue to be subsidised ( , Dec 19), postgraduate students could be offered a chance to work on a research thesis as part of their coursework programme in return for subsidies.