Well, unfortunately there is a need to strike a balance when running a business. Airlines need to watch their bottomline so if there is a pool of self-sponsored cadets that fulfill their requirements then why not? From a recruitment perspective, will we ever find the best? In Singapore if one is really gifted and can't afford to climb the wealth barrier should have been snapped up by the Air Force.
The same applies to any industry. I bet there are really smart kids out there that can't afford to go to medical school. Sadly that's the reality of life. However I'm always a believer of "if there's a will, there's a way". To those that moans and groans about the state of things on pilot training, it's time to wake up and embrace changes. Airlines are looking for COMPETENT pilots, not some Nobel Prize-winning rocket scientists. The new approach to pilot training is Competency-based training, and that's what pilots need to demonstrate: his competency in flying in both normal and abnormal situations. Accept those conditions and bring cash, the airlines are ready to talk. If not, time to find another career.