What is the best education model for our children? This seems to be the
hottest topic since the parents showed their displeasure on the PSLE.
Some of the concerns are genuine and logical, some emotional and hazy.
With the amount of research done in the field of education, with the
great number of our teaching professionals being educated in the best
universities, with a string of degrees to prove, we must have plentiful
of them to tell the MOE what is the best system to adopt. If that is not
enough, scouring the information available around the world should not
be that difficult.
Why is there a sudden realization that things are not doing well and
things must be changed? The obvious answer is that among all the experts
in education, there is no agreement as to what is the best model for
educating the young. There are so many schools with different values and
assumptions of what is considered good for each country, the truth is
that no one is wiser.
Now this perennial problem that is driving the parents and children
crazy is given a new platform for airing, a kind of natcon. And the MOE
is seriously looking into this issue and is also sounding out the
parents for their wish lists. How many super talented Education
Ministers have gone through the mills in their terms of office and how
many changes have been made throughout the years? And strangely, the
answer seems to be so elusive. Maybe every minister stepping into the
MOE shoe deserves to tour the world to scout for the best education
system.
There is the utilitarian school that advocates competitive education and
making high demands from the children, to draw out the best from them,
leading to hot housing. There are the advocates for a less stressful
school system to allow the children to enjoy and be happy while in
schools. There are many other variations in between. The bottom line is
that parents want their children to be happy, less stressful and came
out excellent in their education. Of course this combination is the best
but unrealistic. The problem facing everyone, the MOE, teachers and
parents, is how to find the right mix, less stressful, more fun, to give
the children a good time in school and without compromising on the
quality of education. A daunting and impossible task to think that this
is achievable.
Maybe a buffet spread with all the variations and allowing the parents
to make their choice and knowing very well the consequences of the
different models. What I think the likely choice would still be the
current system of high pressure hothousing model. What the parents would
like is no choice, just an easy going, less stressful model for all
children to enjoy schooling, with lesser competition. When they are
faced with a buffet spread, many would have no choice but to want the
best for their children, and sacrificing the more forgiving model when
the children will grow up a happier child.
If there is a perfect model in the first place, the super talented
ministers of the past would have found and delivered it to the happy
parents and children. Maybe at primary level the schools should be more
loving, more forgiving given the fact that nature would make most
children to be children. Let the children have an easier time in primary
level. The competition should come in at secondary level when the
children are more mature and able, and a little better to know what they
are in for.
I don’t think any education expert has the right answer. Ok I am not
kpkb so I am not supposed to provide a solution. Neither am I paid to
provide a solution.
This is Christmas. Relac.
Is this another joke? Did they misspelt Pizza as PISA? There is still
scintillating report in the media about how smart our students were,
coming in second in mathematics and third in reading and science among
65 cities around the world.
Singapore is also reported to have one of the top education system. And
we have students that scored straight As like no body’s business. And
our universities are ranked among the best in the world.
Here is the truth. We don’t have good locals to be lecturers and
professors and must import them wholesale from the rest of the world,
including Third World countries. We don’t have the talents for middle
and top management jobs and the island is importing millions of
foreigners from the Third World countries to help the daft Sinkies.
And the govt just realize that they have to train the locals for middle
and top management jobs and are hoping that the MNCs can help to train
them. The foreigners are recruited to shore up both the private and
public companies and increasingly into govt linked companies and
statutory boards. Maybe it is only a matter of time before they take
over the govt too.
Now, what was being reported in the media? Our students are among the
best in the world? What is the joke? What happens when these Sinkie
children grow up? Become duds and dafts? Which is the truth?
Many graduates and professionals are no longer fit to be employed and
can only find solace in becoming taxi drivers. And the good talents from
neighbouring countries are taking over the PME’s jobs from the top to
the bottom. Presumably their students must be better than our students
and their schools and universities must also be better as well. The only
reason that they did not fare well in those tests and rankings is that
they did not waste time participating. They rather spend their time and
effort doing the real stuff, teaching them to be good, to be better than
the Sinkies and take over their jobs and country.
I was shock to hear this little piece of news. I have had colleagues
from these reputable universities and they are not recognized today. And
that is not all, only 8 Australian universities are recognized here,
ANU, Melbourne, WA, Adelaide, NSW etc. Parents spending hundreds of
thousands to send their children to Australia better go and reconfirm
this news and not to waste their precious savings on a piece of crap. I
am still not convinced that this is true. Can someone please confirm
that this is not true.
The news becomes even more ridiculous and nauseating when thousands of
universities are recognized under CECA. Holy cow, who are those people
that made these decisions? Did they sign the agreement under the
influence of toddy or poppy flowers or kamasutra?
No, it cannot be. Out super talents cannot be as silly as this. If this is true, stupidity will take on a different meaning.
