fuzzy logic and the moe

for many years we have refined our education system to be one of the best in the world. and when we are just starting to get the recognition we deserved, we are starting to dismantle it. the danger of what we are doing now will only tell in 20 or 30 years down the road as is being experienced in malaysia. we have to be very careful while we toil around with education policies. we need flexibilities and fuzziness. but these should be reserved for the fuzzy students, a small group that cannot fit into the general system because they are either too good or too poor academically. what are we having now? integrated programmes, no o level exam, independent schools, international baccalaureate, nus system, excluding the rest at the lower levels. in the 50s nd 60s, our education system was just a formal school system that caters for all. then this was changed and improved. we went through streamings and specialisations. now we are returning to the free for all system. do what you like fuzziness, in a way like the good old days. mix the good with the bad, make sportsmen into bright students and bright students into sportsmen. make all rounders. turn all the elite or academically brilliant students into average students? let them be a bit of everything. so so in studies and so so in sports. life if fun. do not put them under too much pressure. experiment is the key, try everything. we are trying with our future generations. if we are not careful, we will also experiment with the future of the nation. we will turn out too many fuzzy students with fuzzy thinking and fuzzy leaders.