Singapore’s education conundrum

The SDP has launched a paper titled ‘Educating for Creativity and Equality: An Agenda for Transformation’ on 17 May 2014. They have also invited the Education Minister Heng Swee Kiat to join in the discussion. It is unlikely that Heng Swee Kiat will attend as it is always seen as ‘us against them’ kind of relationship and at worst, the opposition parties are enemies. So the SDP is likely to have their own conversation while PAP would have their own conversation without inviting the other camp. The twains shall never meet.

Our education system and policies are kind of a mystery. On paper it is the best in the world or nearly there with praises from all over the world, and with some countries copying some of our teaching methodology. But we also have been scouring around the world to want to find the best, believing that we are not really that good. This is good as we are not resting on our laurels. The bad thing is to look at the wrong place or the worst place that produced shit and for us to think they are gold.

How good is our education system must be in the eating of the pudding. All the strings of straight As would have meant nothing if the graduates ended up unusable in the industry. The graduates will be nothing but paper collectors, exam smart kids but are unable to perform in the real world. Apparently this is true. The top scholars are only good to stay in the govt service, GLCs or as politicians. Outside these sectors, hardly anyone is seen to be performing. The private sectors are even resorting to employ funny talents from funny universities from funny parts of the 3^rd World to replace the graduates of our education system. And it is real, all the funny talents from the funny universities and funny places are outshining our local talents from our top notch universities because they looked and spoke like Hollywood actors ala George Bush Junior and Obama.

They have started to replace the scholars in GLCs with these Hollywood actors and will soon also replace the scholars in govt service once these ministries are open to them. They could easily replace the politicians as well. We can have Richard Gere and George Clooney or Hilary Clinton too.

The proof is in the pudding and the proof is saying our education system stinks. Not only that they are not producing good quality graduates but they are causing undue strains to our children with many having mental and psychiatric problems going through the process. Our children are growing up very unhealthy and later, uncompetitive in the adult world. If this is not the result of our education system then what is the cause?

Over the years we have several top notched talents helming the Education Ministry. Among the top names were Tony Tan, Lee Yock Suan, Tharman, Ng Eng Hen, Teo Chee Hean and Heng Swee Kiat. Every one of them is a top scholar or top talent in their fields. We have 3 finance honchos and two engineers by training, and three top scholars. The only thing absent in them is the background on education and pedagogy. None is trained professionally in education. But they became experts in education overnight and found themselves competent enough over a short span in the ministry to introduce wide ranging changes to the policies and teaching methodology during their watches. Let me try to recall the famous mantras of the day, teach less, learn more, less hard sciences, more humanities, holistic teaching, teach characters, all round training, including sports and arts, appreciation of arts and music, wholesome education, critical thinking, innovative hinking until none can think or is innovative. Teaching students life skills like doing small business and investment, etc etc. Did they know that to do all this you not only need the students to be genius, exceptionally talented and also have all the time in the world to learn them?

We should be having the best education system and the best education products. The whole world should be descending on us to learn from us. Our graduates should be the best in the world and be in high demand everywhere. Unfortunately they are not even in demand in their home country here except to drive taxis. And their next best aspiration is to become hawkers.

Need I have to say anything more?

Kopi Level - Green

5 youths arrested for Toa Payoh graffiti

BREAKING NEWS: 5 Youths Arrested for Vandalism at Blk 85A Lorong 4 Toa Payoh #sgpolicearrest

Police have arrested five 17-year old youths for suspected involvement in a case of vandalism that had occurred at Blk 85A Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

The above is quoted from the Police Force website. The youths will be charged in court today, 10 May, for vandalism. Case solved. Better than FBI.

More details on IB organisation and modus operandi

OPINION: Inside the World of PAP Internet Brigade (PAP IB)

Singapore Hall of Shame, 11 Nov 2012

There are 4 “My Compass” administrators whom co-ordinate communication strategies for 260 members. Access to this by invitation-only group, is via recommendations of existing trusted members.

Upon receiving instructions by the administrators, unquestioning members spring into action to counter unfavourable chatter forming against PAP members or its linked entities. They operate in large numbers with the primary objective of drowning out negative comments and derailing the discussions on the internet.

In addition, they also monitor Facebook activities of opposition parties, and call for reinforcements to help counter statements that are critical of the ruling party. On mundane days, typical actions including like-ing the FB pages of the PAP MPs to boast the popularity of MPs. Some of their communications and actions are captured below:

PAP Internet Brigade gives an artificial impression that PAP members (especially MPs) are well-liked, and that PAP policies are well-loved by its citizens. More importantly, their actions are counter-productive to efforts by netizens to critically engage policy makers, and present an inaccurate picture of policy reception….

The above is part of an article posted by Singapore Hall of Shame in the Singapore Alternative News. I am not sure how true and accurate is the information mentioned. If it is true, a few questions need to be asked.

Is this a legitimate organisation funded by the govt? I would not think so as such acts are hideous and morally improper and I don’t think the govt would dare to use public fund to support such an unethical group of people.

The second question to ask, who are these people? Are they honest, decent and respectable individuals, professionals or even civil servants? Would honourable people indulge in such low base activities? The things they are doing are slippery and shameful.

Third question, would anyone think such activities are healthy and decent, or amounting to criminal acts of harassment, drumming, misleading the public, creating disinformation?

Fourth question, would any govt official or politician dare to approve such activities and endorse them? Who approves the setting up and financing of such an organisation?

Fifth question, where is the fund coming from for such thuggish activities?

Kopi Level - Red

R(60) – A new restricted category

If I am not mistaken we have restricted categories to protect people of different ages from watching harmful movies or TV programmes. I can recalled seeing R(13), R(16), R(18), R(A) and things like parental guidance advised or PG.

The above categories are needed as children are either too innocent, too young, too immature, impressionable, gullible and may not be able to handle sexual, violence or adult teams in the movies. Children are vulnerable and need protection from the wise adults. It is for their own good.

Now, when the adults grow older, they will gradually lose their ability to think rationally too. Some will start to lose control of themselves and their mental faculty. And some will be easily lured, tempted by sex and money. Many would not be able to handle their money wisely. But when you ask them and they would not think so. They will fiercely defend their independence, their maturity and wisdom, eating more salt than you ate rice, and claimed to know what they are doing.

What is wrong if they find a beautiful young nymph that is so attractive that they would want to give all their money to, to live with her for a few days or a few months or forever, something to die for? What is wrong if he wants to give away his money happily. You know, when a person is happy, deeply in love or infatuated, money is not important. They will tell you it is good to die standing, to die happy, to live and die for the moment. Can you fault that?

And this is applicable to the feline sex as well. They too want to spend their money when it is worth spending, when the heart feels so good. They too want to have their one night stand or their fling as long as money is the only thing that matters. Can anyone say no if they want to spend their money the way they choose to?

The only time or condition that someone can say no to people spending their money, with the audacity, is to pronounce another person of unsound mind or mentally incapable to protect himself, to make sound decisions concerning his money. The person is retard and needs his protection. And many immortals believe this is so and they are the audacious ones, the chosen ones to just do that. Many or most adults are simply incapable of protecting or looking after their money once they reached 55 or above when they qualify to withdraw their life time savings from the CPF. This is the precise moment when these people are ruled as retards. These people must be protected from abusing themselves, from amusing themselves by exploiting their new found wealth from their life savings, money. They must be protected from the money they have saved and rightfully belong to them to do harm to themselves. They must be pronounced to be of unsound mind when money is concerned.

Let’s invent a new category called R(60) to protect these folks. They must not be allowed to watch movies or programmes that encouraged hedonism, freedom of choice, freedom to do what they want, freedom to spend their money.  They could still be allowed to watch movies under R(A) as long as they are kept from touching their money. They can ogle and imagine and fantasise, but not allowed to do the real thing with the money they have, like going on long holidays or having great meals or drinking sessions with their loved ones or friends, or pampering themselves.

R(60) category will be very useful to protect these retarded old folks from their life savings. These are people that cannot be trusted with their own money. They can will their wealth to their loved ones or nominees when they die. The more I think of this R(60) the more useful I think it can be.

Kopi Level - Red

Reconstruction after Haiyan in the Philippines

The devastation left behind by Typhoon Haiyan 6 months’ ago is still laid bare out there in the provinces of the Philippines. 41 provinces in all were affected with many totally wiped out. 9.7m Pinoys were left without homes or have their lives shattered. Relief and reconstruction efforts are in full swing by international agencies at the moment and will be a work in progress for the next 10 years or more.
 
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, FAO, projected to continue with their relief work for another 3 years to help the affected Pinoys up on their feet, building homes, fishing boats, schools, infrastructure etc etc. The Singapore Red Cross is doing its part and expected to continue to be committed in the Philippines for 10 years. First priority will be to get the children to schools, power, clean water, etc etc. Millions will be spent trying to help the victims of Haiyan to rebuild their homes and lives.
 
What is the Philippines Govt doing? No plans yet. They are busy conducting war games with the Americans and buying warships and weapons to want to fight with China. They have just arrested a Chinese fishing boat on charges of smuggling wild life. They have no time and money to reconstruct and rebuild the flattened cities and villages of the Pinoys. They have more urgent matters to deal with, fighting China. 

And the Pinoys in Singapore will be celebrating their Independence Day in a big way in Ngee Ann City.

Kopi Level - Green