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 3rd 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