A Japanese Schoolgirl in Hokkaido

Education is widely considered a very important thing here in Asia. Japan is no exception and few places in the world can match the country in the importance an education has on someone's life.

Nothing shows this more than the story of a Japanese schoolgirl in the island of Hokkaido. The girl takes a train to school everyday but there was a huge problem. She was the only passenger of the train from her station in rural Hokkaido.

With only 1 passenger from the station, the management of Japan Railways thought of closing down the loss-making train station and you have to honestly say they had every reason to do so. Not in Japan!

When the management of Japan Railways knew about the story of their sole passenger, not only did they had a change of heart about closing the station, they even changed the timing of the train to match the schedule of the schoolgirl. Wow; talk about management with a heart!

You have to hand it to the management of Japan Railways. Continue running a loss-making train station just so that a schoolgirl can go to school? Commercially that may not make sense, but good for them. That's the kind of management I want.

Overseas Excursions Should Continue

Should parents still allow kids to go on overseas excursions? In many ways I guess this question is inevitable in the light of the Sabah earthquake. Some people are questioning the need for overseas school excursions after several schoolchildren died in the earthquake last week.

Now even though I do not believe anyone is to blame for the deaths of the children, I won't say such questions are unreasonable. After all, there is almost no question that it is safer to just conduct camps and events in Singapore than overseas. Things are certainly safer and more controlled in Singapore than in other countries within Southeast Asia. However, even though I understand why questions are being asked, my answer is that overseas school excursions should continue. 

The simple fact is that Singapore schoolchildren has been going for overseas excursions for years already and the vast majority of times, none of the children come back with any injury. As sad it is, it would not be incorrect to say that the children from Tanjong Katong Primary School were unlucky. They just happened to be on Mount Kinabalu when the earthquake struck and there's not much anyone can do in an earthquake when you are on a mountain. 

Children had went overseas in the past and there had been no problems. There's no reason for the MOE (Ministry of Education) to change the rules over one sad incident.

No One Is To Blame

Last week, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Malaysian state of Sabah. Some Singaporeans were caught in the earthquake and 6 children, 2 teachers, and 1 climbing instructor are now either dead or missing.

Most of the dead and missing were part of a school trip climbing Mount Kinabalu. As the surviving Singaporeans return to Singapore, some are wondering if the Mount Kinabalu tragedy could have been avoided. My answer to that is an unfortunate “No”.

Now I had read about complaints some Singaporeans had about the route the children were taking but I feel that’s an argument given in hindsight of the earthquake. To my knowledge, there are 2 ways up Mount Kinabalu. A walking trek up the mountain, or a climbing route where climbers scale metal rungs punched into Mount Kinabalu’s cliffs. The children were on the climbing route and some Singaporeans have said that the children would probably have survived if they were walking up the mountain.

True but that’s the result of hindsight when we know of the earthquake that hit Sabah. The route the children were taking was a relatively easy route that’s suitable even for 10-year-olds. Surely 12-year-old Singaporean can take it right?

It is always sorrowful when people die, especially children as young as 12, but an earthquake is a natural disaster. No one could have predicted that the earthquake would have hit just as the children were climbing the mountain. This is a tragedy but there’s no one to blame for it, it’s a natural disaster. 

Education Competition

In a case of academic competiveness gone wrong, a student in Stanford University is accused of poisoning her follow students. Why is this news in Singapore? Because the student in question is from Singapore!

An A*Star scholarship holder, 27 year old Ouyang Xiangyu, has been charged with four counts of poisoning the drinking water of lab mates at Stanford University. Yes, I know a lot Singaporeans are immediately arguing that the girl is from China but if she is sent to America by the Singapore government; so she is a Singaporean!

What’s more important to me is the reason why she thinks she needed to do this? According to all reports, Ms. Ouyang was a quiet and shy girl who do have good grades. She just seemingly broke under the pressure of needing to get "great" grades. Her current good grades just aren’t good enough it seems.  Why?

A*Star scholarship holder or not; Singapore or Chinese national; I find this very disturbing. Just what kind of pressure are we putting on our young that the idea of poisoning their follow students to get a leg up is even considered, much less implemented? That is something Singapore need to look into. 

The fact that students here are under great pressure to beat their peers and deliver good grades is something no one argue against. Some even think it’s a good thing that students are under pressure to deliver, but there’s a limit to everything and with the case of Ouyang Xiangyu, it would seem Singapore had went pass the limit. 

Just Get Rid Of The PSLE!

In his National Day Rally speech last night, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong say that changes is coming for the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). During his speech, the PM says that the PSLE changes will make it more open, holistic and less over-competitive as it has become excessively competitive and it is causing huge stress to young students and their parents.

I have a better suggestion. Get rid of the PLSE altogether!

As I have said many times before, I am totally against the PLSE. In Singapore, children take the PSLE at 12 and this test will basically dictate the rest of their lives. The average age of a Singapore is 77! There is just no need for Singapore to start sorting out children at 12. To me, the PSLE is a system that makes no sense when you compare it to how long a Singaporean is expected to live and the number of years students need to be in school.

Children are being sorted way too early in Singapore and while I welcome the idea of lowering the importance of the PSLE, I don’t think it goes far enough. Singapore should just get rid of it altogether!

Why The Surprise?

Singaporeans, including some public personalities, are up in hands against a school principal here in Singapore. The principal of St Margaret Secondary School insisted that 3 of her school's students had to wear wigs to school after having their heads shaved for charity.

It all started when 5 students from the all-girls school had participated in a fundraising event called "Hair for Hope". Organised by the Children's Cancer Foundation (CCF), the event encouraged supporters to shave their heads as a gesture to tell children with cancer that it is “OK to be bald”. The students asked for the school’s permission before going bald. Permission was given but not before the school made the 5 students promise to put on wigs when they return to school due to a rule stating that students are forbidden “punk, unfeminine or sloppy hairstyles”. Or in this case, no hairstyle at all.

When only 2 of the students came to school with wigs, the other were called out of class and only allowed back after buying wigs to cover their bald head. 

Now, do I agree with what the principal did? 

- Hell no! Although like most Singaporeans, I do no charity work whatsoever, I have to admire what these girls did. They decide to go bald for cancer children! Even with my fast balding head, I wouldn't have done that. They were great!

However...am I surprised by the principal's actions?

- Hell no also! Not only am I not surprised, I am surprise that so many Singaporeans are! 

The simple fact of the matter is that the principal did what all principals in Singapore would have done. Remember a few years ago when Malay girls wearing tudung were sent home because the tudung is not part of the school uniform? Or how many boys had to get their hair cut if they are found to have hair that were deemed too long? 

The action by the principal of St Margaret Secondary School might be controversial due to the reason why the girls decided to go bald, but her actions were pretty much in line with what Singaporean educators feel about school uniforms. They feel that "conformity" is not only important, it is paramount to maintain discipline for students.

Frankly, it is beyond stupid. I personally never felt more disciplined just because I was wearing a uniform and I never understood why students are not allowed to study just because they had long hair or are wearing a tudung. However Singapore educators feel differently and their words count more than my opinion.   

So when I read about this, I wasn't surprise at all. Singaporeans slamming the principal for being inflexible had obviously forgotten their school days in Singapore; either that or they were very good boys and girls in their schooldays. For me...her actions were worthless but it's pretty much what I expect from a principal in one of our schools. She follow the rules to the letter. 

Expected Anger

Just last month, I blogged about several Singapore government ministers publicly commenting that have an university degree is no necessary for a good life in Singapore. I also commented how Singaporean parents will ignore the comments and still make their kids strive for that (still) all-important degree.

Several people commented on my post on 26/5 (totally-ignored) on how angry Singaporeans are about the comments by the ministers. Now I may agree with the notion that there’s no need of that many Singaporeans degrees holders (due to the influx of foreigners with degrees coming into Singapore), I do understand why so many Singaporeans are angry.

Anyone who don’t just need to look at the latest Ministry of Education/Singapore Airlines Youth Scholarship for Indian Students. A Singapore government ministry and a Singapore linked-company are offering a scholarship for Indian-born youths to study in Singapore. Just to sweeten the pie, the scholarship offers an annual allowance of S$2,400 with hostel accommodation, a one-off "settling-in allowance" of S$500, coverage of school fees, coverage of GCE ‘A’ Level examination fees, and even  a return economy class air ticket! 

Oh, and in an expensive healthcare country like Singapore, the scholarship also offers subsidized medical benefits and even accident insurance cover! All these on a scholarship offered to foriegners when, at the same time, Singaporean ministers are trying to discourage Singaporean students from ITE and Polytechnics from local universities.

If the government had tried to do one of these two things, then maybe there could be some leeway for them. However they did both of them together and when you do that, needless to say, the anger of Singaporeans is something that should be expected.

I Don't Get It

At 26 years of age, Singapore permanent resident Yoga Dirga Cah­ya has threw in his hat for the next Indonesian election scheduled next year. It seems that the Indonesian Parliament has a seat for the 4.5 million Indonesians living overseas and Mr. Yoga intend to be that MP.

Mr. Yoga came to Singapore in 2004 at the age of 18 to study at the Nanyang Technological University’s School of Biological Sciences, with the aid of a grant from the Singapore Ministry of Education. He then served out his three-year bond at the National Environment Agency (NEA) while volunteering with the Indonesian community here in Singapore.

Now some Singaporeans are unhappy about this as Mr. Yoga is staying in Singapore and had been a recipient of a grant from a Singapore ministry. They feel that Mr. Yoga being an Indonesian MP would somehow constituted disloyalty to Singapore.

I said "somehow constituted" because I don't get it myself. My fellow Singaporeans; please under stand this. When foreigners come to Singapore, they come here for the money and the jobs. Singapore do not sell a Singapore dream like America. We are not the homeland of an ethnic people like China, India or even Malaysia. We are $!

So when the job is done and the money is earned, the foreigners will go back to their home country. What's wrong with that? Is that unusual or even unexpected? No, it's seem perfectly normal and natural to me.

Yes, Mr. Yoga got a grant from the MOE. I didn't forget but if someone is going to help you fund your education, what are you going to say? No? I don't think so. Mr. Yoga took the money and had already fulfilled his bond. That is over and done with. So if he intend to be a MP in Indonesia, I say good luck to him.

Totally Ignored

For a few months now, several government ministers in the Singapore government have commented that the once-sacred university degree is no longer the key to a good life. No less than 3 different ministers had said so;

-          National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said: “You own a degree, but so what? You can’t eat it. If that cannot give you a good life, a good job, it is meaningless.”

-          Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said that a good qualification alone does not guarantee a career, let alone a job.

-          Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said that soft skills, not a degree, are the most important thing for young people to learn.

I totally agree. With the massive influx of foreigners with degrees coming into Singapore, having Singaporeans getting degrees is no longer necessary for Singapore. However; good luck to the government trying to convince Singaporean parents of this!

Personally, I find it hilarious that our government is changing its stance on education. I mean this is the government that had for decades telling Singaporeans to study hard or lose out. Now suddenly, a degree is meaningless?

Hilarious! It’s hilarious because Singaporean parents are going to totally ignore it. I mean what happened to all the talk about this being “a competitive world” and “a degree is needed to get ahead”? You think Singaporean parents, who grew up on these slogans, are going to tell their kids education is not important? Good luck with that. 

No We Are NOT!

Now Yale University is a world famous institution and the Singapore government has been touting the establishment of a Yale campus in Singapore for quite some time. The campus along Dover Road is a collaboration with the local National University of Singapore (NUS) and it is not without its detractors.

One of the detractors is Jim Sleeper, a political science lecturer at Yale University.

He is against the joint Yale/NUS campus and you have to give this guy some credit; he’s imaginative with his criticism.

Part of Sleeper’s criticism of Singapore is that we are the “Israel of Southeast Asia”!

Ouch, that is painful! Painful because Israel is the one country in the world no one want to be compared to. Although it is true that Singapore and Israel has long-standing relations, most Singaporeans want to ignore it. More importantly, we do not want to advertise it!

So in line with that thinking, here’s some ways we are different from Israel;

- Unlike Israel, Singapore has pretty good relations with our neighbors
- Singapore don’t have wars with our neighbors once every few years
- Singaporeans don’t pretend that this land is ours
- Singaporeans are not as insufferably self-righteous about our country as most Israelis I know (I admit; I don’t know that many).

So people of the world; do not listen to Jim Sleeper. Singapore is really NOT at all alike to Israel. We are NOT going to attack any of our neighbors. We are NOT one of the world’s most militarized nations (ok, this last one is debatable).

PS: in case you are wondering; Yes. Israel’s reputation really is that bad in this region. 

$60 Haircut

Recently 39-year-old sales manager Serene Ong filed a police complaint after a Unity Primary School teacher cut her child’s hair for being too long. The mother is now at the centre of a row as Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has cited Madam Ong as an example of a demanding parent.

Some Singaporeans agree with the minister while others disagree with the action of the school. Now I never understood the need to cut student’s hair because in no way whatsoever do I believe a haircut will install discipline in a student but I think in the midst of the midst of all the argument; everyone has missed the big point of this story.

The school cut the hair and destroyed a $60 haircut!

Mdm Ong’s boy has a $60 haircut! Seriously, I remember when I was that age and my haircut cost way less than $10.  And this 12 year old boy has a $60 haircut? Is the kid a budding movie star or something?

Forget about questions on the right of schools to cut the hair of its students; the demanding overbearing parents of Singapore; this is the big question. Should a 12 year old boy have a $60 haircut in the first place?

Pre-School Education?

As a rule, I usually do not care much about the National Day Rally. Most of the time what the Prime Minister (PM) say on the day is just a rehash of government policies.

This year’s National Day Rally was pretty much the same. PM Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally Speech on Sunday may have touched on some issues but most of what he says is in line with current government policy. And that is why I can’t understand why some parents like the idea of establishing a new statutory board to oversee pre-school education.

That means exams and tests. For pre-school children! Yes, I know no one has said anything about exams and tests yet but be serious; I mean this is Singapore. Does anyone truly believe a government statutory board on education will not recommend exams and tests to “track” the progress of students sooner or later; even for pre-school students! Even if they do not want to, kaisu parents will not allow it. They will want “data” to make sure their children do not “fall behind”.

That is why I cannot understand why some parents actually like the idea of establishing a new statutory board for pre-school education. Children in Singapore are already under enough pressure from primary school onwards; there’s no reason to add on to their stress. Leave the pre-school centres alone, a few years of fun and play will not “destroy” your children’s future. 

What Is He Talking About?

In his young political career, PAP (People’s Action Party) MP (Member of Parliament) Baey Yam Keng has put his foot in his mouth a few times already. Lesson not learned it seems as he managed to do so again.

In a speech in Parliament, Mr. Baey tried to “clarify” his recent remarks defending Mr. Sun Xu (an undergraduate from China who called Singaporeans “dogs”). However all Mr. Baey managed to do is to dig a bigger hole for himself when he say that nationality should not be a factor when the government make their decision of who get a government scholarship. He went further to say that a scholarship should be awarded based solely on meritocracy, and should not be allocated specifically to locals or foreigners.

That is a problem because that is totally untrue. Now I have been saying the furor over the comment by Mr. Sun is a storm in a teacup but Mr. Baey has managed to make things worse with his speech. The problem is that the various scholarships given out by the Ministry of Education (MOE) ARE based on nationality!

Just a simple check on the various basic scholarships on offer by the MOE and you can clearly see that some on them are only on offer for certain nationalities. For example the SIA Youth and A*Star India Youth scholarships are available only to India nationals while Singaporeans are only allowed to apply for the MOE Scholarship.

Singaporeans are already unhappy with comments of Mr. Sun, they are already unhappy with the fact that Singapore taxpayers are paying for the studies of foreigners; the last thing they need is a MP from the ruling party to go up and say the wrong thing in Parliament!

The thing is that someone has to pay for the scholarship and that someone is currently the Singapore taxpayers. Needless to say, most Singaporeans are wondering why their money are being used to fund the studies of foreigners instead of Singaporeans. Now I think Mr. Baey was trying to defend government policy but if that is the case, he got his facts wrong. The simple fact is that government scholarships are based and targeted at various nationalities.

It’s something most people, including people in the MOE, would not argue about! It’s a fact! So for Mr. Baey to say that nationality should not be a factor when the government makes their decision of who get a government scholarship; either he is publicly going against government policy or I have to seriously wonder if the man actually knows what he is talking about!

Teach It

To be honest, I couldn’t care less about sex education. To me, schools are not the place to teach children about sex. Schools are place of learning, for kids to learn about maths, science, geography, history etc. Sex education is not something schools should be in charge of.

However, Singapore schools do offer sex education but if you are going to teach it, then teach it! The Ministry of Education (MOE) recently revised their Sexuality Education Program (SEP) to focus more abstinence over contraception. In short, the program will now teach students to avoid sex instead of what to do to prevent pregnancy etc. The revision came after parents of students in Catholic schools in Singapore made complains about the program not catering to Catholic teachings.

Sorry to disappoint those parents but are your children so idiotic that they do not know they are NOT supposed to have sex? No? So how is telling children to abstain from sex suppose to help them when all it will do is to tell them what they already know? Kids know they are not supposed to have sex but guess what; they are going to do it anyway!

That should be the main focus of sex education; to prevent “accidents” from happening, not to tell kids what they already know. Seriously like I said earlier, with the society we have in Singapore, is there any doubt that children don’t know they are NOT supposed to have sex?

Schools are there for children to learn things, not telling them what they already know. Telling kids to abstain from sex is not really going to help them because…well, they already know that.

A Rant About Education

Now we all know that Singapore is the land of the kaisu Singaporean. Singaporeans are “scared to lose” so they will do anything possible to avoid losing. Top of the pile of kaisu Singaporeans are kaisu Singapore parents. You know the type; the parents who will enroll their kids in every tuition class, music class, art class etc they can find.

Now you can argue these parents just want the best for their kids but there is a thing as taking things too far and I think I just read about it. Parents are taking classes, especially maths classes, so that they can help their kids in their studies! Some even “asked” their kid’s schools to provide them with classes so that they can “help” their kids with their homework. I’m amazed there are schools who say yes!

The reason is that these parents aren’t studying for knowledge, to improve themselves, because of their interest etc; they are studying for one reason only, to help their kids with their homework. I find that incredulous, and I don’t mean the fact that the schools are helping the student to cheat on their homework?

There is just something fundamentally wrong with our education system if schools have to provide lessons to parents so that the parents can help their kids with their homework! Now I’m not stupid enough to argue something like the “joy of studying” or “education is more than exams” (this is Singapore), but parents asking classes for the sole sake of “helping” their kids with homework? Tell me there is nothing wrong with that?

Private Education Act

Over the past few years, a number of private schools in Singapore had closed suddenly stranding students midway through their studies. Worse, the owners of these schools refused to pay back the school fees paid by the students.

Under pressure to maintain Singapore’s reputation as an education hub, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Council for Private Education (CPE) enacted the Private Education Act to monitor and control private schools in Singapore. After 2 fruitless years, the Act has finally had some affect.

Stricter rules under the Act have currently caused over 600 private schools in Singapore to shut their doors. This is almost two-thirds of the private schools in Singapore! Now there will be some people who say the CPE has went overboard with cleaning up the bad schools but I’m not one of them.

I fully approve the tough actions of the CPE and believe it should be maintained. In recent years, there had been many schools run by people whose sole motivation has been money. When two-thirds of the private schools in Singapore had to close because they were unable to meet the criteria of the Private Education Act, it tell me a lot about how well-run these schools are and how many bad schools there are in Singapore.

To people who feel sorry for the operators; please note that the CPE had given the private schools 18 months to meet the new requirements of the Private Education Act. They were given a chance, but they either fail or could not be bothered. No blame can be attached to the CPE or MOE on this. No one can say they don’t have enough time to meet the requirements.

What Morals? We Are In A Capitalist World!

2 nights ago, I was watching ChannelNewsAsia and there is this program about compensated dating. Basically young girls willing go on dates with strange men in return for lavish gifts and money.

The program showed 2 cases in Hong Kong and the dangers behind compensated dating. In one case, the girl got sexual transmitted diseases while in the other, the girl was killed by her…date. The program is supposed to be a warning for young girls not to get their greed and curiosity lure them down this road. To educate girls not to trade their dignity and morals for money.

Good luck! I say that because I fully expect the program (as good and as well-meaning as it is) to be ignored. Money makes the world go round and frankly in this world dignity and morals isn’t worth a lot. Think I’m wrong?

Then how do explain the fact that this is happening throughout the world. The practice of compensated dating is thought to have originated in Japan but compensated dating is almost innocent compare to China’s biggest dating website, Jiayuan, where men and women openly advertised their willingness to marry for money. In some cases, even their willingness to be mistresses and boy-toys of rich men and women! Before anyone has any idea, this is hardly an Asian problem. Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, is at 84 marrying one of his girlfriends who is 60 years younger than him.

I feel there is no way to stop things like compensated dating. In the capitalist world we are living in, we have better luck stopping a tsunami. And like a tsunami, the best anyone can do is to pick up the pieces.

A MacBook For Education

Geeks and Apple lovers in Singapore went into ecstasy as a local school, Maris Stella High School, announced that it would now be compulsory for all of its 1,500 students to own an Apple MacBook for used in school assignments and projects.

A lot of Singaporeans are in favor of this move, I am not. I suspect this is an idea that’s better on paper than in real life. 2 problems spring to mind.

First, why the Apple MacBook? Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone if everyone just bring along a laptop to school instead of making parents fork out money for a MacBook? By making it compulsory for its students to have an Apple MacBook, you are making parents come out money. However if the students can just bring a laptop, they can just take their parents’ laptop. I’m sure the number of parents who own a laptop is much higher than the number of parents who own a MacBook.

The second of the problems I see are students from disadvantaged families. Maris Stella said that students who cannot afford the MacBook will be rendered financial assistance. Define what sort of financial assistance they will receive. A MacBook cost between $1,500 to $3,500, so how much of this cost would Maris Stella foot? Also what if students need to replace their MacBook? Would Maris Stella help with financial assistance then as well?

This might work in a school like Maris Stella but Singaporeans in favor of this move should be…realistic. This is NOT the way of the future because I don’t see this “project” being implemented in the whole of Singapore. Hell, I don’t see this being implemented in most of Singapore!

Yes, We Can Judge

Recently, a Singaporean student studying in England was arrested after hardcore child pornography was discovered on his computer. Mr. Jonathan Wong, 23, then plead guilty to 17 charges of making child pornography videos, some featuring girls as young as 6.

Now Mr. Wong has been reported to be remorseful for his actions and some Singaporeans have rallied around him saying it’s not their position to judge him. Why?

People who know me personally know that I’m not lily-white. I accept that everyone has their fetish but even I have to draw a line at child pornography. This is child pornography!

I do not know Mr. Jonathan Wong personally but he seems like a bright man with a good future in front of him. He is also on a teaching scholarship from the MOE (Ministry of Education) at Goodricke College.

That does NOT matter! 50 videos were found in his computer, some files showing 6 years old girls! Of course we as a public, as a society are in a position to judge. If you can’t condemn and judge child pornography, Singapore as a society is in big trouble.

Tough but Good

Singapore has been hard hit for the past couple of years by private schools which suddenly closed down, leaving angry students in their wake. Usually these students have no recourse to either continue their courses or getting a refund on their school fees.

The most recent case was the School of Applied Studies. The small private school closed suddenly due to financial difficulties and their three hundred students were left stranded despite paying between S$13,500 for a diploma to S$36,000 for a degree.

To raise standards in the private education sector, the Singapore government has put in place the Private Education Bill. However in a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, industry players says the new bill is so tough that about half of the 1,000 private schools in Singapore may have to close down. Under the new and tougher Private Education Bill, private schools need to register under the new framework if they wish to continue their operations and about half of the private schools will be unable to do so.

You know what I say to this: “Good!”

Personally I have little sympathy for the administrators of the private schools. There had been far too many cases of schools closing down suddenly, leaving students in trouble. Since the schools had closed, it is almost impossible for the students to get their money back. If the Private Education Bill can stop these incidents from happening, I’m all for it. I’ll leave my sympathy for the students.