Here is one classic example why our edu system is churning out lack lustre talents... or constipated individuals.
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Boy, 9, sells stickers in school
TEACHER: CANNOT
MUM: WHY NOT?
By Teh Jen Lee
October 02, 2006
IN the movie, I Not Stupid Too, a primary school boy sold his collection of Pokemon cards in school so he could buy an hour of his father's busy time.
In real life, 9-year-old Rick Eng also sold Pokemon stickers to his classmates - but for a different reason. He wanted to make extra pocket money.
After all, his mother, who has over 20 years' experience in the retail industry, has always told him about entrepreneurs who become successful by buying low and selling high to make profits.
Sticky situations: Little Rick Eng and the pokemon stickers he tried to sell to classmates.--Picture: Kenneh Koh
So when Rick stumbled on a bunch of unwanted Pokemon stickers while cleaning out his room last month, the Primary 3 student decided to sell them.
'I wanted to learn how to sell things and earn money like my mother,' he told The New Paper on Sunday.
RECESS-TIME SALE
During recess, Rick sold the stickers for 10 to 50 cents each to six schoolmates over three days.
He made about $6.50. He gets a daily allowance of $1.
But his 'business' was short-lived. On 13 Sep, his form teacher found out about it and told him to return the money.
Rick said the teacher told him that he was too young to sell things and it's against the school rules.
'I didn't know that - it's not stated in the school handbook,' he said. 'I was angry and sad. My friends were also not happy when they had to give the stickers back to me.'
On the same day, his mother, Madam Geraldine Yan, 37, received an angry phone call from his teacher. The cafe manager was worried at first when she was told that Rick was in 'big trouble'.
'But when I heard that it was about him selling stickers, I felt proud that he was using the skills we had talked about,' said Madam Yan, who has another 5-year-old son.
She pointed out to Rick's teacher that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew himself had encouraged youngsters to be entrepreneurial.
But the teacher insisted that Rick was wrong, Madam Yan said, noting that one of the students who had bought the stickers felt that the prices were too high.
But Madam Yan felt that Rick's selling price of 10 to 50 cents were reasonable. A pack of four Pokemon stickers retails between $1 and $2.
Rick said he gave 10- to 20-cent discounts to his classmates because 'they are my friends'.
After his form teacher told him sternly in class that students were not allowed to sell anything in school, Rick threw away his Pokemon stickers.
But Madam Yan was adamant that her son had done no wrong.
She wrote a letter to The Straits Times online forum on the same day that Rick's form teacher called her.
'I don't feel my son has done anything wrong. He offered and his friends accepted,' she said.
'I find this a truly creative way of using his mind, resources and networks.'
She said Rick is on medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition which makes it hard for him to concentrate.
TOO MATERIALISTIC?
'I'm elated that he thought of selling the stickers on his own and stayed focused enough to follow through with his plan,' said Madam Yan, whose husband is a pilot.
'We have had such a hard time sustaining his interest in anything.'
But isn't she afraid that her son may become too materialistic and money-minded?
'If he's thinking about selling all the time and neglects his homework, I will definitely correct him,' she said.
Madam Yan, who is a member of the school's parent association , said she has discussed the matter with other parents. She said at least six parents gave examples of their kids buying and selling things in school.
'It's quite a common thing, so why try to stop it?' she asked.
'Children should be allowed to learn on their own as much as possible. If we shelter them too much, they won't get street-smart.'
Management consultant Lawrence Ng, 40, was part of the discussion.
POSITIVE EXPERIMENTS
He said: 'Some felt entrepreneur experiments were positive, while others were concerned about whether it would disrupt the children's studies.
'Maybe some parents can work with the school on guidelines to manage such experiments.'
Madam Yan said she is in favour of having a regular flea market corner in the school where students can buy and sell things.
When we contacted the school, the principal said: 'The school has a process in place that supports only the sale of approved items among pupils.
'It is duly supervised by the teachers, with the proceeds channelled to identified charitable organisations.'
These projects are meant to promote the school's value of caring for others and 'reinforce the point that money raised is to improve life in the community', he added.
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Hard for kids to grasp value of cash
SHOULD students be allowed to sell things in primary school?
Dr Lily Neo, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, said: 'Personally, of course I encourage children to have an entrepreneurial spirit but it's important to look at the context.'
Encouraging one child's selling attempts may disadvantage other children who may not know how to value money yet.
'Because students don't work for their living, it can be hard for them to understand that cash has to be earned.
'If selling is allowed, some students may just ask for more money from their parents, thereby creating a burden for their families,' said Dr Neo.
She suggested encouraging entrepreneurship without the use of real money.
For example, a school can issue paper money, which can be used to exchange for items, to the students.
Entrepreneur Adam Khoo, who became a self-made millionaire at 26, has a different opinion.
'You can't be creative and entrepreneurial in artificial settings. True entrepreneurs are spontaneous,' the 32-year-old motivational speaker said.
HE SOLD IN SCHOOL TOO
Mr Khoo recounted that he was scolded for selling Superman cards to his friends when he was in primary school.
But what about the concern that primary school students may not be money-wise enough?
He said: 'Whatever you do, there's always a potential negative side to it. Parents need to educate kids on how to have a budget and be frugal.
'After all, you can't blame branded-goods shops for selling products just because some people buy from them and go broke.'
