Letter for Hard Ass Minsta Tharman
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A Letter in Defence of "Softies"
Dear Minsta Tharman,
I am totally flabbergasted by your highly explosive rant against all school-going kids in Singapore. In one fell swoop, all kids have been labelled as weak-assed, soft and high in the wimp category. May I ask whether you can provide some statistics to illuminate humble serfs like myself just which kids, under which types of households and income levels are susceptible to this charge of wussines. From my highly "in the woods", short-sighted and non strategic experience working ages ago as a temp relief teaching staff in your dynamic ministry, I had the rare opportunity to come across a lot of kids who defy your grandiose proclamation. If you allow me, let me elaborate:
I once had a student, 14 years old, in the Normal Tech stream, who came into class everyday looking highly dis-spirited, lacking in motivation and sleepy most of the time. He would be the ideal chracterization of weak, skinny, pale and totally not involved in any CCA. Being a dewy-eyed newbie in the education system, I of course took my moral high ground position and railed and ranted against the student. In my grilling session, I learnt as a teacher: he worked every night as a cleaner in Wisma Atria from 12 to 2 am. Was it to buy the latest Nokia handphone? I can hear the cynics in the background chirping. The answer is no. He stays with his grandmother, mother is gone, father is in DRC and two younger siblings needing some things like basic necessities in the house.
Next case, another student, 15 years old, different class and in Normal Acad. He has a huge talent for soccer. He is always held up high in class as the Man. But strangely, he is not in the school soccer team, instead he puts in his extra hours as a librarian. The school soccer coach is yanking his hair out. As a dewy-eyed newbie in the education system, I am of course charged with the ideals of pursuing dreams and letting your talent develop to the fullest potential. Again I learnt as a teacher: he comes from a family of 7, he is the eldest, staying in a two-room flat. His parents are menial workers. And they do not know how to read the letters/bills that they receive. They do not how to fill in tax forms. He has to concentrate on the softie option of studying to learn all these.
Enuff said. I am not throwing these little spanners to elicit some form of pity of sympathy for the downtrodden in Singapore society. They do not need that. They are Big enuff to know what is known as the reality of living. At the same time, neither do they deserve labelling from the Head Honcho about weak kids. and to pre-empt the charge that I am raising such incidents which are a minority, allow me juz to say that certain types of kids with certain problems are minorities in some schools but majorities in others; depends on where you stand. Therefore, my challenge, tell me who exactly are you referring to Minsta? Which schools and whose kids are you talking about? My hint to you, both kids from these schools which are now known in common lingo as "neighbourhood schools".
Yours Dearly
Lau Ah Pek
18.05.04
voiddeck.org -
Singapore still got hope man, as long as we still have people like Ah pei who is actually working the grounds.
My gratitude to you Ah Pei because I know it is stifling to be in such environment. -
In some partial defence of our minista of edu, i believe he was exclusively refering to the people i refer to as "weak and stupid" in the universities.
well, if you come out of university with less than or equal to mental capacity to solve only tutorial problems... and in some cases in ability to run or at least... let's bench mark... do 8 chinups...... god... if too many of them breed... let's hope it's not heriditary
but i guess his gripe is with the stupid category. especially the engineers, as voiced by various lecturers. let's just say with all the "bad engineering going on in singapore", he does have a legitimate fear of our infrastructure breaking down. -
Think they should be more aware of their words next time.
I am from a neighbouring school too, i know the problems and desires my friends in my level of diff stream is facing. Like u have said earlier, some might be working hard to earn extra income for their troubled family. People might misunderstand their aim of working until late night instead of studying at home. There is also more of such cases if we were to dig into each and everyone of them.
Neighbouring schools does not always means downgrading when compare to the famous schools. We can excel in other areas where they can't. The school we are in does not means anything.
I am not sure if i have really undertsand the actual meaning of ur posting but i am jus giving my own views.