How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Incontrovertible proof of our failure in Education policy

The Star Friday's Page N26 Headline:

Rm70mil to retrain jobless grads
Minister: Govt aims to make the unemployed more marketable

(excerpts):

‘He said the grant would be used to train them in skills like communication, language and creative thinking.’

"Some have good qualifications but their hurdle is language. So, we want to train them in English,” he said.

He added that the training courses would be carried out over a period of two to three years.

“We want to make our unemployed graduates more marketable,” he said.

Yet, we are still having second thoughts about teaching Science and Mathematics in English.

I would support those who suggested that we should revert back to making English, in addition to Bahasa Malaysia, compulsory for SPM. It will be for their own good. Don't underestimate students' ability to learn languages. Blame it on our policy makers.

Just imagine having to study for a course in university, knowing full well that you will be lacking in communication, language and creative thinking skills. Why can't we provide them with the full works?

I still cannot get over the 'good qualifications but their hurdle is language' part.

2 comments:

Starmandala said...

I'm sure the dumbing-down of school-going kids has been a deliberate process dating back to Mahathir's stint as education minister. They wanted semi-skilled workers, executives & technocrats for their industrial vision - not independent-minded troublemakers like you & me. Still, we all went through school. I survived the mangle! :-)

KoSong Cafe said...

Thanks Antares, for including me as fellow troublemakers! I'm honoured.

What we are interested in is basically right people running the country in a fair and equitable manner. Only self-interested and corrupt people will consider us as such.

With grown up children, fighting for proper education is for others and future generations. What I see seems senseless sometimes even if it is so obvious to me.