Disaster in our Education System
Less than 4 years has passed since I studied in a Singapore school and you can see the drastic changes that would be the source of tomorrow's blood of our nation. When I returned to school as a relief teacher recently, I noticed a drastic drop in the standard of the students. Not that it was fantastic during my time, but these students, are down-right rebellious.
Starting from the basics, they have all been wired wrongly. I'm not picking on the minor things like improper shoes or socks, earrings or ear sticks, but as a student, as a form of respect to the institution, the teachers, and themselves, they should at least bother to dress properly. I know that students, even before my days, have the habit of having their uniform tucked out. Some were done on purpose, some may not be as it may have dropped out, but it should be their responsibility to keep their appearance in check, and at least clean their clothes if they are dirty.
Then, there's the problem of showing respect to their teachers. I know that there are plenty of teachers out there who let students "climb all over them" and failing to control them properly. Sometimes my students get out of my control as well. During these few months of teaching, I yelled or rather flared at 2 classes because they went out of control. However, there are teachers who in my opinion have no sense of responsibility at all. These teachers are the so called "Saints" in the schools. They let students do whatever they want, copy all the answers they need, and some, if I would put it crudely, flirt with the students in class. Is this what you call a good teacher? A good example? I don't think so.
There were plentiful of times when I rejected students' request for a toilet break, and these were mainly due to several reasons: 1) They request to go for their toilet breaks, every so often. 2) I was instructed to keep them there. 3) Some of these students get out of class for long periods, and when too many of them do that, it is difficult to keep track of who is in class. The final reason is mainly due to the fact that these students are not like college students. They are not able to take care of themselves, and when they get injured or something happens to them while they are in school, their parents blame the school, which in turn blames the teacher. If this were a college class, I would be more than happy to allow them to leave the classroom as and when they feel like it.
Then there are the students, who treat their mother tongue as something which is not important. There was once when I went into a class, second in their grade, for Chinese lesson. And guess what, they ask for me to speak to them in English, because they do not like Chinese. Just today, when I distributed some Chinese assignments, one of them came up to me and told me that Chinese is useless and he doesn't like it. He prefers English. Do they not understand the importance of learning about their own culture? My Chinese has never been good in Secondary school, but I never gave up on the subject. Why? Because I am a Chinese. Nowadays, even the foreigners are learning Chinese, and I'm not saying these because everyone around says so, it is because I've been to a Chinese class in the states and it was filled with foreigners - Koreans, Japanese, and Caucasians. So why should these students give up on Chinese?
In view of this crisis, there are four parties to be blamed: the parents, the educators, the authorities, and the students themselves. The parents for neglecting their students while pursuing their career in the rat race and not instilling the right values in their children. The educators who let students change their teaching career. The authorities who fail to match the right people to the right job, and being so inflexible that the right people have all scooted off. And, the students, who have no respect for themselves.
I know I tend to be strict at times, while trying to control these students. But I believe that I am not ridiculous. What I want is just for them to learn. I have heard of students complaining of a teacher who used harsh words like "idiot" on his students. I've not done that and will not do it. However, these students would have to realize that some teachers are strict for their own good, and I'm not lying. I've heard plentiful of conversations in the staff room of teachers who although appear to be strict in front of their students, complimenting some of them, even the naughtiest ones behind. The real horrible teachers are the ones who teach for the sake of teaching, and be in the class for the sake of their job. As the Chinese saying goes, "上æ¢ä¸æ•´ï¼Œä¸‹æ¢æª" which translates to if the upper part of the beam is not straight, the lower part would follow to curve. I only hope that educators would change for the better.