This Is Truly Education

Today's national newspaper has run several articles on the various kinds of school we have been having, vis-a-vis the Arts School, the Sports School and the NUS Maths And Science High School. Back when I was schooled under the old educational system, this was unheard of. Thus I think students nowadays are so lucky in that they have so many choices to develop themselves in fields they are talented in.

Unfortunately, it seems that the humanities, particularly the English language isn't really thought of as crucial, even though we are now in the midst of promoting a "Speak Good English" movement and we have canvassed for "native speakers" from abroad. This is something I find really sad when there are so many of us here who would jump at the opportunity to be recruited to teach the English language. And we ain't exactly in any way inferior to our overseas counterparts.

To beat down our own isn't an easy pill to swallow. After all we do face a majority of students who would move on to the polytechnics and technical vocational schools, while the cream of the crop are usually the students in the top few junior colleges. It doesn't call for a 'native speaker' to be able to interact effectively with our own cohort.

The importance of the English language cannot be overemphasized. It is the language in which many other subjects such as the Sciences and the Maths are written in. If it isn't well expressed, many of the scientific or mathematical ideas will not be clearly or wholly conveyed.

My experience is that I have compared both locally-written and international versions of various textbooks and I find that most of the international editions are better expressed and written. It is because the local writers may have superb credentials in the respective subjects they write on but their language skills may not be on par.

Therefore hiring only native speakers to teach the English language does not solve the problem, not unless the Ministry feels that they should also hire foreign teachers for the other subjects who must be proficient in the English language as well.

Our education system may seem to be covering the whole spectrum of technical and vocational skills, what with our polytechnics and institutes of technical vocation. The sports school, arts school, maths and science school develop talents in sports, arts and the academics.

Unfortunately, our spectrum has not touched on life skills to help students cope with life in general when they go to work and where they live with their friends, neighbors and community. Life skills like communication, good etiquette, good reasoning, logicating, critical thinking, observation , compassion, a feel and respect for others, how the law works so we do not encroach on incivility and to treat one another fairly and justly.

Aren't these skills we deal with on a day-to-day basis more than technical or vocational skills? What use is our BA, MBA or PhD if we cannot even treat a person as a person regardless of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or education. While it is true that a person from a particular culture would in some ways share certain unique traits,shouldn't this then be the clarion call for us to dismantle all our religious, racial, gender, sexual orientation or educational affiliations and biases and just look someone else in the eye as another person similar to us.