When the 29-year old CG leader, Hannah Yeoh, decided to join the DAP party, little was she prepared for what would unfold. "Her life is not hers to live (now)," quoted a close aide, describing her hectic lifestyle of rushing from one meeting to another, hardly having time to do her own things. She also happens to be a Christian assemblyman representing one of the largest constituencies in Selangor- 1.5 million middle to upper middle class residents.
See here for a recent story of how she was denied attendance at a prefects reunion at her former school, for the only reason that she was a member of DAP. There are many others in our country that have such 'bias' towards anything 'non-BN'. Some of them are Christians. Most who still follow the careening BN party are probably still blissfully unaware of how biased the mainstream media really is.
We need to revamp our education system, badly. Volunteers, anyone?
How sweet to call for revolution in the beautiful education 'system', blamed for everything from unpublicized deadlines to not enough parking lots in schools! How well do you know this system, eh?
I'm not defending SMKSU's decision, but I want to clarify matters because jumping to revolution and reform is ignorance. Clarification: there is absolutely nothing in the education system that states that institutions should bar any member of its institution to its reunions associated to its name. Both my parents are very well-versed in education policy, and there is absolutely nothing in any documentation that I have been exposed to which states that any person of any political party should be barred from participating in school events.
Obviously, there is political bias in the education system. But this involves the implementation of policies via education, and not by the inclusion or exclusion of Who's Who in reunion dinners. The former is directly related to government. The latter is related to internal school politics.
Why did SMKSU bar Hannah Yeo from participating in the prefects reunion? Is it simply because the current principal is a staunch BN supporter? Could the school be receiving plenty of funding from the PTA, some of whom would very likely be politicians? As someone who grew up listening to the drama between teaching staff and PTAs (and more deliciously -- the Church), I can tell you that ninety percent of the most vicious problems in school administration stems from funding and where it comes from.
This is NOT a problem with 'the system'. A lot of people blame 'the system' when the real problem is specific individuals or problems that only happen on a miniscule basis. This is a problem with only one school.
I also find it thoroughly heartless -- and thankless -- for someone to call for a revolution of the ENTIRE SYSTEM because of one issue involving a single school. Our teachers work long hours and at low pay. They bear the brunt of every single policy reform, every single hot idea made by some education minister, every single blame from the public, every single harsh word from parents who cannot bear a single hand raised against their spoilt children, and they deal with a LOT of internal politics. The very least you can offer them is a little thanks and respect.
*sigh* Of course, of course. No one is denying that, but I guess I made a leap in my deductions without informing the reader of how I got to that conclusion, and that last statement was also based on other 'unmentioned' factors.
I don't think anyone can safely argue that there is no problems with the education system's policies, its teachers and/or the politicians associated with them. I doubt anyone could also say that it does not need improvement. I'm not here to pat people's backs. I'm here to give a case study of systemic and endemic disintegration because of bad implementation (and BAD POLICY) by lawmakers/politicians/lobbyists who may have been (or still are) biased.
Paperwork, unending red tape and meaningless goals are some of the things one observes with the naked eye. I believe there are other skeletons in the closet which no one really knows. I'd like to see change, and I don't want to just talk about it anymore. So yeah, if it means talking to the experts (like your parents), hearing stuff from the ground, looking at the highest level of policy decision making, and/or mobilizing teams to see how better to improve things, then I think we all would be better off than we now are. And why not reform the entire tertiary education system while we're at it? :) I'm game, if that be a life calling.
The thing is, this isn't an issue of policy, paperwork, and red tape. This has NOTHING to do with policy. It has NOTHING to do with 'meaningless goals'. And I want. to. point. that. out. to. you.
Correctly identifying what the problem is is the most important step in problem-solving. You can semangat-semangat all you want, but if it's wrong from the start, it's wrong. You will not be the first person who thinks that he can change the system through influence and goodwill. Every single Minister of Education who has stepped up has done it. Every time they do all they do is buat susah to all the teachers who have to jump hoops for their salary.
Is SMKSU not allowing Hannah Yeo to dine with her friends a matter of documentation and policy? Then I challenge you: show me the policy. Show me the documents outlining this policy you speak of. I have seen plenty of documents in my life and no where is there an indication saying that a member of an opposition party cannot dine with her friends in a reunion dinner. I can only speculate why SMKSU did not allow her to participate in the reunion. But from my experience as an observer of how schools are run, these are the only reasons why:
a. The principal and top admin are staunch BN supporters; OR b. The school is backed by a powerful member in the Parents-Teachers Association, who is a non-DAP supporter or a non-DAP politician.
Why am I repeating this to you? Because, from the way you're responding, it's like you don't know how schools are run (even without government intervention). That..isn't surprising, but I'm still terribly shocked when many people fail to realize how powerful the PTA is (especially in less government-funded schools); and in the case of mission schools, the Church board. It's like driving for 12 years of your life and never knowing how your car works. PTAs are the LEAST influenced and affected by government policies. In certain situations, the PTA *is* the government of the school.
If my speculation is right (and I stand corrected if I'm wrong), then this problem has NOTHING to do with policy, with documentation, with anything. In fact it has probably nothing to do with government and everything to do with that beautiful art of human manipulation: politics. It has to do with internal corruption within a single school, within specific individuals. You cannot do anything about that -- have you ever been successful in wiping out moral corruption in a single human individual? You can reform an entire system over and over again, but you will never be able to change the fact that some people just happen to be corrupt.
Again, I am not against revamp. I am against MISDIAGNOSIS. False information is worse than no information whatsoever. Correctly identifying the problem is the only way to solve a problem.
-
There is a very simple way to reform the entire tertiary education system: allow universities greater autonomy. Universities cannot become competitive because they are automatically levelled by the UPU process. Unfortunately, universities have been promised autonomy since the 1970s -- fat lot waiting has done.
Teams are expensive. Dialogues are dishonest. Revolutions often fail to achieve their goals because they fail to realize that the fastest way to identify problems is to observe quietly, and not barge in with questions demanding for answers.
I don't deny the role of PTAs in the running of schools, but that's from your case study as well. To be fair, none of us really know the reason behind the SMKSU's actions, as you mentioned. However, I am merely using this as another 'case in point' of how badly managed, conceived and implemented the whole system is, including the educating of parents (ie. PTA).
As you would know better, schools are not islands, and policies would involve parents as well. Blatant disregard to parents and what they feel have been cited in newspapers recently. Too much autonomy given to some headmasters have resulted in abuse. But, that doesn't mean we should not look at the issues.
Issue 1: It is obvious that the school has no written policy on this matter (as yet). Their discrimination shows their values. Their values are shaped by the input they have- either from pro-BN parents (and/or parents who get their info from the media)
Issue 2: Teachers, having to "jump through hoops to get their salary" (your own words) are too bogged down by every other silly bureaucratic thing they need to do. Why not lessen bureaucracy? I doubt all reformers are doomed to failure. And let the true reformers reform. Get rid of them if they add labour to the laden.
Issue 3: I know of many good-intentioned policies that just do not fit the context. Autonomy perhaps? But the entire ministry is poorly governed and managed. Incompetence perhaps? We need a change in our government, maybe? Or just work behind the scenes "observing quietly" and moving swiftly and with discernment.
Hence, the problem lies in the system because it does not provide the proper avenue for certain positive aspects to come to the fore- ie. better awareness of fairness, etc.
Note that I am assuming you agree with me on many accounts of further abuses of both parents and governments on schools, and teachers not meeting the standards (this goes for alot of our other departments, etc) or good teachers not being allowed opportunities because they are belaboured by 'new ideas' (not all new ideas are bad, however)
And who says I intend to 'hire' teams? Did. you. not. read. volunteers?
I. like. your. comeback. :)
I think where we differ here is that I'm coming from the perspective of someone who has been active within the system, having grown up listening to my parents and watching over their shoulders while at work, and later being part of the teaching staff of an academic institution. Like many people, I came in with a lot of idealism, but the few years have made me cynical. The same thing will happen to a lot of people full of enthusiasm for change.
One of the reasons why I am cynical is because I don't see the problems in many levels of society in Malaysia as a problem of system. The infrastructure / mechanics of the system itself is fine. If you want to do good within the system, you can do a most excellent amount of good. I -know- that a lot of people have done an excellent amount of good within the system, and I know you do too.
The real root cause of problems is individual morality -- a social and cultural problem, not a problem of system. When I talk about PTA politics, I am not just talking as if we have concerned parents on board -- I'm talking about people using their positions to gain political (even if only within the confines of a school) power and influence. These are just some of the kind of heated situations that schools can find themselves in. And this is just the surface.
None of these are exclusive to the education system; the politics at school is just as vicious as the politics of any other workplace. And in such situations, there are always extremely corrupt people who will rise to the detriment of the entire institution. You can change the system over and over, but until you can change the people, all change in the system will not amount to much. So what I'm saying is that while it looks like, from the outset (if you just read papers and skim through complaints on the blogosphere) the situation seems like a case of systematic failure, I'm saying that on the ground, the reality of education and politics is extremely different.
Personally, I'd much rather work on micro issues. I can't change the entire tertiary education system, but I can influence the lives of several students who are in it -- and trust me, even at that, I often fail. I am extremely skeptical of very macro changes, because within a large body I know that it trickles down to near uselessness by the time it reaches anyone.
I have been involved in pioneering change-work almost all my life. I just haven't really ventured into the education ministry yet, but I think that it is possible. I believe in over-night reforms like the abolition of slavery; the declaration of independence of Malaya and other such sweeping changes. I cannot guarantee that these things can (and may) be undone by corrupt people in the past, I just know that if I had the chance (and the resources- and perhaps even the ideas?) I would want to take the risk. I guess you can tell by now that I am a great admirer of Churchill's doggedness more than anything else.
And although I am beginning to discover more and more the depravity of man (as my post below highlights), I think change may require a few lifetime's worth of work. If God so pleases that it be effected earlier, then wonderful!
Who would have thought micro-credit as an idea could do so much good? etc etc.
I wanted to use one of those Mini things but it turns out you need credit for that. Anyway, this is what I wanted to say:
Comments (7)
How sweet to call for revolution in the beautiful education 'system', blamed for everything from unpublicized deadlines to not enough parking lots in schools! How well do you know this system, eh?
I'm not defending SMKSU's decision, but I want to clarify matters because jumping to revolution and reform is ignorance. Clarification: there is absolutely nothing in the education system that states that institutions should bar any member of its institution to its reunions associated to its name. Both my parents are very well-versed in education policy, and there is absolutely nothing in any documentation that I have been exposed to which states that any person of any political party should be barred from participating in school events.
Obviously, there is political bias in the education system. But this involves the implementation of policies via education, and not by the inclusion or exclusion of Who's Who in reunion dinners. The former is directly related to government. The latter is related to internal school politics.
Why did SMKSU bar Hannah Yeo from participating in the prefects reunion? Is it simply because the current principal is a staunch BN supporter? Could the school be receiving plenty of funding from the PTA, some of whom would very likely be politicians? As someone who grew up listening to the drama between teaching staff and PTAs (and more deliciously -- the Church), I can tell you that ninety percent of the most vicious problems in school administration stems from funding and where it comes from.
This is NOT a problem with 'the system'. A lot of people blame 'the system' when the real problem is specific individuals or problems that only happen on a miniscule basis. This is a problem with only one school.
I also find it thoroughly heartless -- and thankless -- for someone to call for a revolution of the ENTIRE SYSTEM because of one issue involving a single school. Our teachers work long hours and at low pay. They bear the brunt of every single policy reform, every single hot idea made by some education minister, every single blame from the public, every single harsh word from parents who cannot bear a single hand raised against their spoilt children, and they deal with a LOT of internal politics. The very least you can offer them is a little thanks and respect.
*sigh* Of course, of course. No one is denying that, but I guess I made a leap in my deductions without informing the reader of how I got to that conclusion, and that last statement was also based on other 'unmentioned' factors.
I don't think anyone can safely argue that there is no problems with the education system's policies, its teachers and/or the politicians associated with them. I doubt anyone could also say that it does not need improvement.
I'm not here to pat people's backs. I'm here to give a case study of systemic and endemic disintegration because of bad implementation (and BAD POLICY) by lawmakers/politicians/lobbyists who may have been (or still are) biased.
Paperwork, unending red tape and meaningless goals are some of the things one observes with the naked eye. I believe there are other skeletons in the closet which no one really knows. I'd like to see change, and I don't want to just talk about it anymore. So yeah, if it means talking to the experts (like your parents), hearing stuff from the ground, looking at the highest level of policy decision making, and/or mobilizing teams to see how better to improve things, then I think we all would be better off than we now are. And why not reform the entire tertiary education system while we're at it? :) I'm game, if that be a life calling.
The thing is, this isn't an issue of policy, paperwork, and red tape. This has NOTHING to do with policy. It has NOTHING to do with 'meaningless goals'. And I want. to. point. that. out. to. you.
Correctly identifying what the problem is is the most important step in problem-solving. You can semangat-semangat all you want, but if it's wrong from the start, it's wrong. You will not be the first person who thinks that he can change the system through influence and goodwill. Every single Minister of Education who has stepped up has done it. Every time they do all they do is buat susah to all the teachers who have to jump hoops for their salary.
Is SMKSU not allowing Hannah Yeo to dine with her friends a matter of documentation and policy? Then I challenge you: show me the policy. Show me the documents outlining this policy you speak of. I have seen plenty of documents in my life and no where is there an indication saying that a member of an opposition party cannot dine with her friends in a reunion dinner. I can only speculate why SMKSU did not allow her to participate in the reunion. But from my experience as an observer of how schools are run, these are the only reasons why:
a. The principal and top admin are staunch BN supporters; OR
b. The school is backed by a powerful member in the Parents-Teachers Association, who is a non-DAP supporter or a non-DAP politician.
Why am I repeating this to you? Because, from the way you're responding, it's like you don't know how schools are run (even without government intervention). That..isn't surprising, but I'm still terribly shocked when many people fail to realize how powerful the PTA is (especially in less government-funded schools); and in the case of mission schools, the Church board. It's like driving for 12 years of your life and never knowing how your car works. PTAs are the LEAST influenced and affected by government policies. In certain situations, the PTA *is* the government of the school.
If my speculation is right (and I stand corrected if I'm wrong), then this problem has NOTHING to do with policy, with documentation, with anything. In fact it has probably nothing to do with government and everything to do with that beautiful art of human manipulation: politics. It has to do with internal corruption within a single school, within specific individuals. You cannot do anything about that -- have you ever been successful in wiping out moral corruption in a single human individual? You can reform an entire system over and over again, but you will never be able to change the fact that some people just happen to be corrupt.
Again, I am not against revamp. I am against MISDIAGNOSIS. False information is worse than no information whatsoever. Correctly identifying the problem is the only way to solve a problem.
-
There is a very simple way to reform the entire tertiary education system: allow universities greater autonomy. Universities cannot become competitive because they are automatically levelled by the UPU process. Unfortunately, universities have been promised autonomy since the 1970s -- fat lot waiting has done.
Teams are expensive. Dialogues are dishonest. Revolutions often fail to achieve their goals because they fail to realize that the fastest way to identify problems is to observe quietly, and not barge in with questions demanding for answers.
I don't deny the role of PTAs in the running of schools, but that's from your case study as well. To be fair, none of us really know the reason behind the SMKSU's actions, as you mentioned. However, I am merely using this as another 'case in point' of how badly managed, conceived and implemented the whole system is, including the educating of parents (ie. PTA).
As you would know better, schools are not islands, and policies would involve parents as well. Blatant disregard to parents and what they feel have been cited in newspapers recently. Too much autonomy given to some headmasters have resulted in abuse. But, that doesn't mean we should not look at the issues.
Issue 1: It is obvious that the school has no written policy on this matter (as yet). Their discrimination shows their values. Their values are shaped by the input they have- either from pro-BN parents (and/or parents who get their info from the media)
Issue 2: Teachers, having to "jump through hoops to get their salary" (your own words) are too bogged down by every other silly bureaucratic thing they need to do. Why not lessen bureaucracy? I doubt all reformers are doomed to failure. And let the true reformers reform. Get rid of them if they add labour to the laden.
Issue 3: I know of many good-intentioned policies that just do not fit the context. Autonomy perhaps? But the entire ministry is poorly governed and managed. Incompetence perhaps? We need a change in our government, maybe? Or just work behind the scenes "observing quietly" and moving swiftly and with discernment.
Hence, the problem lies in the system because it does not provide the proper avenue for certain positive aspects to come to the fore- ie. better awareness of fairness, etc.
Note that I am assuming you agree with me on many accounts of further abuses of both parents and governments on schools, and teachers not meeting the standards (this goes for alot of our other departments, etc) or good teachers not being allowed opportunities because they are belaboured by 'new ideas' (not all new ideas are bad, however)
And who says I intend to 'hire' teams? Did. you. not. read. volunteers?
I. like. your. comeback. :)
I think where we differ here is that I'm coming from the perspective of someone who has been active within the system, having grown up listening to my parents and watching over their shoulders while at work, and later being part of the teaching staff of an academic institution. Like many people, I came in with a lot of idealism, but the few years have made me cynical. The same thing will happen to a lot of people full of enthusiasm for change.
One of the reasons why I am cynical is because I don't see the problems in many levels of society in Malaysia as a problem of system. The infrastructure / mechanics of the system itself is fine. If you want to do good within the system, you can do a most excellent amount of good. I -know- that a lot of people have done an excellent amount of good within the system, and I know you do too.
The real root cause of problems is individual morality -- a social and cultural problem, not a problem of system. When I talk about PTA politics, I am not just talking as if we have concerned parents on board -- I'm talking about people using their positions to gain political (even if only within the confines of a school) power and influence. These are just some of the kind of heated situations that schools can find themselves in. And this is just the surface.
None of these are exclusive to the education system; the politics at school is just as vicious as the politics of any other workplace. And in such situations, there are always extremely corrupt people who will rise to the detriment of the entire institution. You can change the system over and over, but until you can change the people, all change in the system will not amount to much. So what I'm saying is that while it looks like, from the outset (if you just read papers and skim through complaints on the blogosphere) the situation seems like a case of systematic failure, I'm saying that on the ground, the reality of education and politics is extremely different.
Personally, I'd much rather work on micro issues. I can't change the entire tertiary education system, but I can influence the lives of several students who are in it -- and trust me, even at that, I often fail. I am extremely skeptical of very macro changes, because within a large body I know that it trickles down to near uselessness by the time it reaches anyone.
I have been involved in pioneering change-work almost all my life. I just haven't really ventured into the education ministry yet, but I think that it is possible. I believe in over-night reforms like the abolition of slavery; the declaration of independence of Malaya and other such sweeping changes. I cannot guarantee that these things can (and may) be undone by corrupt people in the past, I just know that if I had the chance (and the resources- and perhaps even the ideas?) I would want to take the risk. I guess you can tell by now that I am a great admirer of Churchill's doggedness more than anything else.
And although I am beginning to discover more and more the depravity of man (as my post below highlights), I think change may require a few lifetime's worth of work. If God so pleases that it be effected earlier, then wonderful!
Who would have thought micro-credit as an idea could do so much good? etc etc.
I wanted to use one of those Mini things but it turns out you need credit for that. Anyway, this is what I wanted to say:
THUMBS UP. :)