Education

For the past few weeks, we have a constant weekend guest at our little apartment - my nephew and sometimes alternatively accompanied by his sister or the little brother, Yee Liang.

Well, normally they will be here to escape the 'boredom' of having to face grandpa and uncles at home as they put it. Too many yakking it seems. Well, I put it as generation gap. But this time around, they are here not to enjoy the TV, the pool and the nice trip and food that we will normally pamper them whenever they are here. The eldest is to sit for PMR exam next week, that is the reason. And I do not spare the rest, if they are here, they have to bring their books and study. Strictly no FUN as I am upset here!

Why? Well, it has been a while since I last checked their work. I remembered when mum is around, she will ask me to teach them and check their work whenever I am back in Klang. That is why the eldest is the luckiest in that sense because he, at least get some fundamental from me most of the time, especially with the subject of Bahasa and English which they, the typically ONLY chinese spoken, only chinese programme on TV (they will switch the cartoon characters to speak in Chinese whenever it is available, sigh...), ONLY chinese books ...etc. I was upset because they are not only poor in the 'alien' languages, but also their maths and to put it short, ALL other subjects!

I was so shock to find that the syllabus is much different now. Books are very colourful now of course with lots of colour printing. I find that the English and Bahasa's syllabus are very much alien to me. I remembered ours are much simplier and easy to understand (at least to me, a chinese ed student). But why is that there are so many students out there who are so weak in the language and can't even communicate even with simple English? I wonder. When I look at the text book, I find it tough for their level to grasp what the book is trying to preach. That is why they all loose interest in the language....poor thing.

Well, their parents had to be blamed too. My brother and sis in-law are just too engross with money making. After a hard day work, they would simply join the kids for TV eventhough the kids have had loads of TV in the afternoon already. She had practically given up thinking that her kids are just too poor in academic. So be it.

I disagreed. I knew most kids are smart in learning. I believe in hard work and constanct learning. I don't expect straight As from them but at least I want them to understand the basic and to enjoy reading and learning, which I thought is invaluable. In the society with sea of graduates, what do you expect a mere SPM graduate to do? No doubt, they can work for their parents (thank God) but is education fit just for the purpose of looking for JOBs or better JOBs? No!!! No No No, education is meant to give wisdom and education is a life long process. There are so many things to be learnt and they are missing it..I felt guilty as an aunt. I know I can't do much when I am seeing them only 2 or 3 times a month. If the parents attitude is as such, I am simply helpless.

Dear mum, if only you are still here to guide...