What's wrong with our education system?

I posted a comment on Education Malaysia here and I though I would post and share this and add a little more to it.

Our education system has chugged along over the past 40 years on "auto-pilot" mode. Problem is, its a 40 year old plane that has no auto-pilot capability! If we go on this way, there is only one direction it will go to. Some people have bailed out into private schools, learning centers and homeschooling. 

On the surface there are just too many problems. I think, the real problem is leadership or lack of it! With occasional policy speeches and grand launching of policies, politicians and businesses taking the opportunity of providing products & services to the schools, nothing is really happening.

We need decisive and knowledgeable leadership who can engage all stake holders, not provide mere lip-service! 

We need leadership that know and can formulate policies in line with global economic, technological and social development. Having said this, a deep rethinking of schools needs to be done. Like learning, we need to go beyond the limitations of our minds. Education need to go beyond schools.

For the sake of our children, change need to happen!

I don't even want to talk about the issue of teaching maths and science in English. We need to really go beyond that, waybeyond!  One of my fundamental belief is that parents need to take a more pro-active role. Proactive to question and drive improvements to our education systems and even take things into our own hands. Sadly, there is not much time. Each time changes are made to the system, one to two generation of our children suffers. Drastic actions needs to be taken, we needed to bail out children out from this 40 year old plane!  This is one reason why we homeschool, for those who kepe sending us emails asking us why. 

But we need to still fix it. Speak up, blog up, bring concerns to the PTA, write to the Minister (if that is any help), engage your local Parliment Representatives. Even join politics to make the change. 

Don't forget to spend time with your children, be there for them, read with and to them. Education is in a big part coming from us parents.

For their children and theirs because this is our home and will be the home for our children and theirs and theirs..... 

Let the schools decide?

Let the schools decide? I must say this is an interesting idea. I do agree we need to at some point in time, we probably need to let the schools decide. We cannot do that now. Schools are structured to be extensions of the Ministry of Education (MOE), which is a part of the Cabinet - not separated from the political parties that rules us. Teachers are government employees. Headmasters are government employees and the same goes for all staff in the schools. The reporting line (some might want to refer to this as "chain of command") goes right up to the Prime Minister. The Ministry dictates all major policies from curriculum to texts. Schools cannot invite ex-students /head prefect back to function without running into the wrath of the MOE. Schools need to be set free! With this situation, how can you expect the schools to decide. Unless schools break free from the whims and fancies of political lords, little can be expected.

This can truly be happen when parents themselves are empowered and be come and active partner and stake-holder in the education process. The PTA (Parents'-Teachers-Association) needs to be revamped to give it powers in schools- not just being concerned about fund raising and dialogue with the teachers. Having said that, parents need to be awaken and exercised their rights. Not just leave it to the schools. Parents (and teachers) needs to move away from the once a terms parent-meet-teachers sessions or whenever there are problems with the students. Schools cannot shutout the parents and operate in a vacuum anymore. If schools are to decided on important topics such the teaching of maths and science in English.

When parents truly get involved, only then when change will take place. We will then learn that the "one-size-fits-all" approach to learning and teaching will not apply. The longer we wait for the system to change, more generations of our youths will be left out.

Schools: Misdirected Priorities

The hot topics in education today surely are (a) the teaching of science and maths in English, and, (b) the status of vernacular schools.

I have written about the the vernacular schools issues briefly here where I questioned what schools are doing today versus what they are suppose to be doing. There is far too much emphasis on integration by the politicians. I feel this is totally misdirected and cannot but get the impression that these politicians are trying to get some mileage from their political parties - drawn along racial lines. We somehow have forgotten that we schools is much more then integration and surely even more than just the convenient playground for our politicians. What I feel is that children (naturally) make friends and "integrate" (though I do not feel that need to do it) while it is the policies from the highest levels that needs to be addressed. We do not see children engage in the type of fights / disagreements politicians engage in such as the one initiated by Datuk Ahmad Ismail. In short, do not blame the schools or the children.

It does not help either when the educationist becomes selfish and lay claims on their own languages. The chinese schools are fighting and even to the point of protesting that English get to stay outside the gates of the schools. In local Government schools, the fight to maintain BM is narrow-minded to say the least. I will not dwell into this as Kian Ming presented a very good article regarding these selfish attitudes here.

My concerns are more on the education policies and vision and the lack of vision and direction are setting our children, along with that, lose several generations of young Malaysians. From the perspective of the parents there are several key issues. Firstly, the overall quality and standard needs to be improved. If any parents does not find schools innovative enough (I am sure there are many), there are no choices. All schools teach basically the same things - curriculum decided and enforced by the Ministry of Education. Schools that want to do things differently will have to do it outside "official school hours "and hold the students back. Except for the medium of instructions, everything else remains the same. So when Marina spoke about Creating Polygot Kids, she talk about human rights, our children DO NOT have rights. according to her:

Article 26.3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children." But parents will not willfully choose a bad education for their children unless they had no choice due usually to poverty. Ultimately I don't think anyone cares what language their children's schooling is in as long as it's good schooling.

The question is do we have good schooling? Is it just about teaching English? When will we have good schooling? Do our leaders and politicians have it in them to provide "good schooling"? While we debate this (including Maths and Science in English), generations of our children would have been wasted. It is time schooling is liberalized and have many systems and approaches and keep up with the times. It s time to allow schools to being our the best in our children through proper education. Politicians can go somewhere else for their playground.

A Voice from the Future

I woke up on the morning of my 55th birthday, logged on my computer and realize that ALL my EPF saving had disappeared! I drove to the EPF Office to enquire and found that the offices were closed! Shut down! There were many people at the premises looking for answers as to what happened to the savings. No one was there. No answers!

Driving back home, I passed the once mighty twin towers of Petronas. Avenue K is empty and ran down.  The MCA building was also empty and abandoned. Few shop open the once popular Ampang Shopping complex.  Embassy street was also deserted. The mignificant twin towers was no more Petronas' Twin Towers, it was now Shell's Twin Tower. Petronas ran out of money and force sold it to Shell!  On the street of Jalan Ampang, there were homeless people wondering aimlessly through the scrap and rubbish hoping to find what little that can. The executives running around in their ties and fancy suits were no more to be seen, Is this KL, Malaysia? What has become of this once beautiful country? A country abundance of natural resources. One of elite member oil producing nation, nett exporter of petrolium?

I shook my head as I drove home. I cannot forgive the people who "borrowed" billions of ringgit from our EPF savings to "invest" in the equities market back in October 2008 when the market was most volatile. A market in the middle of a financial crisis that saw the collapse of the great Lehman Brothers, Meryill Lynch and many others. A market that saw stock markets across the world dive day after day into a seemingly bottomless pit. What wisdom, if any, our leaders had to do the exact opposite of what the world did to try to resolve the financial crisis at that time! Instead of stimulating the economy and building confidence in the banking industry, we were the only country in the world that gambled threw hard earned savings in plunging stock market - against all advice.  In bad times as then, Maybank bought BII in Indonesia for a hefty price against financial advisors. Nobody knew the details and why thewre was a need to push through the deal. Now Maybank is under receivership and our Government cannot guarantee deposits. Maybank willprobably be history in the coming days. Why did they not learn from ING just a couple of weeks before that! They could have just cut lost and lose RM400 million! I was really angry.

Now I am driving through Kuala Lumpur, a city that's lost it glory, wallowing in economic despair and recession. Gone were the days when our economy was booming befitting an oil exporting nation. 

The people who made those stupid decisions had nothing to worry, they were rich, super rich. Probably do not even understand what hunger is. Their children had silver spoons in their mouth, were sent overseas for studies early in their age. By passed the local education their parents were custodian of. The can afford the best schools in the UK, Australiaand elsewhere. I continue to worry about my future and my children's while I could have sat back and enjoyed the fruits of my labour.  

Anyway, these people are all dead now. Can't even remember their names.  We only remember them for their greed, arrogrance and above all for their stupidity in squandering the nation's wealth.

I now have to continue working hard to support my children. I would like to think all is not lost, there is hope.

I sincerely HOPE so.

A Call for Peace - A Reflection on Buddhism, Freedom and the ISA

The political events over the past months in Malaysia has create much uncertainty. Compounded by economic uncertainty arising fallout of large financial institutions, gives more reasons for concerns. Amidst all this, what is most fearful in the heart of many Malaysian is the unstable political environment. What concerns and upsets most is the manner so-called dissidents and oppositions are dealt with. In particular, the detention without trial - selected individuals accused of being threats to the peace of the nation. Their detention is known as Section 73(1) Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960. This act states that:

"Any police officer may without warrant arrest and detain pending enquiries any person in respect of whom he has reason to believe that there are grounds which would justify his detention under section 8; and that he has acted or is about to act or is likely to act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or any part thereof or to maintenance of essential services therein or to the economic life thereof."

Further in Section 8 ISA: Power to order detention or restriction of persons.

"(i) If the Minister is satisfied that the detention of any person is necessary with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia or any part thereof or to the maintenance of essential services therein or the economic life thereof, he may make an order (hereinafter referred to as a detention order) directing that that person be detained for any period not exceeding two years."

As of today there are 64 known detainees were detained since 2001, not given a chance at ball to defend themselves through due legal process. (A full list is available at http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2001/3e.htm). Some are alleged terrorists; some are accused of being spies while at one of them are a blogger. Some held for more than seven years with no freedom in sight.

I know many Buddhist friends are greatly aware of this topic of discussion. Many of my friends take these discussions to the coffee shops, or even at private corners of Buddhist temples. One thing we cannot deny is that this issue has a greater implication to our society as a whole. To most of us, it much more than we want to know and to accept. Being a Buddhist, this Act represents a direct contradiction to the teachings and principles of the Buddha Dharma.

The overcoming of dukkha and the spirit of Siddhartha's Renunciation

As a Buddhist it pains me to see this dukkha inflicted unnecessarily to individuals. It pains me to see one of these detainee did not get to see his daughter at her deathbed. With two daughters of my own, my heart cried to the story of Shahrial Sirin, detained for 7 years WITHOUT TRIAL under the ISA. The authorities delayed the decision to allow him to return to visit his daughter who was in coma at the Kajang Hospital. She died 3 1/2 hours after her father arrived. This is just one story.  I asked myself, how can we continue to recite the following every week (daily in some cases). Yet continue to go on with life as if nothing is happening?

Jatipi dukkha jarapi dukkha maranampi dukkham

Soka.parideva. dukkha domanas. supuyasapi dukkha        

(Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, and death is suffering;

Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering;)

 

Is this the thought Prince Siddhartha experienced when he saw the Four Sights that was so powerful that led him to leave the palace?  Is it doing something about the dukkha in line with the spirit of renunciation? If this is the spirit of renunciation of Siddhartha, how can we, as followers of the Buddha's teachings, sit and be quiet and continue to focus inward into our vipassana practices oblivious to what's happening outside. Did the Buddha not speak of compassion?

There is even Pali word for it, it's "karuṇā".  Karuṇā is one of the four "divine abodes" (brahmavihara), along with lovingkindness (metta), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha). In the Pali Canon, the Buddha recommends cultivating these four virtuous mental states to both householders and the monastic. When one develops these four states, the Buddha advises radiating them in all directions, as in the following stock canonical phrase regarding karuṇā:

"He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with compassion. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with compassion: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."  Kālāmā Sutta (AN 3.65)

In the Pali commentaries Karuṇā is the desire to remove harm and suffering (ahita-dukkha-apanaya-kāmatā) from others (SN-A 128). 

We should do what we can to show compassion now. Show the detainees (and their families) the Buddhists do care.

 

Buddhism & the Overcoming of Fear

Why are we not expressing our Karuṇā? I organized a Puja and Mediation for the ISA detainees and hardly a handful of people turned up? No big temples or Buddhist organizations have organized such Puja at the point of writing this reflection. I spoke to some Buddhist friends and two answers came out the most. The first is often, "I am not affected (so do not need to bother)". I will talk more about this later.  The more common respond is "aren't you afraid that YOU might arrested under the ISA too? In other words, FEAR.

If Siddhartha feared for his life and feared the loss of his lifestyle, he would not have left the comfort of His palace. We would have NO Buddhism today! This article and magazine would not exist!  The Buddha said that fear is an obstruction to the development of calm and insight. 

Let me share this article. Taken from a lecture entitle The Psychology of Emotions in Buddhist Perspective by Dr. Padmasiri de Silva:

Fear is often caused by strong desires (ta.nhaaya jaayati bhaya.m) [Dhp 216] Strong desires and attachment to either persons or things cause fear because if we cling to some precious and valuable object, ................ 

………… It is the same with the attachment to one's own self: a threat to one's life, sickness, the threat of losing one's job or reputation — all these situations are conditions for the emergence of fear. It is due to the strong self-preservative drive (bhavata.nhaa) which in turn is fed by the bhavaraaga anusaya (the lurking tendency to crave for existence) that fear becomes such an agitating condition........

....Thus restlessness and worry blind one's vision of oneself, and form an obstruction to the development of tranquility and insight. [AN 5.193]

         Source: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/desilva-p/wheel237.html 

We cannot stick our heads in the sand believing everything is okay, hiding in the thought that our private meditation practice is more important. This mindset is call delusion. We must strive to overcome FEAR.

 

Buddha Dharma = Freedom

The Dharma that the Buddha discovered expounds several important principles beginning with freedom and the cessation of dukkha. The ultimate aim of Buddhism is to achieve absolute freedom from the cycle of life and death, this freedom is known as Nirvana or Nibbana. Achieving this means have the right conditions. 

Hence, I personally feel that it is our right to speak up, support and provide some form of solidarity to people who have been detained under this Internal Security Act (ISA). We need to strive to create the right conditions for our practice now, we cannot wait for these conditions to appear.  How can we truly practice when there is fear.  Some have argues with me that, “look we are free to practice and have our temples, why stir up problem”.   My response is simple, this called “being selfish” and against the teachings of the four brahmaviharas.

We must do something.  Making an effort is “karma”. Karma is not waiting for something to happen to us – and we decide if it is good or bad karma.

It is very clear that making effort to change is a blessing. The Buddha in the Maha-Mangala Sutta advised us that Patirupadesavaso ca  (To dwell in a suitable locality is a supreme blessing).  If any of our detainees are relatives, we will think and act differently - what if they are our relatives, brothers and sisters in this same house called Malaysia. We would do something for our relatives.  In the same Sutta, the Buddha also advised that Naatakaana~n ca sa"ngaho: Helping one's relatives is a supreme blessing.  

We do not help our relatives by taking to the streets and cause chaos, we just need to focus on our minds and send METTA to those who are detained - and to make it known that our Buddhist brothers and sisters are in support.

In the same way, we must not forget the people who signed the arrest orders including the people that executed the orders. They too need our METTA. There are no enemies according the Buddha’s teachings – just people who have not seen certain wisdoms yet. In the Maha-Mangala Sutta as well, we are reminded of Khanti: Patience and Tapo: Energetic self-restraint.  That’s the way we show, support and solidarity.

There is so much more to write about this as it is the topic right now. Suffice that as Buddhist, we are also citizens of this country that wants a country to be ruled by the rule of law and justice and there is way to do it.  This message is even more powerful in the Mahayana tradition, where a Bodhisattva vows:

        I vow to liberate all beings, without number   眾生無邊誓願度

Let’s begin by looking at our own backyard in a place called Kamunting. In this place, people are detained and held with no opportunity of justice bestowed upon them.

What we do nor indeed affects our future, our children and their children. Doing something today is Pubbe ca katapu~n~nataa: Having made merit in the past. What we do today is the past that affects our future. This is the land where we and our children (and their children will be). Doing something can make a difference!

Lastly, I leave you with this prayer:

 Evoking the presence of the great compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion - towards ourselves and towards all living beings.

Let us pray that all living beings realise that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life. (Buddhist Prayer on World Peace Day, 2007)

 

 May all Beings be well and happy always, may all being find RELEASE.

Great to be in Penang again

Despite being messed up by Airasia - twice (first time cancelled flight, second delayed) I finally made it to Penang. Had good meetings and above all, met old friends, where else but with great Penang food!

This is the life.

taking a break

I am currently in Penang for talks and workshops. Great time to take break and reflect on coming days.

Hope you are having a great weekend

my kids'......

take on Umbrella (inspired by Marie Digby) be entertained!

Now for More Important Business

My car has been assigned to be official wedding car for the ceremony of David and Michelle. Thanks for giving me this honour.

May both of you have long happier years together ahead, and remember this car.

Looking for Good Food and Great Service?

our kids enjoyed this dinner - all food finished!

...... just go to Paris - the New Paris Restaurant in SS2, that is. Its in the building opposite Mongo Jerry.

It was a very satisfying meal, and great service. The service should be emulated by others. Food appeared within 5 minutes of ordering! Service and response was excellent. Charges was reasonable. Above all, food there was good.

Publish Post

take a breather and enjoy the view

I sometimes take long look outside to enjoy the view. With deep breaths, the view of the sky sometimes brings a different perspective of the run-round-the-mill stuff we do daily.

HAVE A GREAT DAY AHEAD!

drinks and food on me

drinks and food on me
Originally uploaded by soonkv

Finally got photo blogging UP! Many thanks to Praveen, showed me I still got things to learn - next round, food and drinks on me!

Reflections on Qingming

view from the hill @ 7.00am


Just returned from Qingming prayers at my grandfather's grave today.
It have been over 2 years since I last visited the grave and this
year's visit was especially special. No, we did not burn any paper
mobile phones, computers or any of the luxury cars with the drivers.
We went as simple as we could. We, however, did burn several million
dollars :-(

The older folks may probably believe the money actually gets
"transfered" to the deceased, we all know that prayer and our pure
thoughts are more important.

To me, qingming is important for families and relatives to come
together and share past experiences otherwise have no reason to talk
about. Today, I learnt, among other things, that my dad had been to
India, something I never knew. A few days after his return, did his
father, my grandfather, passed away.

More importantly for me qingming is a bridge that between our pasts
and future. It,s not just a ceremony but an event that constantly
help us appreciate our present and future through the knowledge and
lessons of the past.

May all being, past, present and future be well and happy.

Mobile blogging

This is an interesting way to upload blogs.
Will be doing more of this.

--
Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com

Regards,

K V Soon

http://www.familyplace.com.my
http://here-n-there.blogspot.com

XIN NIAN KUAI LE

Gong Xi Fa Cai and Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Many blessing for the year of the Rat!

Bye-bye 2007, HELLO 2008!

(revised)

Finally, I get a chance to relax and reflect upon the new year 2008. I leave 2007 with a mixed feelings while welcoming 2008 with full of hope and anticipation.

2007 for me have been an interesting year in terms of my career and family life. Adjusting to a new job and getting into the "groove" of generating and executing new ideas and strategies are what excites me most. While at the same time, seeing my children grow and seeing them learn new things is continues to marvels me. Yet the fear of the world outside our home drives shivers through my spine. 2007 witnessed the terrible death of young children and the name NURIN JASLIN comes to my mind. I have not forgotten the boy who was killed, stuffed into a beg and dumped into a river. I have also not forgotten about the mother who allegedly killer own daughter in Penang. I am sadden by the wasted young lives. As a father, naturally I am concerned about the safety of my children, what am I to do? I draw inspiration by the efforts of the bloggers to initiate a NURIN Alert modeled around the US' AMBER ALERT. I encourage strong support for this effort. More information here. Still, we need to do more to make our community safer.

Moving forward, I hope to see (but will probably never happen) is our law makers not make a fool of themselves in the Parliment and outside. Alas, we were all greeted by DVD that brought down a Minister - what a start to the politics for the new year - I wonder is event mark the beginning or the end of things to come in the political scene.

What I look forward most is time with my family, doing things together and strengthening our ties. I am glad all my children are back to homeschooling. Which of course adds some burden to the mother. My elder daughter wants to learn physics - have brush up my rusty brains on algebra, trigonometry and what-not ;-(. But it's a good problem, though. I have always enjoyed learning (for the fun of learning,not for the sake of examination. I really look forward to the joys and challenges.

Come 2008, FamilyPlace will be celebrating its 10th anniversary - yes, FamilyPlace is now TEN! While many of the DAGS recipients have fallen by the wayside, we are still here. Taking our time and pace, we have kept on going, at times take long holidays. It has been fun, we made a lot of friends more importantly made changes in the lives of some - it has for us.

So, I guess there is much to look forward to in this new year. 2008 offers new opportunity for change - make right the wrong and to make perfect what's right and a reminder that there is always hope.

With hope and prayer, I wish you all HAPPY NEW YEAR!

K V

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

Happy Fathers' Day Dad!

my personal fathers' day message from Amrita

Fathers’ Day was last Sunday (Jun 17). One of the biggest challenge of Fathers’ Day (like any other “days”) the challenge is to separate the commercial environment telling us what to do, how we should celebrate or even how to spend money on such an occasion from the genuine celebration to appreciate fatherhood. For me, just being with my family gives joy and happiness. Having my kids make cards for me is just as special. I got some of the best cards this year and every year. Here are the cards and letters I got this year.

Sam in her usual creative style

I guess more importantly, Fathers’ Day is beyond the reminder of my responsibilities to my family. I guess any father (or mother) knows the responsibilities. Even my children can list these responsibilities out – especially since I realized that in school she "studied" moral, civic and character building as actual subjects! Lord (interpret any lord) knows why there must be these three such subjects in school. Academically, they have learned well. On the other hand, practice is another matter. As I was saying, responsibilities are a given – something that needs to be done.

An attempt by Arian (with help form her sisters I guess)

Beyond responsibilities, fatherhood is about facing challenges. Such are these challenges that can so easily tell us to just give-up trying. It is so easy to retreat inwards and feel pity for ourselves. If you happen to be the sole breadwinner in the family, you will encounter this as an even greater challenge – especially when there so much uncertainty in our livelihood and factors beyond our control.

For me, fatherhood is not merely about fulfilling commitments and responsibilities; it’s about – personal development and breaking down of our mental barriers - working hard and being happy at the same time. It is extremely difficult to go through tough days at work, yet come back without bringing some of these negative energies back home. For this I appreciate my dad. He has gone through good and challenging times and up till today, he will not stop at anything to help his children. Yet he finds the time and space for himself. I have not made any card for my dad but I want to say I appreciate the things you have done and I love you dad!

Happy Fathers’ Day (and everyday) and to all fathers reading this.

KV Soon

The content of
Amrita's letter

Farewell Week

It was a busy and hectic past 2 weeks and have not been able to blog much. Last week was dominated by news of death. First it was the 100 days anniversary of my Wai Leng's father passing. Then it was a friend's mother who passed away in the early morning while cleaning the house. On the same day, another friend's grandfather passed on - he was 99. On the same day, we heard the news of the demise of Loga the Alleycats. I have always enjoyed the Alleycats ever since my schools day when they came and played our school event. I dedicate this song to my friends who have lost dear ones........."jangan-lah kau bersedih hati"



Let's remember the good thing of our dear ones and continue to dedicate merits.

SMART ART

You are welcome to visit my children's art blog

http://smart-art-designs.blogspot.com and give us your comments .