Selamat Pagi Cikgu (Part 1)

I read this from The Star dated 25th Nov, 2007, found the thought was indeed true and through.

Senseless Lost over the Overrated A
The first public examination for our children is the UPSR, which is meant to help our education planners assess the efficacy of their teaching methods based on the analysis of the results.

For the students, it is also a way for them to work on their weak subjects as they enter secondary school.

There was a time when this examination came and went, and there was hardly any fanfare over who scored a string of A's.

But not anymore.

Last week, S. Subashini, 12, committed suicide, apparently because she did not get the desired A's. What a tragedy for a life to be cut short, not for any meaningful cause, but for want of A's.

The many letters to the press expressing shock are predictable. So are the argument not to subject our children to so much stress at this tender age.

But what is the point if the cycle repeats itself?

We are all to be blamed.

When the results come out each year, be it for the UPSR, PMR, SPM or STPM, the high achiever get all the applause.

Even for the disabled who are highlighted, it is still based on the A's, the added line being their triumph despite the disability.

So the message we are sending to students is that those who don't get their A's simply don't measure up.

We honour results but we forget effort.

Consider this: The A student could well be the one with all the extra benefits- tuition, endless supplies of workbooks, and a comfortable home environment- whose parents would not tolerate school marks dipping below 95.

Meanwhile, another student, without these extras, worked diligently to move from E to C.

So who should we applaud? Think about that.

What an irony that the vain pursuit of A's is done in the name of education, when it is the very obsession that is denying our children the real meaning and love for education.

And in the case of S. Subashini, at such a senseless and tragic lost.

Hope anyone who have read this will drop in some comments for our edification.
Malaysia Boleh!

With Christ in the Vessel

It was a bright and shiny on that particular tuesday morning. But the sky turned dark when it approached afternoon and soon before we realized, rain started pouring down. Well, it never actually bothered me much since I am doing my stuff indoor. Then suddenly Aunt Celine said something that tickled me. She told that we need to 'tei shui'(means look out for water), because Jalan Kuching, Canning Garden is prone to be flooded if the rain never stop. I didn't take it seriously of course and I even replied it would be nice if I brought along a fishing rod during the flood. Before i could even dream of fishing in the 'sea'. My imagination was cut off with an alarming voice from another colleague shouting: 'zam shui'(flood) ar!! At that moment, I was having mixed feeling, happy(flood!! wee... cause i never drove or cycled to work that day)+ sad(didnt know what time I can go back after work)+excited(first flood i have experienced)+speechless(knowing that my workplace can actually be flooded)+calm(hakuna mattata)+amazed(wondered at the magnificent sight of Jln Kuching becoming Selat Kuching, if you get what i mean)....

Red Alert! Everyone who parked their car outside ran out without much thought to save their car. Mind you, the flood is knee deep.

Unfortunately, our lady boss' kancil got flooded inside. After parking the car into the house compound, she tried emptying the water that flowed into her driver seat. Nissan 120y was half drowned and we had to push it into the centre's compound. 1 lad and 2 ladies managed to save the car from the wrath of the floodwater. Other
3 cars flee for their lives. That's not the end of the episode.



And so, we waited for the water to subside. It took close to one hour for the water to flow away. I was glad that it was finally over. But, we are faced with another challenge( i called it). The green kancil was stuck in the field. Wan Wai and I tried to push the car out but it was futile. Haiz, poor car.. To cut things short, we got the car out with the help of the man and a car cable.

Lessons learned:

-Flood during Noah's time is not small. So don't fool around.

-Faithful God is always there.

-Friend in need is a friend indeed.

-Fishing in the flood is not a good idea.

-Frantic approach never helps, calmness does.



When blessings pour out and darkness closes in, still i will turn to praise.. those are the words the song Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Are we like that ? We are inviting challenges when we are echoing the words in the lyrics of the song.

With Christ in the Vessel, we can smile at the storm.....