LOS TEROPONG

Los Teropong (Teropong means binoculars) comments on current issues in Malaysia, and sometimes the world, and put forth another opinion and perspective. BY THE WAY - THEY HUNG THE WRONG GUY ...

WELCOME

Links

Friends

Islam

Malaysian Newspaper

International News

Airlines

TV Chefs

Cooking Anyone?

Bonsai Anyone?

Multimedia

Rojak

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

International Schools in Malaysia

Was in KL on Monday for a Viva voce in UPM and picked up a copy of the SUN (22 May 2006) at the Airport. Voila!! the front cover was about International Schools in Malaysia ... hmmmm .. and what I read puzzled more and more .... I will copy about three paragraphs ..

"A new dimension to education: KUALA LUMPUR: Bringing holistic education to our shores is the Global Indian International School (GIIS) which will be opening its campus in Malaysia this June. It offers a world-renowned curriculum certified by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Used in over 8,500 scholls globally with a combined enrolment of 21 million students, the CBSE curriculum upholds holistic all-round education that goes beyond academics, and promotes an international and multi-cultural learning environment. The Ministry of Education is now allowing Malaysian nationals to attend international schools. GIIS Malaysia is delighted with this decision. In addition to its current offering of Bahasa Melayu, GIIS will also offer Islamic Studies or Moral Education and Local Studies in line with the requirement of the Ministry of Education. They will benefit from what is seen as one of the world's most renowned education systems, strong in Mathematics, Science and IT." - End -

Then there were also head captions on the second page which says;

Parents say exams are not everything,
Proven successsful-non-formal learning techniques,
All-round education beyond the classroom

Oh my God !!!, Oh my God !!! Zo my God !!! We have solved our education problems. We have the solution right at our doorstep, on our shores !!!

HELLOOOOO!!!! Are we missing something here???

If this GIIS is so wonderful, why are we not adopting and using this currriculum? Why is the Ministry sticking to the current curriculum when by testimony, non-formal techniques and a holistic education is called for.

In fact, by sanctioning the existence of GIIS in Malaysia, the Ministry of Education knowingly become a party to the creation of an elite group of rich Malaysian students who will attend the International School with superior curriculum while the remainder cohort will go to "normal" MALAYSIAN schools with NOT the best curriculum. This is very strange!!! Why can't we adopt the world-renowned curriculum by CBSE?? What is going on here?? Why are we being short-changed?? Looks like the children in "normal" schools will be second-rated behind those in the International schools!! Aiyaa .. tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 5/24/2006 11:04:00 AM 4 comments

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Malaysian Road Safety 2006

Hmmmm .. read in the Straits Times (16 May 2006, Page 6-7) about the moves being planned to improve road safety in Malaysia. Ooooookay ... According to the news too, bad drivers will be hit in the pocket .. whereas safe drivers will see rewards in monetary terms soon. Ayoyo .. if you belief this, I think you will believe anything!!

And there is more .. drivers who commit offences and accumulate demerit points under the system will pay dearly in higher premiums. Bottom line is, they said, we want motorists who are on the road to feel the heat. If it hurts their pocket, they will surely become law-abiding drivers!! I guess cigarette prices are NOT HIGH ENOUGH to stop people from smoking!!

Now after reading the wonderful strategies by the Transport Ministry on to tackel this road safety problem, one thing comes to mind ... HOW AND WHAT DO WE DEFINE AS BAD DRIVERS?? Hmmm .... are they DRIVERS WHO ..

drive very fast on the highway, exceeding the speed limit, but caused no accidents
drive slowly on the highway and cause accidents
fell asleep while driving and cause accident either onto oneself or others
speak on the handphone while driving
SMS while driving
don't signal left or right when turning (doesn't matter where including kampong roads)
like to cut queues at traffic lights (or anywhere for that matter)
like to drive with high beam ON
have faulty brake lights or front lights
like to come out of junctions at the last minute causing oncoming traffic to brake hard
slowing down to stop WITHOUT signalling
signal left TURN right instead, vice versa
don't stop at pedestrian light operated crossings
never give way for traffic from junction
tailgate - follow too closely
keep flashing so that you get out of his/her way
on the opposite side of the road
enter NO-ENTRY roads or alleyways
park at single yellow lines
overtake at double line
wait in the yelow box
THERE ARE MORE ..

Who is going to MONITOR ALL these acts of BAD DRIVING?? ... and HOW are threy going to be punished BUT more importantly HOW are the GOOD drivers going to be REWARDED !!! Aiyaa .. tak tau lah ... sometimes they make rules that has no frikking sense ...

posted by Rozhan @ 5/18/2006 03:01:00 PM 2 comments

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Original CDs at RM29.00

Fighting piracy ... Siti Nurhaliza's new album, Transkripsi, is out in the stores at only RM29.00 .. and for 13 songs, that has got to be a good enough reason to buy an original copy. Regardless of the fact that she (or whoever else that comes to mind, and we know who at this point in time) is already rich, perhaps even a millionaire, we should not condone the sale and buying of pirated CDs, as singing is for them 'working' as much as for you and I go to work. It is not difficult to imagine the scanario. You go to work and someone else take your pay, ok? I only buy original CDs .. support your local artists ..

posted by Rozhan @ 5/16/2006 03:04:00 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Lecturers still retire at 56 ..

Hmmm .... Looks like Malaysian lecturers will still retire on one's 56th birthday. Today's daily, The STAR (4 May, 2006) repoted the Deputy Higher Education Minister, Datuk Ong Tee Kiat, as saying that the official retirement age for university lecturers will not be extended. They will still retire at 56 but can continue to serve on a contractual basis for a maximum of 10 years. Further, he said that, “There is still a shortage of professors in critical areas such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering which require broad experience,” he said during the question session. He said the current scheme was flexible to allow promotions based on merit. Aiyaa .. looks like things WILL NEVER change ... sigh ....

Macamnilah ... The whole game plan is flawed!! Taking into account the politics, the inconsistencies of human nature and the habits of humans as a whole, when you have to retire at 56, you will already be thinking about retirement a few years before that. Perhaps 55, and I have a friend who is only 50 and already thinking aboout retirement. They are thinking about relocating to settle down after that, what to do after that, how to survive after that and so on .... They are 'done' so to speak and some will not want to carry major responsibilities in the office or universities because they are going to retire in a few years time. In essence, they are ALREADY WINDING DOWN!! True??

Ok, now supposing they are successful at getting an extension, on a yearly basis ... there is no guarantee that they will extended after that. The vicious circle repeats itself. They are again not going to bother doing anything 'innovative' because they feel they are only there for year. Next year is another story. Even Acting Deans don't want to do much because they are just kind of 'standing in' until that fellow comes back. The scenario goes into a loop until he or she retires for good. There is no security. They may even leave if another golden opportunity comes along. This has happened ALL THESE YEARS !! Why can't we learn from the experience. We talk about the need for human capital, intellectuals, and we can't even keep those lecturers and teachers .. and then complain of the lack of teachers and lecturers!! This is absolutely amazing.

On the one hand we talk about shortages of Professors, not only in critical areas ..ALL areas. Even Professors in whatever need to be taught by lectures in whatever!! They don't grow on trees. I say, don't talk much ... if there is no one to pick up your rubbish, we are all in deep shit!! So everyone is CRITICAL. One small missing piece of a puzzle will render the puzzle INCOMPLETE. We talk about an education revolution, hmmmm .... talk is cheap ... Aiyaa, tak tau lah ...

posted by Rozhan @ 5/04/2006 03:29:00 PM 1 comments

About Me