bunnies in my backyard...

Putting a Price on Education

My prevailing optimism seems to be nose-diving these past few days. After giving out my 2nd exam, and my first subjective one to the One students, I've been going through academic hell and back with the results. Appaling is to put it nicely. If I had it my way, only 10% of the students will pass. What with the incredibly poor command of English (that has already been dumbed down), zero commitment, intense cheating, and probably downright stupidity, I have no idea how any of the students made it to final year. Now, most people would say, 'but they're designers, they don't need to know business management'. That's probably like saying designers are stupid ignorant folk who's only fascination is with colours and font-type.

I am beyond disgust at the way these colleges are bringing up their students. Taking money from the students and deluding them into skill-based superiority. The students have no vested interest to be better, their only concern is to pass (and being ONE, draw quick sketches). They are happy regurgitating old ideas and don't see any need to question, test, or challenge anything. If this applies to all other colleges in Malaysia, we might as well rename the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Population Cloning for Mental Degradation and Subjugative Control. GAH! You know, lecturers should NOT HAVE TO DUMB DOWN TO THE STUPIDITY LEVEL OF THE STUDENTS but students should strive to meet the pre-set bar! I am so incredibly pissed not because of the sheer pointlessness of giving them marks but the affect it has on the overall growth of society and country.

Needless to say, I can't fail them all. College admin has already told me to pace down to the students. I've already revised the syllabus twice. At its current level, a Form 5 student can take it and do well (probably better). Education is a misnomer. These students are not learning, heck, they're not even memorising. I actually don't know why they are there in the first place. Probably needed a justification to hang out at Sunway all the time.

Now, that's let out. I'm never accepting a lecturing position at the One again, though I doubt they'll want me after I land my wrath on the students tomorrow. There are a lot of things I can tolerate, like inefficient admin, greed, corruption even... but messing about with education is jeopardising our future. Can you imagine our kids (if) being under leaders like these? ARGH!!!