Juliana (second from right) amongst the 8 with 5As.
About a year and half ago, we decided to live across the causeway, something that we wanted to do for a long time, but put-off, mainly because of our children's schooling and 'standards'. We were prepared to move but we cannot decide how we will schooled them.
Prior to moving, I had a conversation with the President from my former workplace, he's a Briton man from England. Our conversation came up to my intention to live in malaysia, and I voiced my concerned about my children's schooling and 'standards'.
And this I remembered what he said "Rizal, let me put it this way, a degree is a degree... doesn't matter where you obtained it. We have a senior lecturer from Bowling State University, Hawaii... I wasn't even sure if a university from Hawaii can be taken seriously, but the lecturer proved her worth, and certainly a valuable asset in this college. There's also a director who doesn't have a degree, let alone a master, he's a diploma holder, and he worked all the way up from being a lecturer, to now a director.... you see it doesn't matter where you are schooled... a qualification is a qualification... an institution is an institution... I have some lecturers complaining that even though they are local, they still cannot enter any of the local universities... hahaha... so don't worry about standards... it all depends on your child... not the school.".
So the next day, with his words still ringing in my ears, I just took a dive and enrolled them in Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Indah... much to the protest of some friends and colleagues. I remember sitting in the school's office, and feeling slightly sad and thinking "what am I doing to my children's future? am I doing the right thing..." and an hour later... they're registered and done.
A month later, and even after a phone call from an MOE officer, telling us about 'standards' again (which by now I'm getting pissed off with the word).... they finally started school. We stayed back after sending them in the school. I parked beside the school, and the school assembly started. The principal went up the stage... and she said "Assalamualaikum...."...and the students jawab "Wa'alaikumsalam..." immediately when she beri salam, at that very moment I knew that I did not make a mistake, this is how I want my children to be schooled. And mind you, this is a normal primary school, not a madrasah nor an islamic school... Eventually, I was impressed that the cikgus and students practise sembahyang hajat together when exams are approaching, they go to surau every Jumaat and they even recite doa before class starts everyday.... at this point, this has become my standards and this is what I want for my children.
As time goes by, another thing I noticed is that they are conversing in malay more, and much more fluently, for which I am very glad. Previously living in the red dot, they were speaking English all the time, up to the point where speaking malay becomes a very tedious and miserable experience for them. Numerous times, I had to remind them to "CAKAP MELAYU!!! KITA ORANG MELAYU!!!"... so many time that at times I even had to use physical force on them. It hurts my ears and heart to hear them speaking english all the time. Now they speak more in malay, and it's music to my ears.
As for these 'so-called high rocket scientist' standards, its just the manure of an uncastrated adult male of a domestic cattle . If subjects are taught in riddles are the 'standards', I might as well buy books of riddles and study them. Confusing questions and 'out of the box' thinking for students are just there to make a simple subject look unnecessarily complex. I consider myself an intelligent individual, but if I cannot do my child's homework, I think there's something wrong with the whole system and its not funny anymore.
We are extremely proud of Juliana's achievement, she studied hard and she takes full credit for her success. Neither has it been easy for her, nor did she get it handed on a silver platter. With Juliana, we do not even need to raise our voice or push her to study... She studied the moment she wakes up, right up to before she sleep. We never had to remind her at all, it seems that she has the learning passion in her. By our 'standards', she has done the family proud, and we are proud of her.... and frankly also by my standard, I be most proud when she Khatam Al'Quran.
last note:
My wife called me with the good news "Ayang Juliana dapat 5A !!!!" her voice full of excitement. I replied "Uh... senang sangat ke?"... I realised later on, that my remarks was hurtful to her and my daughter, almost denying my daughter's toil and hardwork... why am I still the typical arrogant singaporean that I hate?
Prior to moving, I had a conversation with the President from my former workplace, he's a Briton man from England. Our conversation came up to my intention to live in malaysia, and I voiced my concerned about my children's schooling and 'standards'.
And this I remembered what he said "Rizal, let me put it this way, a degree is a degree... doesn't matter where you obtained it. We have a senior lecturer from Bowling State University, Hawaii... I wasn't even sure if a university from Hawaii can be taken seriously, but the lecturer proved her worth, and certainly a valuable asset in this college. There's also a director who doesn't have a degree, let alone a master, he's a diploma holder, and he worked all the way up from being a lecturer, to now a director.... you see it doesn't matter where you are schooled... a qualification is a qualification... an institution is an institution... I have some lecturers complaining that even though they are local, they still cannot enter any of the local universities... hahaha... so don't worry about standards... it all depends on your child... not the school.".
So the next day, with his words still ringing in my ears, I just took a dive and enrolled them in Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Indah... much to the protest of some friends and colleagues. I remember sitting in the school's office, and feeling slightly sad and thinking "what am I doing to my children's future? am I doing the right thing..." and an hour later... they're registered and done.
A month later, and even after a phone call from an MOE officer, telling us about 'standards' again (which by now I'm getting pissed off with the word).... they finally started school. We stayed back after sending them in the school. I parked beside the school, and the school assembly started. The principal went up the stage... and she said "Assalamualaikum...."...and the students jawab "Wa'alaikumsalam..." immediately when she beri salam, at that very moment I knew that I did not make a mistake, this is how I want my children to be schooled. And mind you, this is a normal primary school, not a madrasah nor an islamic school... Eventually, I was impressed that the cikgus and students practise sembahyang hajat together when exams are approaching, they go to surau every Jumaat and they even recite doa before class starts everyday.... at this point, this has become my standards and this is what I want for my children.
As time goes by, another thing I noticed is that they are conversing in malay more, and much more fluently, for which I am very glad. Previously living in the red dot, they were speaking English all the time, up to the point where speaking malay becomes a very tedious and miserable experience for them. Numerous times, I had to remind them to "CAKAP MELAYU!!! KITA ORANG MELAYU!!!"... so many time that at times I even had to use physical force on them. It hurts my ears and heart to hear them speaking english all the time. Now they speak more in malay, and it's music to my ears.
As for these 'so-called high rocket scientist' standards, its just the manure of an uncastrated adult male of a domestic cattle . If subjects are taught in riddles are the 'standards', I might as well buy books of riddles and study them. Confusing questions and 'out of the box' thinking for students are just there to make a simple subject look unnecessarily complex. I consider myself an intelligent individual, but if I cannot do my child's homework, I think there's something wrong with the whole system and its not funny anymore.
We are extremely proud of Juliana's achievement, she studied hard and she takes full credit for her success. Neither has it been easy for her, nor did she get it handed on a silver platter. With Juliana, we do not even need to raise our voice or push her to study... She studied the moment she wakes up, right up to before she sleep. We never had to remind her at all, it seems that she has the learning passion in her. By our 'standards', she has done the family proud, and we are proud of her.... and frankly also by my standard, I be most proud when she Khatam Al'Quran.
last note:
My wife called me with the good news "Ayang Juliana dapat 5A !!!!" her voice full of excitement. I replied "Uh... senang sangat ke?"... I realised later on, that my remarks was hurtful to her and my daughter, almost denying my daughter's toil and hardwork... why am I still the typical arrogant singaporean that I hate?
1 comment:
Best kan see them excel at their own pace. We move here too mainly for the kids so that they can breathe easy when they study. Tak lah macam nak lari 'marathon' selalu. Good job Juliana...don't worry about what other people say. Do your best all the time and make you family proud.
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