MisEducation Part I

I believe one should be allowed to learn what he or she wants to learn.

Sadly, I think this is somehow not happening in Singapore. In NUS.

I feel we are slowly losing the freedom to learn what we wana learn.

A simple msn chat with my friend Miss-brother-seller has inspired me to digress on this. She has indicated that she couldn't get to read a particular elective as she has insufficient points to bid for that elective. Apparently, that elective is very popular among students.

What!!!The balloting system has now evolved to be a "points bidding system"?? Does that reminds you about the bidding of COE!!!! Good Grief... What are we talking now .. EDUCATION or BUSINESS or GAMBLING....

To begin this post, I would like to talk about the widely used balloting system.

I believe students in Singapore are somehow familiar with the balloting system. Macroscopically, the balloting system is widely employed across the primary, secondary and junior colleges to limit the size student’s intake for any particular institution.

Microscopically, it is used within the institution to control the number of students allocated to a particular course. This is evident in NUS. Final year project balloting, electives balloting... the list goes on.... Yes, we may feel that we have the "FREEDOM" to choose, but we may not get what we want to study. More often that not, you will hear " too bad lor, no luck"

Come on... what are we talking about here?

Luck?... Its like placing bets on lottery....

Come on... Is this what we wanted to inculcate among the students.

"Oh...Too bad if u cannot get to learn what u wana learn... that's life....Try again next semester" RESIGNATION TO FATE? Is NUS trying to educate the students to resign to fate.

"Take it or leave it" Is NUS trying to teach us the harsh reality of the society?

Now, listen... we, students should have the freedom and rights to learn what we want. We are the customers, aren't we? Our parents are diligent taxpayers, aren't they? Is this what we are getting from our university?

I must admit that we need a certain level of control to maintain order but not to the extent of snatching the basic freedom to learn what we want.

I'm wondering whether I will be jailed by saying this................................