Definition

Kev (abr. Kevin)
name
Irish, Gaelic orgin. Caoimhin.
1. adorable. 2. gentle one

Walkabout (walk-a-bout)
noun
1 (in Oz) - a walk in the Outback by Aborigines that lasts for an indefinite amount of time. 2 (chiefly British) - an informal stroll among a crowd conducted by an important visitor e.g. a monarch. 3 a walking trip.

Sunday 23 March 2008

This is just so wrong!

This article entitled "'Weak' poly students snubbed at NUS open house" really gets me standing on my feet! In particular, when a female lecturer/prof from the Life Science Dept told the poly student that poly students were the weaker ones! OMFG!

Fancy these type of statements came out from an educator's mouth! What is wrong with that lecturer? Foremost, even if that student is somehow weak, or stand little chance in gaining entry into NUS, that is no way to put down a student! It is extremely demoralising and will definitely have a negative impact on the student's passion or interest in pursuing the Life Science discipline. An educator is someone who is passionate about teaching, and dedicated as well - no matter how 'strong' or 'weak' the student is, as long as the student is willing to learn, the student should not be deprived of the chance or being snubbed at for wanting to learn. By simply saying that the student is too weak, is she also saying that weak students shouldn't be allowed further education? They should just give up learning? Isn't this then shadows of discrimination, where only the strong or clever ones are allow access to education? Is these what elitism is all about? Yes, maybe I have sidetracked too far off. It's just after all, a statement made by a NUS Life Science lecturer who know nuts about poly education, and still having that dinosaur mindset that poly graduates are low class students. Prolly she's a dinosaur too ya!?

Secondly, poly students are too weak?! Come on! Even good students i.e. with good O'level results are choosing to go through the poly route and they fare pretty well too! Gone were the days where poly are for weak people with poor O'level results! In fact, poly graduates are much more sought after as compared to a A'Level graduate! How do I know? Well, that is because two different lecturers/prof have actually commented on it - and yes, I was from NUS Life Science! Poly students comes with technical knowledge and practical experiences, something which JC students are so lacking these days! How do I know too? 'cos I was from poly before I went to NUS, and practical lessons are when poly students shines. And she said that poly students are 'weak'? If poly students are 'weak', I don't dare to think how feeble the JC graduates are! Granted that JC graduates are stronger when it comes to theory lessons, but that is by no means showing that poly students are weak! And I personally would like to think of JC and poly education as different niche, and hence how can she compare something so different? How can you compare an apple with an orange, and conclude that the orange is the tastier of the two?

And finally, if the student (a Ms Ong) happens to read this... just apply for the NUS Life Science anyway. No one should stop you from your quest in knowledge, much less a dinosaurian!

2 comments:

Speak Your Mind said...

Poly students ARE weak. I lecture at a poly and I know very well. So please be aware of where you stand in the local education landscape. The true test would be to see how your seniors are faring. Poly students used to be fairly strong ... only until recently, when the IP program started (Do you think O level kids who goes to JC are as strong as those b4 IP started?)

YOU are just SO WRONG!

KeV's wAlKAbOuT said...

Poly students are weak?! I beg to differ. And u are a lecturer at a poly! OMG, come on, it takes two hands to clap. If the poly students are weak as u say they are, it would mean responsiblity on both the students and lecturers. That would thus mean that u, as a lecturer aren't doing ur job very well. =) I have always suspect that lecturer's standard have drop in poly as well. U might just prove me right.

And thanks for saying that poly students used to be fairly strong... thankfully I fall under that category as I am a poly grad since decade ago.

As I had said eariler, and I will say it here, poly and JC students occupy different niche. The very fact that anyone is comparing between two different niche and saying one is better than the other is flawed.

But then again, u might already have a discriminating mindset against poly students. In that case, I shan't go on any further as there is nothing more distastful than discrimination regardless of education, race, religion etc etc.


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