St. Xavier's Institution: That Which Build and Edifies

School days occupy my thoughts more and more lately. More so when June 20 is looming. Tend to be in a pensive, reflective mood lately. It's not that everything is over when Paul retires but then 150 years is a long time and with the daily running of the school revolving around that foundation, it isn't easy to come to terms with the fact that everything is going to be new again. People would argue that, you know, the tradition and stuff are still there but then it's just different without seeing the man in cassock. Not that the students need a daily fix of seeing their principal but ask the older boys, they grew up and left school with the likes of Bro Michael (a.k.a Lau Hor), Brendan, Casimir dot dot dot; all educators in their own right. [Often] when featured in the papers, we'd read of how Xaverians spoke at length concerning life in school and how it's an unforgettable chapter in their life. All with admiration and sentimentality.

Was trying to include the five La Sallian characteristics in my last post but it just got too long. And this, coming from memory and a little help, I hope is the correct one (I stand corrected):

1. Faith (in God)

2. Zeal

3. Fraternity

4. Solidarity with the Poor

5. Together and by association

Picking up from where I left the last time, the lesson seems to get better as we advance from Form 1 through 6. It's where I meet a beautiful soul. One who cares and always moved by love. Always with smiles and hugs to spare, isn't it warm? Huh? I guess that's what touching hearts meant.

Am not doing so much of praising human being but rather the school, the institution, the foundation and values on which it's build. Before I sign off, anyone reading this, head on over to Obnoxious 5xmom for an interview with Bro Paul, his take on school, the teaching profession, and everything education.

End of An Eventful Three Months

"You may begin now". I thought I hear that all the time; beginning from primary one right up to my final year in varsity. Of course it wasn't in English all the time.

It's a novel thing, personally. Though the amount of preparation is crazy and literally back-breaking, the examination marks the end of an eventful 3-month stint at Disted.

For every lesson, these 20-odd fellas remind me, in every way, the time when I was sitting in their places albeit in school uniforms and more covered up (I'm talking about shoes here). I can understand the dryness (read boring) that comes with the lesson and the sleepyheads. The knowing nod and absence of blank faces is perhaps the most rewarding thing.

Some thought being called "sir" is, you know, dignified. But I'd rather they address me by my name but too bad no one did. For the record, a handful calls me "teacher". Gosh!

Whatever it is, things have nearly come to an end. Another 30 minutes or so and their battle is over. A delight to "see" myself in a third person cracking my head and writing so quickly. I noticed, too, that two of my students, like myself, are left-handed.

My weekend will be spent in Turkey marking their papers but after a hectic but memorable three months, time for a break. I'd bring with me the sights and sound of AS Biology in DISTED, the sleepy ones, the bright ones and the quiet ones. Truly, a class of 20 with myriads of personalities, just like that of amino acids and proteins.

Avaricious Academics

I read a letter in the newspaper today written by a former graduate of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM); on how proud S. Param (the writer) is of UPM's ranking. I was also made to understand how people, read researchers, work over there - the cohesiveness and the way people work over there. If I were to write anything about USM, where I'm at now, I'd have nothing except for castigation. I'm utterly ashamed to be in the same division with some of these "Dr's" who profess to be an expert in a certain field yet showing to everyone how low they'd slither on their bellies to gain accolades and mentions. On the outside, they'd don a crisply pressed shirt complete with a tie and then swagger along the corridor emanating the "worship me" aura.

What a snob! Before I press ahead further, let it be known that I'm one pathetic fool who live life guided by naivete and prefers to give everyone he meets the so-called benefit of the doubt. Yes, although I may be stereotyping a large population of academics I still treat everyone as people to be trusted, hearsay notwithstanding. Until and unless such lowlives prove to be really lacking in integrity. For the past 5 months or so, I've met, heard, seen, and lately experience for myself the scheming, the underhanded tactics and the lack of integrity thereof. All courtesy of learned men and women. They've somewhat succeeded in turning lexicographers into liars. I can't see the distinctions between a "white collar" or "blue collar" here. And I was a liar, too, when I was trying to impress upon my A-Levels students how the great minds in Science gave us what we have today. Perhaps I ought to add that such philanthropy only occur in some place, some people.

Oh yeah, I've been harping on this issue of the [perceived] divide between two social classes and one might get the notion that I'm just envious of them. Well, no. I've been fortunate to rub shoulders with some of the distinguished people in society yet amazed by their meekness and simplicity.

Back to USM, which for your information, is being transformed into the very first university in Malaysia to have a fresh coat of paint on every building in the campus perimeter. And I haven't even touched on some ridiculous implementations made recently. It's work I'm talking about here. About how I could to lose my postgraduate candidature (if they've had their way) no thanks to the selfishness and paranoia of men and women called scientists/lecturers/researchers. And it's a joke and a waste of fund to see them go abroad and smile saying, "Hey, look here. This is what we've been doing and we're dying to share it with you guys". I said it's a waste since the only reason they're at international conferences and exhibitions is to bask in the limelight pretending to be a scientist so committed to disseminating knowledge. Such narcissistic souls. And here I am thinking I'd further my studies in peace and not get embroiled in all these antics. Three years as an undergraduate and I realized I'm half full compared to counterparts from another country; hence the decision to study.

Call me foolish or emo (seemingly the cool word nowadays) but I think every person with sight needs to behold the rot in, foremost, the education system in the country and then the research world governed by pseudo-researchers cum bureaucrats. I dare not call myself a scientist. This is what education here does to you. You are what they say you are. You have no voice. No mind. No convictions. You are stringed to their hands and then dance to their tune. I've said this before in a post somewhere and I'm saying it again: To the academics, if you feel you've been swiped, then know that the prefix to your name carry no other meaning besides the word "pariah". Yes. You play God. You play the puppet master. You expect your subordinates and those occupying the lower stratum than you to grovel at you and behave obsequiously all the time.

Know that different people have different reasons for continuing what they're doing and that it takes a lot just to come up proposals guided by genuine interests and desire - unlike you, who think day and night of high praises and acknowledgment. It is stupid people like this that hand up their proposals only to be torn apart and extracted to complement your selfish desires. A suggestion: Clean up your act and learn to lecture well. Don't show off with your publications and lament how lame university students are when in the first place your reading from 5-year old slides. Now, to aid you on the road to rehabilitation visit the MIT website and look up the video lectures. I don't even know what we're doing in varsity and there you are showing how much breakthrough you've gained.

Let us digress and appreciate the following:

The people—could you patent the sun?

Attributed to Jonas E. Salk (1914 - 1995)
U.S. physician and virologist.

On being asked who owned the patent on his anti-polio vaccine.

I'm not that naive after all since I know full well how cursed we all are. The best example would be the elucidation of the double helix and the work that leads to it. Clues for you: Linus Pauling, James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin. Yeah, just let me be and don't barge in. Come viva voce, just come at me with your pathetic guns blazing. After all, a person perceived to be naive by you all wouldn't be able to defend the barraging since my I'm only guided by sheer interest and genuine desire to learn and share. I'm just different from you all, eh?

I know you're quietly saying, "This is the world, son. Welcome and live with it".

Then, before bow out let me say this again, "The world is such due to people such as you. So, don't be a coward and reason that way. Two wrongs don't make a right, idiot!"

There you go. The sights and sound of the first university to be granted the APEX (Accelerated Programme for Excellence) status and together with it, truckloads of paints in different colours. University par excellence? Not for the foreseeable 10 years. Not with such mentality. With the current trend and status quo with a body having many heads, it may well implode and kill the university. And you say I'm impertinent?

SPP Interview Expose

Jumped upon this post (by one Joshua) and decided to reproduce it. Original article available here.
__________________

I was at Jabatan Perdana Menteri on 25th July 2007 for an 8:00 a.m. interview with the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Pelajaran. It was an interview to confirm my placement into the government service as DG41.

The interview letter didn’t state anything about attire. The SPP website stated "baju kemeja berlengan panjang dan bertali leher." See http://www.spp.jpm.my/temuduga-faktor.php. I wore my grey slacks, dark blue long-sleeve shirt, and a silver tie. Upon arrival at Bilik Temuduga 10, we were told by our room's interviewer that we need to wear a coat.

Nobody brought any coats from our room. We went out to search for a coat. Around 5 other guys in the entire interview had coats. So we borrowed their coats and passed them around.
When my turn came, I put on the coat and went in.

Right after I said "Selamat pagi Dato," he asked me where I got the coat from. I said I borrowed it. He said how come I don't even own a coat. I said the interview letter did not state that I have to wear a coat, or else I would've found one before I came. He scolded me and said I did not know how to interpret the letter.

He asked what kind of pants I was wearing. I said my grey slacks. He said how can that be formal. I said only have 2 pairs of slacks. One black, one grey. The black one, I wore to school on Monday, and now it is being washed. So, today I'm wearing my grey slacks.
He threw my documents aside and chased me out of the room.

He called me in again after a very long time. It wasn't an interview. It was a dressing-down, humiliation session. He didn't really ask me anything much. Here's the gist of what he said:

"Bapa kamu tahu tak, kamu seluar hanya ada dua? Kalau dia tahu, dia malu tak, anak dia macam ini?"

I said hidup saya susah. I explained my family background. And why I have banyak tanggungan.
"You are wrong!! Saya pun tak pernah tanggung orang macam itu. You must change the way you live."

He looked at my shoes, and he said, "Kasut kamu tak gilap."

I said I cycle to school everyday. How to gilap?

"COME ON... YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!!"

Well, if I don't have a car, and my school is nearby, what's wrong with cycling to school?

"Kamu pakai baju apa itu. Cina tak boleh pakai gelap."

I said I'm a Christian, I don't abide by such superstitions. I said by the way, my shirt is blue. Not black.

"Kamu bukan Cina kah? You must be proud to be a Chinese... Malaysian Chinese..."

What does he know about being a Malaysian Chinese? We don't get Datukships and awards like him. We can't afford to be wearing designer clothes like him. We are not supported by the government's silver spoon in our mouth from the day we were born. We have to struggle to take care of our families. What does he know?

He said, "Dalam PIPP, ada dinyatakan kita harus memartabatkan profesion keguruan. Apa yang kamu faham tentang itu?"

That is the Teras Kelima in the Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan. I explained that according to the PIPP blueprint, we are supposed to upgrade the intake system of teachers and improve the working environment of teachers. I wasn't taking rubbish. That was the textbook answer.

He said, "Tak payah, tak payah. Kalau untuk kamu saja, macam mana?"

I said, "Kena memperbaiki imej, kalau menurut Dato."

He said "Gaji satu bulan berapa? Pergilah beli seluar..."

He even stood up to show me his slacks. He said a pair that costs seratus lebih would be a good one.

I cycle to school everyday. My shoes aren't shined. I can't afford a pair of slacks that cost over a hundred bucks. I don't have a coat. I guess I'm not fit to be a teacher.

Well, if they can pay me 4 grand a month, certainly the profession guru's martabat will be dipertingkatkan, isn't it?

If what I wear matters so much more than how I teach, then my workplace should not be in a musty classroom. I should be on the catwalk runway.

Here is the Dato’ that should be brought to the public’s attention.