What Makes News in Singapore?
US Kay-Po and Slaps Singapore becoz they feel Singaporean Cannot Speak Up
The heading of the Financial Times article on MSNBC reads:
"US envoy slaps Singapore over freedom of speech"
"Ms Herbold (Patricia Herbold, successor to outgoing US ambassador to Singapore, Mr Frank Levin) a lawyer and Republican fundraiser, told a US Senate hearing on her confirmation that she would continue a dialogue that Washington has with Singapore regarding the openness of its society and its political system."
Don't get me wrong. I am not against freedom of speech. Indeed, I recognize the fact that the what may have seen by others to be "tough-handed" style of governance might have been especially useful in the initial years if nation-building and that with a populated becoming more educated, it may be necessary that governance adapt to allow for more participatory governance. I had my fair share of disappointment when the decision was made to continue with the building of casinoes, despite clear objections by its people. However, why US? I can relatiively accept it more if it is a UN-Singapore dialogue but US-Singapore? Kind of really feel that US is really playing the role of Big Brother to the world and poking its nose into others' affairs. This of course, is my opinion.
OK, went around reading more and found 2 more articles on it, found in the Straits Times and Today papers. Notice the angle which it is coming from? If I read this first (or read this only), I would not have felt so irritated... words are scary, plays with your emotions...
Article from Today Newspaper
Source: http://miyagi.sg/?p=147
Article from Straits Times
Source: http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2005/10/one_outgoing_us.html
Singaporeans Slaps Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board's Mistake in PSLE Paper
Source: http://www.todayonline.com
These few days, there seems to be coverage on SEAB's mistake in one of the PSLE papers; that a particular Maths question is flawed. Corrective actions were then taken and the SEAB stated that all students will get 2 marks regardless which answer they chose.
Frankly speaking, I was disappointed that such things can even happen but human err don't they? It seems that nowadays we are taking life so seriously that the slightest error could not be tolerated. Now, even the "2-marks" issue can become news in this island-nation-state.
I found the news coverage to be especially interesting. First they filmed a student who mentioned that 2 marks is important and it could make a difference between an "A*" grade and an "A" grade (Guess he was upset that non-deserving students can get an A* because of the 2 marks hehe) and then cuts to another student saying how important the 2 marks are as it can make a difference between a student "meeting the rrquirements of the school" and not "meeting the requirements of the school" (Guess he meant that the 2 marks can make a difference between passing and failure the subject).
Lastly, it cuts to a parent who related how this mistake would have caused considerable psychological stress that may affect the students' performance? You mean a 2-mark MCQ question has that effect? If this student is really stressed by the question so much so that his/her performance will get affected, then how is this student going to survive secondary and tertiary education? A mistake has been made and we must learn to gracefully accept it, learn from it and move on...
OK spoken my piece... just kind of disturbed with these two articles guess I wanted to share my views about it.
Work Piles...
Anyway, I continued with my "tour" of the centres under my organization and fortunately today the weather is not so hot... Anyway, got my office back today in the late afternoon and started to work on my email. Work seems to be piling up as I went on my tour and in the past few days, I had an excuse not to do work because my email was not activated. Guess I have to start work now. Anyway, got back about 7pm and talked to my ex-colleague for almost 2 hours on the phone... seems that things have not been going well for her and she is getting more stressed day after day. Lent my listening ear.
Me? Pre-occupied with Self? I? Me? Myself?
My sis mentioned that I seem to be more preoccupied with myself recently and upon reflecting I think it might be true le. This blogging business has somehow moved my focus back onto myself. Must balance balance so that I am not too self-preoccupied...
Source: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9670156/
OK, went around reading more and found 2 more articles on it, found in the Straits Times and Today papers. Notice the angle which it is coming from? If I read this first (or read this only), I would not have felt so irritated... words are scary, plays with your emotions...
Article from Today Newspaper
Source: http://miyagi.sg/?p=147
Article from Straits Times
Source: http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2005/10/one_outgoing_us.html
Source: http://www.todayonline.com
These few days, there seems to be coverage on SEAB's mistake in one of the PSLE papers; that a particular Maths question is flawed. Corrective actions were then taken and the SEAB stated that all students will get 2 marks regardless which answer they chose.
Frankly speaking, I was disappointed that such things can even happen but human err don't they? It seems that nowadays we are taking life so seriously that the slightest error could not be tolerated. Now, even the "2-marks" issue can become news in this island-nation-state.
I found the news coverage to be especially interesting. First they filmed a student who mentioned that 2 marks is important and it could make a difference between an "A*" grade and an "A" grade (Guess he was upset that non-deserving students can get an A* because of the 2 marks hehe) and then cuts to another student saying how important the 2 marks are as it can make a difference between a student "meeting the rrquirements of the school" and not "meeting the requirements of the school" (Guess he meant that the 2 marks can make a difference between passing and failure the subject).
Lastly, it cuts to a parent who related how this mistake would have caused considerable psychological stress that may affect the students' performance? You mean a 2-mark MCQ question has that effect? If this student is really stressed by the question so much so that his/her performance will get affected, then how is this student going to survive secondary and tertiary education? A mistake has been made and we must learn to gracefully accept it, learn from it and move on...
OK spoken my piece... just kind of disturbed with these two articles guess I wanted to share my views about it.
Work Piles...
Anyway, I continued with my "tour" of the centres under my organization and fortunately today the weather is not so hot... Anyway, got my office back today in the late afternoon and started to work on my email. Work seems to be piling up as I went on my tour and in the past few days, I had an excuse not to do work because my email was not activated. Guess I have to start work now. Anyway, got back about 7pm and talked to my ex-colleague for almost 2 hours on the phone... seems that things have not been going well for her and she is getting more stressed day after day. Lent my listening ear.
Me? Pre-occupied with Self? I? Me? Myself?
My sis mentioned that I seem to be more preoccupied with myself recently and upon reflecting I think it might be true le. This blogging business has somehow moved my focus back onto myself. Must balance balance so that I am not too self-preoccupied...
posted by me at 9:31 PM
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