The measure of success ‘My vision for Malaysia is that we become the best community’

THE scene of young Malaysians going to school, doing a little homework and playing hopscotch appears to the imagination like a picturesque oil painting. It is something to be admired, and desired perhaps, but that era is gone forever. Some will mourn its loss and watch helplessly as people in the modern world cope under pressure. Present-day youngsters, like their parents, are involved in far too many activities. Tuition and more tuition dominate their schedules. Others also have to rush to piano and swimming lessons as well as football practice and ballet class, among other trendy extracurricular activities. It is understandable if the young ones feel exhausted from too many things to do.

Studies show that parents, including those in Malaysia, are pushing their children too hard. Many parents like the idea of their children being good at everything — straight As, attend prestigious schools and have skills that will give them the competitive edge — all of which is fine. But, experts say these goals represent just one aspect of what accounts for success in life and, sadly, many parents tend to ignore the type of accomplishment that honours inner strength, such as knowing and appreciating oneself, taking on life’s trials and tribulations with patience, seeking careers that are emotionally fulfilling, associating with people who are compassionate and loyal and holding a deep conviction that their purpose in life is to be close to their Creator and contribute meaningfully to society.

The outburst of parents, teachers and pupils at the recent Ujian

Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results revealed Malaysian society’s preoccupation with an external, performance-oriented version of success rather than an internal celebration of real curiosity about learning and the various ways youngsters perceive and experience things. The results showed that the number of As scored by our 12-year-olds has reduced drastically compared with last year’s figures. Only 4,896 pupils scored straight As, which represents 1.11 per cent of the 452,721 pupils who sat for the examination this year, as opposed to 38,344 pupils that secured all As under the previous format last year. The most worrying facet of the issue is that we have taught our children to measure their self-worth by the results of a public examination. No wonder the poor things feel ashamed of themselves, hopeless and inferior, among other negative emotions.

The tragedy is not in the reduction of As, but in the response of society to what it perceives as the poor performance of pupils who had sat for the UPSR. How did we get here? This is something for policymakers with the help of researchers to figure out and take steps to attain the type of achievement that has nothing to do with straight As. Obtaining good grades, while important, is less valuable in the long run than teaching children the art of being resourceful and adopting a positive attitude. Parents should also embrace the “let kids fail” concept. There is no shame in failure because it builds character and this is as important as academic performance in helping your offspring become successful adults.

We need a new definition

of achievement NEW WORLD: The following is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s speech at the Kuala Lumpur International Youth Discourse 2016 at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday

IAM very pleased to be with all of you this morning at this inaugural Kuala Lumpur International Youth Discourse 2016. We meet at a time when globalisation has brought economic opportunities and benefits to many around the world, but it has also brought with it social costs that affect young people disproportionately.

The younger generation is often unsure about their future. As the world changes ever-more rapidly, the certainties enjoyed by their parents and grandparents seem to be vanishing.

Yes, they lived during decades of far lower prosperity, but the rhythms of life — a steady job, saving to buy a house and starting a family — mostly seem safer and more reliable.

Today, technological advances are made at an unprecedented rate. Most of you would find it very hard to imagine how life was when I was growing up. Yes, I was young once, too!

We had no DVDs, no personal computers, hardly any TV stations and, of course, there were no mobiles. How did we manage to communicate with each other, you must be asking? With no texts, WhatsApp, Facebook, no selfies to put up on Instagram. Well, we managed, somehow.

Today, that is our world. But it is particularly your world, as it is the only one you have known. Media proliferates on a multitude of platforms, and the truth can be hard to discern in a blizzard of facts, pseudo facts, opinions, rumours and misinformation.

ICT and media are used to disseminate information, but also to propagate ideologies. This is a major concern when, all over the world, people are confronted with the relatively recent rise of new forms of transnational extremism and terrorism.

The needs, aspirations and protection of youth in this country, in the Asean region, in Asia and in the Muslim world, therefore, demand a great deal of focus.

Today’s discourse is just one part of our ongoing efforts to engage with our youth, to hear their voices and respond to their concerns. We recognise that our young people are one of our most important resources — you are our future.

So, it is the solemn responsibility of the government to do all we can to ensure that the decades that will be yours are underpinned by a prosperous, inclusive, secure and happy society.

In 2015, the number of youth in the world, defined as those aged between 15 and 24, stood at 1.2 billion, or approximately one in every six people. This is the largest proportion of young people the human race has ever known.

The developing world contains the greatest number of youth, at close to 90 per cent of the global total, and 60 per cent of youth reside in Asia. In these countries, the youth represent between one fifth and one third of their national populations.

Such numbers represent a potential “demographic dividend”. Falling mortality and fertility rates, coupled with a larger working population in relation to the dependent population, offer the opportunity for tremendous economic growth and social progress.

When the right foundations are in place, we see youth taking their place as respected and valued members of society. We see them make a successful transition from the world of education to the world of employment.

We see them driving innovation. We see them pioneering start-ups. We see them championing social causes, the rights of all under the law and democracy.

There are numerous inspirational examples all around us, from the