More important things on education than shoes, socks, mum says
KUCHING: There are more important matters relating to education that both the Education Ministry and the media can pursue other than whether or not the socks match the shoes.
Peggy Tan, a business owner, was quick to point out that certain media outlets could have blown things out of proportion.
As a mother herself, she did not see what the fuss was about.
“Minor issue. I don’t care if it’s black or white socks. Just an early notice on which will do. And I am okay with black shoes. They are easier to maintain.”
Earlier this week, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said his ministry would issue an official statement on what Bumiputera Retailers Organisation vice president Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin had said about school socks.
Tan pointed out that the minister had already gotten in some good things rolling, such as shifting emphasis away from rankings and examinations.
“All this is positive. Teachers doing less admin work is such a good improvement.”
However, she was not happy about the further delay of Unified Examination Certificate ( UEC) recognition.
“They should have done it as they promised.”
Architect Henrick Lau was similarly displeased by how UEC was blown off by the new government.
“They’ve taken over, so they have to roll up their sleeves!”
He recalled that at the start of his tenure, Maszlee said some rather impressive things about improving the education system, but as far as UEC was concerned, they missed the chance of answering to those with a stake in the matter.
“They shouldn’t have just shoved it under the carpet like they did,” said Lau, who has a son in a Chung Hua Primary School and another heading there as soon as he is old enough.
Lau suggested that Maszlee look to neighbouring Singapore for more good ideas to emulate.
“Just look at Singapore doing away with scoring marks and more focused on wholesome education and preparing next generation of students, to future proof lifelong learning,” he said, adding that they also need to stay mindful about mental health issues among students.
There is more to whether or not the socks match the shoes, he added.
“He and his ministry have been given this wonderful opportunity to review the current education policies, study best practices from the world all over, and learn how to adopt, edit and implement new policies that would really move us to new frontiers.”
Maszlee needs to continually steer the relevant topics in his public briefing, and know how to filter the right questions and answers towards a larger cause, Lau added.
“Maybe Maszlee is being a rookie at this, but there’s plenty of crocodiles out there who can’t wait to shred him and his ministry to pieces. So he has to be more careful on what he says in public, otherwise, sooner or later, whatever he says risk becoming irrelevant too.”