Chapteh, congkak and more… Three days ago, some students might have played traditional games such as these, as part of celebrations for Racial Harmony Day on 21 July. Among older students, some introspection might have taken place as well, in view of the Jakarta bombings just a few days back.

Speaking at  Admiralty Primary School, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen had said that schools play an important role as they are a common area where students of different races and religious beliefs come together and learn more about each other and the world they live in. He said: "Will these activities imbue in our students a deep-felt need and passion to preserve the unity and common space that we now share? We won't know until we're tested. Hopefully, we will never be tested."

While I cannot agree more with Dr Ng’s sentiment, imbuing a "deep-felt need and passion" is a tall order, that cannot be achieved through school-wide cultural activities held on several days during the school year (Racial Harmony Day, celebrations for Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya etc.). It does help that initiatives such as National Education-driven Learning Journeys, CCM (Conversational Chinese and Malay) and Social Studies all do their little bit towards creating greater awareness of one other's cultural practices (though some may beg to differ). I suspect that for some children, these also represent eye-opening exercises in discovering one’s own culture!

 But being aware is just a first step that paves the way for involvement and appreciation.. which will hopefully lead to that "need and passion to preserve the unity and common space that we now share". Nothing like hands-on activities to engage the young, so they may better understand and appreciate the differences in cultural practices, language and so on. Just to name a few:

-              Bringing a friend home for a home-cooked meal or having a parent volunteer teach a simple hands-on cooking class

-              Bringing schoolchildren into the neighbourhood to test their budding conversational Mandarin and Malay skills

-              Organising mini-workshops on various dance forms and crafts that give students a chance to do more than just gaze passively at a tabletop display or dance performance during school concerts

-              Keeping a cultural journal either at individual or classroom level ('culture wall') to jot down observations, paste photos and describe experiences, OR setting up a ‘culture corner’ in each classroom with items personally shared by each student

Some schools are already doing some of these, and I feel that even more can be done at classroom and group level. In fact, with the spectre of H1N1 meaning a shift from mass events to more classroom-based activities, there is no better time than now to create opportunities for more meaningful cultural interaction and exposure for our youth.

Do you agree that more opportunities for meaningful cultural interaction are needed in order to foster racial harmony in schools? Do share your thoughts, we would like to hear from you.

Ever since the local papers carried a report of a woman slapped with an NOO (Notice of Offence) for sipping water on the train, local Forum sites have been abuzz on whether SMRT is being too zealous in carrying out its duties. Previously, SMRT’s practice was to issue more warnings compared to NOOs (which lead to a fine), unless the offender repeatedly flouted rules. However, latest reports indicate tougher enforcement and more frequent patrols, with those caught consuming food to be issued with NOO slips instead of being let off with a warning.

I was first inclined to agree, having sat too often on sticky seats and once enduring the smell of cuttlefish from a teen calmly chewing this ‘chewing-gum of the Orientals’. However, then I remembered having such a bad coughing spree recently that I just had to gulp some H₂O – yes, on a moving train - to put an end to vile looks from all around.

SMRT has said that those with valid reasons would be asked to step out of public areas to finish their food before continuing on their journey, and that those who need to take medication during their journey can approach station staff for special arrangements to be made for them.

So does this mean that if you must have a drink of water to quench a prickly throat you would need to step out of the moving train, leave the station and then re-enter with a fresh ticket? Would mothers bottle-feeding their babies be asked to leave train carriages as well?

Unless SMRT staff cut commuters a little slack and issue NOOs only to those who are repeatedly defiant, I don’t see the number of NOOs dropping. Rather, some quarters may start exchanging tips on the art of ‘how to eat and drink on the train and get away with it’, from 'SIT' (Sweet In Tissue) to 'HID' (HIde and Drink).

Maybe there are some things that SMRT could do to meet commuters half-way. Throwing caution to the wind, I would venture these: How about setting aside a special ‘water drinking corner’–with no sustained eating or lingering allowed - within the transit/waiting area for commuters who simply had to take a gulp, swallow their medication or pop in a lozenge (similar to a ‘smokers’ corner)? Or how about allowing commuters to tap their tickets on a ‘temporary exit’ basis so they can quickly do what they need to and then get back onto the train a  few minutes later without having to pay for a fresh journey? 
 
As for commuters, maybe there are some some habits that we - and the young generation - could start to adopt. You know how kids are often encouraged to hydrate themselves before engaging in a sports activity? Now maybe we should start a new one – 'drink before you ride’, the train, that is (I can just see those bright MRT signages urging us to ‘Sip before you tap!'). Same goes for taking medication. The sucking lozenge bit is a bit tricky, but one cannot anticipate each and every scenario.... inevitably for some, a compromise is in order.

What do you think of SMRT's tougher measures? Should they ease up or crank it up? Do you think public education would help to reduce the number of offenders?  Share your comments below, we would like to hear from you.

The Primary One School Registration Exercise kicked off last Monday. For some, this means the culmination of months or years of careful planning. Alas for others, it may mean the beginning of much confusion! Till Tuesday 21st July, the phases involve applicants whose siblings or parents are already affiliated in some way e.g. sibling is a student there, parent is a volunteer or grassroots leader etc. Chances up to this stage are still rather good, though in some popular schools, being a parent volunteer (or PV) would not be enough to secure a place. The real no-holds barred catfight begins in Phase 2C on Wednesday 29th July. Everyone else will scrabble for the remaining places in choice schools, leading to the inevitable balloting based on distance priority.

Some will utilize whatever (legal) means necessary to get their kids into a ‘top’ school  – joining the alumni or PV group well in advance, even moving to a home located within 1 km of the school. Many have griped that while strict MOE regulations do not allow the ‘buying’ of places, this doesn’t stop those with the means to do so from putting their money in a house or flat near the school instead, just before they are due for school registration. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that it should be made compulsory for addresses to be valid for a minimum number of years before parents could use them to get priority in balloting for places.

While I know where this is coming from, it would lead to an implementation headache and calls for exclusions. Would this apply to the homes of grandparents or caregivers as well? What about parents who recently bought a home in the vicinity because they work or run a business nearby? What if their recent purchase was a necessary step following the  redevelopment or en-bloc exercise of their previous dwelling? Will it further delay births, with parents making sure the nest is all ‘set up’ in a strategic location, before letting the stork come a-calling?

Why IS getting a headstart in a ‘top’ school with a proven track record the ‘be all end all’ for some parents?  Chances are, they may be subscribing to the 3Cs – Connection, Consistency and Comparison:
Connection – networking with the ‘right’ set of classmates and parents who are equally achievement-oriented (or who must be, having managed to get into the school!)
Consistency – having produced good results year after year, the school must be doing something right
Comparisons – ‘Kiasuism’ maybe more apt here –putting a brandname school on one’s resume to give extra edge

Nothing wrong with all these. But if your child is in a ‘top’ school, it is all the more important that you continue to ‘invest’ in your child – not just through enrichment classes or tutors, but by keeping a close watch on your child’s physical and emotional state.  Aside from academic ability, your child will need to have the confidence and mental resilience to be able to stay afloat in extremely competitive waters.

If your child is struggling in a top school, moving him or her to a neighbourhood school does not mean giving way to a second-rate education. Neighbourhood schools have also churned out top scorers and medalists in the field and academic Olympiads. Some students who switched to neighbourhood schools actually performed better in the long run due to less stress and worry, or were able to study at a pace more suited to them.

After all, we all want our kids to do well, but don’t we want they to be happy as well?

Will you be registering your child in Phase 2A2 or later? check out our guide to Primary 1 Registration at
http://www.epopular.com.sg/edubuzz/my-kid/guide-to-primary-1-registration.php

What do you think of the rush for places in 'top' schools? Is your child studying in one? Share with us your thoughts, we would like to hear from you.