Something has to be set straight

I've been posting some comments on Laremy's Blog about a certain issue he's discussed about last week.
Thought that it would be good to share with the good folk out there what has transpired (I've only placed posts here that are relevant to the discussion:

1. i can’t get (a) even if i wanted to but to be honest, i think higher education is about learning, not just grades. i think its more important that you leave the place with knowledge that changes and inspires, than a First Class Honours in modules which were easy to score or something.

   dunno lei. i like to do fun/ interesting modules, regardless of difficulty level. haha. so i guess i’m (b). and that might be partly due to the fact that my future career choices doesn’t rely heavily on my Hons. class.

   Comment by fiza — Sun, 23 April 2006 @ 2:41 pm

2. I’d tend to agree with Fiza…that Uni education is not abt grades (or shouldn’t be made out to be that way). Besides…I’m not for the case where ppl ‘pia’ their lives out just so they get a First Class…but miss out on other great things in life (hanging with friends, seeing amazing sunrises - cos they’re prob still stuck in their little cubicles/study rooms mugging their brains to mush).
   So I will go by (b).

   Comment by Nian — Mon, 24 April 2006 @ 1:13 pm

3. Having said that…I’m still a USP student…who loves to learn about things ‘out of the box’.
   Unfortunately…its kinda paradoxical…cos the entire USP community is driven by the tendency to do things within their ’skill-set’ …and thus not wanting to venture to try something different. Maybe its not just USP. Was thinking that it could be the entire Uni community. Not wanting to be penalised by some ‘crappy-Arts/Science’ module they did…when they’re a Straight A Mechanical Engine whiz.
   The system has got to be improved. Otherwise, whatever we say about ‘multi-disciplinary’ and ‘learning out of the box’ is just empty talk.

   Comment by Nian — Mon, 24 April 2006 @ 1:33 pm

4. all i can say is that, if someone is really intelligent, it won’t matter if you’re a engin student or some IT geek… you will still be able to get ‘A’s for intro/USP arts/science classes… :)

   Comment by jules — Mon, 24 April 2006 @ 11:42 pm

5. Jules, Understand what you mean. And yes, we all wish to think we’re intelligent enough to get our share of complete distinctions, and as a British saying goes…still “be back home for tea and medals”. But oft it doesn’t work that way.
   I’m sure you know as well as I, that school life is very much one or the other unless you are the said “really intelligent” person. And even then, all people - whether “really intelligent” or “plain Jane Average” people have only 24 hours to spare. So its a matter of time management yes?
   Yes…and more.
   Perhaps I’m just ’sore’ about not doing as well as many other ‘USPs’. Maybe my CAP is not as glittering. Maybe I’m using this opportunity to justify why I did so ‘badly’ in my first year. Well, I’d like to state that my case one of a kind. First Sem…USP mod…I did pretty much the entire project. And I still failed. Do you see where I’m getting at?
   I’m not holding it against any of my friends who do better than me, be it from sheer hard work and diligence (kudos to them), or by getting easy tips on spotting ‘ace-able’ modules which give ‘easy grades’.
   All I’m saying is that, my failure was my fault in being unable to keep up with such a system, which penalises students right from the start, when we’re not even attuned to what University education IS - in practice (as opposed to what is stated in theory) - that of being able to outdo one’s fellow student on the bell-curve and reign supreme with the glorious 5.0 CAP.

   P.S. Sorry Laremy for using your blog as a ‘rant’ board if it seems like it, I’m just trying to clarify the point. Thanks.
   

To set the record straight, I have made my stand clear about those people who make sweeping judgements about a person, simply by basing their judgements about a person's character ("oh, better stay away from him/her, Ah-Boy...he/she didn't do well for exam ah...somemore selling Mac-Donner part-time...Tch!!") from their academic grades. I do not condone such acts, and I strongly discourage people who do so too. The System we are in makes us behave as such, going up to people and saying "Eh, your CAP ah, this sem how?". Everyone is so keen to find out whether one has bettered the Other, and finding prestige and marvel from peers and people in the social environment in the process.
What then results, is a situation whereby there is a stratification of our little societies into groups which are 1) those who are revered because they do well, 2) those who revere those who do well, and hence want to hang around them, 3) those who still want to be part of "the gang" and therefore stick it out, no matter what, and 4) those who rather not be in this situation, and just switch off.
Perhaps, I'm being cynical and narrow-minded. And maybe, the world is not so dark, and dull, with everyone trying to be kniving and scheming against each other. This could all be a bad, bad dream. An illusion, as Freud would say.
But its not. We think like this, precisely because inherently, society is forcing something upon us that we do not realise its ills.
Let's start, my friends, by teaching and educating ourselves (no matter how difficult), that "segregation and stereotyping" is bad. I put it across to you as a challenge. How simple is it, to talk to someone about the exams, and have the discussion drift to a cross-examination of one's (academic) performance during the past semester?
Let's try not to go there. Let's allow the discussion to drift to something else, say...polka-dotted cows moo-ing across the meadow in the melodious, merry month of May. See? Simple? Try it. I'm SURE it'll work. After all...so long as these thoughts are not too deeply entrenched in our culture, we'll be able to eliminate such biases in NO TIME.
OH WAIT...this is part of our culture.