Learning

Its never too late to learn. Or rather, there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking your education further. I know of a french guy who's most probably in his mid thirties (judging from the first and ever time I've seen him) who has worked his guts off to attain a PhD i think, so that he is now a successful lawyer. No doubt he earns enough. But the only problem with the job is, its too tiring for him. He settles it quickly- he quit his job as a lawyer and flew to S'pore to take up a degree in Banking & Finance. He is now studying full-time. Admiration deserved? Yes indeed. He literally stepped out of his safe-zone; a job that secured him of a stable income and chose to change his profession.
That's just one thing that a Singaporean would NEVER do. To quote a friend: in the States lets say, when someone says he wishes to change his profession, people would reply: go for it! But back in Singapore, if you say you're intending to change your job, everyone would retort, 'you siao ar?' Thats Singapore for you. To begin with, we started our lives on a tiny island, almost like we're all surviving happily on a ring -shaped life bouy. We have been confined to a safe-zone, and brought up in the most kiasu scenario. With that, we do not take risks. We're afraid to take chances.
Which brings me to how rigid Singapore's education system is. I'm pretty sure I've blogged about this before though. We're made to choose our life's pathway at a mere age of 12, where we sat for our PSLE. If we had wanted to be a doctor, we'd have to work dilligently to get into a science stream and not just that, a class which offers triple science. Do you think we know what we want to be at an age of 11? At the tender age of 11, instead of rushing home after school to work on that science assignment, we're most likely to rush home to sit infront of the computer trying out the new game series of Pokemon. we were still chewing on ice popsicles or playing hopscotch each day after class without fail. Would his/her parents know yet, what course in poly/uni and job would best suit their child in future?

No.

Despite that, the education system in Sg is such. Once we (students) have a change in mind for our career path and wish to have a change in course, our chance of getting into the new course is immediately lowered. We're no longer allowed to apply for the course the usual way. Instead we're made to go through interviews, grilled by snide and skeptical remarks by the lecturers at school. Polytechnic, that is. I don't understand WHY we're deemed as pieces of junk, unwanted and thrown around after we've made a change in our career paths. And its really unfair. I don't see the same thing happening in other countries' universities like Australia's. In Melbourne, they allow students to do a course transfer even in their third year, and even allow credit points transfer! Thats because they don't expect their students to know exactly, what they want to be in future. Isn't that the right way? Its so much more understanding and HUMANE. The crude response and attitude I received from the polytechnics I visited aren't easy to forget. We're humans too and humans make mistakes. We're hoping for a chance to set our path right once again. we've gone through a mistake and have taken the huge risk, shouldn't WE know what's right for us already? To prove my point, its prolly because the arranger of Sg's education system is too afraid and kiasu to take in students who have once committed a mistake. Which is bloody unfair.

On the contrary, I wouldn't entirely consider me entering SP's science as mistake. because it is a fact; the science sector provides a wide job scope and science is blooming in Sg. People who are in the chemical line, and they earn at least 8k a month. Plus, along this one year at poly, I discovered things about myself. I realised that I preferred doing hands-on projects as compared to theoretical ones. I enjoyed the enterprising module where we had to design a prototype, and plan a business proposal for a company. And also, (probably the most important reason) I made loads of fantastic friends on the way. I realised I love meeting people and the responsibility of planning an event. I realise that I yearn to be involved; when I see a crowd chirping happily I wish I was in that gang laughing along. My friend, Alethea's working with Youth Empire so she's organising ROMP. though she complains its really hard and tiring, but the experience she gains is really worthwhile. Its only through such hands-on and experience like these where you learn spontaneously. with that, I now know I'd want join a community to gain experience in events management. So, no regrets for me.




I haven't gotten my response from two more schools - TP and SP but I've more or less decided on taking a Bachelor in Mass Comm at a private school- SMa. The modules are completely alike the ones offered at poly, the only thing that's different, are the course fees. :S