Tuesday, January 30, 2007

How to be a star pupil and fail - From The Malay Mail

How to be a star pupil and fail
(this write-up is something that is happening in the real world to day.Thats why We Must Always Give OUR 100% what ever we do.)

WHEN school reopened this month, the Form One intake of SMK Jalan Empat in Bandar Baru Bangi comprised only those who scored five As in their UPSR last year. It is a sekolah rancangan khas for pupils who scored top grades in the examinaton.These students now study in a less crowded environment and betterequipped classrooms than normal secondary schools.They are ‘the golden eggs’, said SMK Jalan Empat Parent-Teacher Association president Dr Zulkifli Senteri.“Thus we do not want them to mix with students who did not perform well in the UPSR,he said.Is this fair? Can a child’s academic performance and potential be judged at age 12.Acquiring education and knowledge is a long process.What about the PMR? And what about tertiary-level examinations? So ideally, all secondary schools that are not boarding schools should have sekolah rancangan khas status.In such a case, a primary school leaver can be enrolled in the secondary school nearest to his home.This would solve a lot of problems to parents.

Realistically, this will not happen in the near future.

-Meanwhile, to parents of the current crop of Year Six children,
-here are a few tips that may help your offspring excel in the UPSR.
-Don’t let them take active part in extra-curricular activities.
-Don’t allow them to be appointed as a prefect or class monitor.
-Stop them from attending religious school and send them for tuition classes instead.

Just consider this real-life story of a Form One boy,

from Bandar Baru Bangi whom I know well.In Year Six, he was active in co-curricular and club activities.He was the primary school’s head prefect.He continued attending a religious school when some of his schoolmates stopped to concentrate on their UPSR.At the end of last year, he was chosen as the school’s Tokoh Murid or exemplary pupil by its teaching staff.This despite the fact that there were more than 20 students who had scored five As in the UPSR.Perhaps the teachers knew better, and were impressed by his all-round ability and leadership quality.Which all but counted for nothing in the end, because he only obtained four As.The doors to SMK Jalan Empat were shut to him, although for him it is the nearest secondary school.He is not one of the golden eggs as described by Dr Zulkifli.

Sharif Haron News editor

Monday, January 08, 2007

Ramesh the Sgp inaugural speech contest Champ

I am pleased to inform, that Ramesh has just won the Singapore’s inaugural speech contest “Word of Mouth 2006” on 2 Dec 2006. This event is co-organized by the Entrepreneurs Toastmasters Club and the NTUC Club.

As such, he was awarded the title “Singapore Orator 2006” and won for himself SGD $10,000. Many professionals, including lawyers and doctors took part in the event.