It's not all about 'A's

As much as I like to diss the education system (or at least before some changes were made) in Singapore, I think education is a given here.

I caught Oprah (my most beautiful black woman ever) earlier and the show discussed the failing education in US. It didn't matter if schools were from inner city or suburban areas, well-facilitated or dilapidating, youths are not valuing education as much as they should.

Time magazine termed US a "Dropout Nation" in one of their April issues. Thirty percent of their high school students leave without graduating. I'm sure there're tonnes of reasons but on Oprah, it seemed like many were dying to reach the age of 16 to voluntarily drop out.

And like time would have it, those who leave school often end up with regrets and struggles in life.

Here're my top five reasons why I survived my 16-year cycle of learning process:

5. Our system instills upon me the need to constantly fight to be in the main stream.

4. There've been really inspiring teachers along the way. You just know when you see a teacher who's genuinely interested in educating. Those are the people who provided me with opportunities beyond academics and extended friendships that're always vital in teacher-student relationships.

3. Blangah Rise Primary School. That was my safe haven. Loved every second there. My friends from that school are still some of my most treasured ones. The entire combination in my years there was just magical. There was simplicity, innocence, genuine emotions, and an awful awful lot of bittersweet memories.

2. My parents. This set are probably the best parents I can ask for. And I guess how I fared in school has a whole lot to do with them. From little things like my mum putting on my socks as I munched away on my breakfast (Eww I hated to eat in the mornings!), my dad driving me to the gates just in time (I did try to be early ok), to my mum making me write every single chinese character in the textbook (Cane always omnipresent) and my dad visiting my principal when I failed my common tests in junior college (Let's not remember that)... They held on to the reins when they needed to but every so often let them loose for me to learn to be on my own. I owe them big time.

1. And the number one reason I survived... Not everyone ends up as Zoe Tay or Gurmit Singh without a degree. Haa... Let's just hope that I can continue to host and act as a hobby.

So there, I guess US is now called a "Dropout Nation" because they don't have EM3 streams, teachers like Sim Chor Khiang, Tan Aik Ling and Rita Wong, BRPS, and Sunny & Audrey Yeo. But they do have tonnes of Zoes & Gurmits. Haaa...

In any case, I hope at least my nephew will receive a decent education and make the best of it. Here's to you, Asher.

When you're a child,

You don't learn how to be happy,

You just laugh.

When you're a child,

You don't learn about sadness,

You just cry.

And when you're a child,

You don't learn how to trust people,

You just do.