Disasters bring out the best in people.

 It would be nice if there were no such thing as a disaster. It would be great if no one has to endure the horrors of war. It would perfect if there were no war! Then everyone would be happy, and death would just be part and parcel of life. But if everyone were happy and content, then who would strive to make the world a better place? How is anyone supposed to improve upon humanity? After all, how are we going to be happier than happy?

 I will never be in favour of war. And as for natural disasters, I am no God. They are way beyond our control. But disaster alike, rob us of our material possessions, the lives of our fellow countrymen, the lives of our loved ones. Everything that we could possibly dream of attaining would crumble in the hands of a hurricane or even at the will of a nuclear attack. However, precisely because of our human frailty, disasters often bring out the best in us.

 A wise man from Japan once said, “After a great storm you can see more clearly where there is solid ground.” In the disaster stricken city of Fukushima, the world bears witness to the extent of which an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear meltdown can have an affect on the lives of the Japanese. We shudder at the images and video clips of the destruction brought upon our fellow human beings; of how the physical state of the environment is drastically altered to nothing but rubble. But amidst the bleakness of hopes, we awe at the courage and immense discipline of the Japanese. We salute to their selflessness; of their willingness to go beyond the call of duty to help each other, sometimes even to mere strangers. Throughout the course of the disaster, not one incident of looting was reported. There were neither fights, nor protests. Just snaking queues. Yes, disasters do wreak a bit of havoc, but they compel us to focus on what is truly important. Our families. Our communities. Our country.

 We each understand how vaccines work. How there is a need to inject that little bit of harmful virus into our body, so that our immune system is able to learn how to fight that particular virus in future. Quite simply, but really, disasters cause people to adapt and prepare for future disasters. Victims of disasters can experience healthy personal growth, as they seek ways to prevent themselves from becoming victims of those disasters again. We see today that countries such as Indonesia, the U.S., Japan have begun to develop technology to detect early signs of disasters such as any nearby seismic activities or possible drops in pressure above the oceans. Disaster prone countries such as them have been able draw on their experiences and subsequently emerge stronger and more resourceful, breaking various technological barriers that would further enhance their warning facilities. Therefore, the country would be able to prepare the citizens beforehand and effectively work out evacuations routes, thereby saving a whole lot more lives. All of which to gain, owing to the debt of human ingenuity that surfaces from disasters.

 Critics would argue that disasters would bring out undesirable behaviour in people, mentioning that people would turn to crime as a way of satisfying their immediate needs. This is indeed the case for some countries, and such behaviour is regrettable. But life is about choices that we make. It is not as if the law is abandoned once a disaster strikes, and that all morals have to be temporarily put aside for the sake of satisfying one’s comfort. There is still that little bit of conscience that exists in each and every one of us. Disasters have a thing about evoking empathy and sympathy in people, to the extent that it humanizes people. It makes people realise how no one is spared from them, regardless of race, riches or religion.

 It is never easy to disregard the destruction that disasters can bring upon us. But whatever we can learn and gain out of them, is the way we can progress forward to be happier than happy.

Why 4, and not 3?

Ever wondered why there were four terms in a year instead of three? I mean, theoretically, it is definitely possible. With four months in a term, everyone, both teachers and students, is surely capable of doing a great deal more. Consider the possibilities of having more time to learn, to prepare for examinations and not to mention more time for marking. With just three terms, students will realise the importance of each and every exam, and will tend to make the most out of them. Which is presumably a good thing. So why four, and not three?

It is not unusual to hear students lamenting about the lack of time they have in school nowadays. Juggling so many external commitments that include their CCAs, CIPs, Projects etc, how exactly are students able to squeeze in any additional time to study for their examinations?

This inevitably brings us to the point on “last-minute-work”.  Understandably, students would be left with no choice but to study late through the nights, thereby placing an unhealthy compromise on their own health. The idea of working late into the night has already turned into a widespread phenomenon throughout Singapore across the ages, but is exceptionally common amongst students.

Every parent would hope that their children receive the very best education from the school that they send them to, and we all know that this goes far beyond the textbook. Instead, of teaching the students solely according to their examination requirements, teachers are often tasked to teach at greater depth, which would be beneficial in allowing a student to get a grasp of the bigger picture of things. But as of now, the chances of that happening are gradually decreasing as students’ progress towards the more crucial years of their education. Not because of the teachers’ unwillingness to do so, but sorely due to the lack of time to complete the syllabus. Since they are quickly approaching the examinations, the teacher has to make sure that she completes the syllabus and that every student understands every examinable topic covered. This often translates into many remedial sessions which teachers call the students up for during the afternoons or even during the holidays. With so much time spent on teaching, will the students, in turn, have enough of time to learn and absorb all that has been taught? The issue here cannot be attributed to the students’ lack of time management, but with the system, for how are we going to revise when the topic has yet to be covered? Therefore, think of what an extra month could do to help the teachers and students?

These four extra weeks would also enable the students to be exposed to a greater array of non-academic activities that would promote their holistic development. Activities such as overseas learning camps, job-attachment programmes or excursions are just a few examples of what schools can offer. In our modern education system, there has been an increasing emphasis on the aspect of holistic development. It requires students to be as all-rounded as possible, in areas such as community involvement, character development and their academic achievement. No longer are job-interviewers targeting straight-A students, but rather those who are competent in areas involving human interaction; those who are capable of communicating effectively with others.

 

Notice that there will only three tests in a year, one towards the end of each term. If we were to do the Math, we can see that the percentage (waitage) for each exam would be slightly higher than if we were to have four exams. However, this a very flexible issue, in which every school will decide exactly on the percentage which each test in a term, carries. Some schools would choose to place the emphasis on the End-of-Year exam, while others would prefer an equal distribution of percentage throughout the three terms, so as to ensure that the students put in consistent effort. I would prefer that the latter be adopted since it instils the need for consistent hard work from students. Such a system would also discourage the students from banking on last-minute revisions in order to ace a test. I believe that this is a good practise for us students and hope that everyone sticks with it after they graduate.

As students, we are not born to be stuffed with information, but rather to learn what we can and apply what we have learnt into our lives. This, like everything else, requires time. What better way to do this than by having three terms, instead of four.

Tan Ming Shi