Making Educated Choices

This is a special report from today's Straits Times. Dammm! I thot, Dragon Year didn't write, now then gan yuan publish this stuff. So evil, must have been tracking our progress, that's why they publish now la.

OK cut to the chase, this is the report:
Myths and facts around Poly education.

"The polys are for those who can't make it to JC."
FACT: (intro paragraph) Last Year, about 30% of the 20,000 students who enrolled in the 5 polys also made the cut for JCs

"It is difficult for a poly student to make it to the local universities."
FACT: (intro paragraph) Currently, about 10% of a poly cohort make it to unversity here, compared to 73% of a JC cohort. By 2010, 15 % of a poly cohort will have a place in the local universites.

"JCs are for those aiming to go on to university, while polys are for those who want to go straight to work."
FACT: (intro paragraph) About 60% of poly grads go on to complete a degree within 5 years of receiving their diplomas.

"JC is a shorter route to university."
FACT: (intro paragraph) A student who takes the poly-varsity route can graduate with a degree in 4 years, while a studentwho takes the JC-varsity route would need a minimum of 5 years.

"JC students are more prepared for university, so they fare better than their classmates from the polys."
FACT: (intro paragraph) 1 out of 5 poly upgraders at NTU finishes with first-class honours.
-Both NUS and NTU professors had only goods things to say about former polytechnic students.

"Polys offer only technical and business courses."
FACT: (intro paragraph) Each poly offers between 25 to 35 courses now.

A separate column from this report:

'It depends on your learning style

If you ike a structured and guided curriculum, with a school-like environment, the junior college path may be what you are looking for.

However, if you are inclined towards a learning approach that is more hands-on, with more project work, the polytechnics could be more suitable.

So, how do you tell what is your learning style?

Polytechnic counsellors often ask prospective students who seek their advise about their hobbies and interests, and also what kind of lessons they enjoy or learn best from.

This makes it easier for them to help the students make a choice.

"If a student says that he could not understand a topic from his teacher's lesson or by reading a textbook, but itall makes sense after he gets to do an experiment or project work - then he is more suited for the polytechnic style of learning," says Singapore Polytechnic counsellor Lee Ee Tat.'

My own say: What is a school like environment u say? It's the environment we study in in secondary school and primary. If U love/ loved it, you should be in JC

By "project work", it means nothing near the secondary school standard of project work. DO NOT under-estimate this term. Once you go to poly, it's a whole new ball game. You have to work with all sorts of people. People older than, people younger than you, people whose values or character(s) clash with you... You've absolutely no idea ok.

Unless you have a close sibling who is in poly, and he/she often complains to you about working with "that !@#$%*" who always does this and this *&^%$#@ who never does anything", u have NO IDEA. Just picture someone with an absolutely imaginable character/ personality. Think of some dramatic evil person whom you think you would never meet in your lifetime. Got it? Then imagine that this person is IN YOUR CLASS, and you accidentally formed a group with him/her, and you have to stick with this person for a WHOLE semester...

Hahahahahaha!!!

Good luck to you.

On the other hand, imagine a place where only you yourself, and erhh you, are responsible for everything and anything you do. No one to stop you from entering and leaving school when you are late or not feeling well. No one to tell you how to behave, how to talk in the canteen, what colour bra to wear or even when to do your homework. To tell you straight, they don't care. But put in a nicer way, you are a matured individual who can and shall take care of yourself. Alot of freedom.

And people act differently too. You seldom see people doing silly things to draw attention to themselves. No screaming, jostling, laughing amok in the canteen, no ah-beng and ah-lians terrorising the school toilets or stairways or trying to look impressive with their tucked-out shirts, rolled up skirts and sleeves. In Poly, students just want to look ASAP. As Smart As Possible. (smart here means pleasent and presentable dress-sense hor)

Of course, the eye-rolling stuff and the rare I-complain-to-'cher-about-you acts still occurs, they are mostly carried out by childish individuals who feels less secure and more pathetic about themselves. No need to tell these little people get to ya. Mmh. That's about it.

Quite depressed about mob la... hai, bad results one after another. how... can I blame the teacher? coz she's abit CMI wan.

On seeing the grade she gave us yesterday, I went "Wah lao, I've never gotten this kind of grade before leh... I've only gotten As and some Bs... and Fs, but never this! So demoralising."

Then went to "confront" the tan-too tr. she sorta convinced us tt our class' reports really sucked.

Ok ok, cannot put words into her mouth... 05's reading this: she did not say that arh, DID NOT OK?

haiz.. sian. really regret going for MOB man. Tuesdays somemore- no perks. the lesson just spoilt everything lor. My mood, my throat, my nose... den I ended up leaving school early and missing 3 lessons. STUPID!!!

Even seeing Edison right after Mob din help. Dammit, mob is a plain party-pooper!

"How long has it been since you praised someone?"

This was how the movie started. the atmosphere was awesome as around 3-quaters of the cinema was occupied. There were kids, teens (still in sch-U's), adults, and the le ling (folks in their golden years). Hahahaha.

But I strongly oppose with one part of this movie... how can Jack Neo let Cheng Cai's father DIE?! Cannot! I don't like... the characters were crapping, "U look much better now. U'll be discharged within 1 to 2 days. at most 2 days."

Then the next scene was his yi zhao (funeral photo).

I went "SHIT!"

But nearly the rest of the viewers went "AARHAHAHAHAHAR!!"

My goodness... the way he landed when he fell down the flight was stairs, was almost morbid. He had landed in an "up side down" position, his head went "Crack" against the concrete floor. I was thinking, Oh no, he's gonna die. Just like that. So unfair. If that was to happen in real life, shouldn't the stupid hog grabbing and swinging him around, and ultimately tossing him down the stairs, be liable for 2nd degree murder or sumthing? Hai, I'm so qi gek... hahaha

And Wanyi, I noe u don't want him to die too, but why couldn't you see that the fall was quite, erm... fatal? It's so ERR-XIN la, so ke lian, so *SOBS* *WEEPS*

There's also a flaw in the storyline... how come Jerry didn't visit or console his "blaather" Cheng Cai when the latter's father was in hospital? Doesn't anyone find that weird? They're supposed to best friends ok! When Jerry was in trouble, Cheng Cai flew to the rescue and beat 4 Pai Gias. They also rebelled against the Chinese-Old-Foggy teacher and joined a gang and robbed an old lady together.

Then where was Jerry when Cheng Cai's father was hosipitalised?! Urgh! After the Old lady let them off, the movie should show Jerry's concern for Cheng Cai's safety lor!But it seemed he was too absorbed in his own problems to care about the "life and death" of his best friend... While Jerry's family hugged and cried, Cheng Cai's father died... Kao, what is this teaching man? Details, people, details!

Why do I seem so critical about some small parts of the local favourite "I Not Stupid Too?" Na la...Just like the saying used in the movie, evrything has a good and bad side (more accurately, there are 2 sides to a coin). So, since everyone on TV rained praises on the movie, I'm here to balance things out lor... Yeah! O.oV

And seriously, although it is an educational film, I doubt anyone who watch it will really be inspired to change for the better and patch up their realtionship or make a conscious effort to improve how they communicate with their family. I mean, people do hope that the positive side of things does happen, but... we'll see.

I'm certain the few delinquent kids who watch this might give some thought about straightening themselves out, but after a fwe good laughs, and some sleep, they'll probably forget about the contents and the lessons that were brought across thru this movie. On what grounds do I say that? Who knows, maybe I'm one of them too.

Why? intrigued already right? That's my motive actually, he get people to watch this film. It's the no. 1 S'porean (PG) movie leh! HAHAHAHA!

Is it PG arh? jialat...