I have been aware of the Khan Academy for some time now and was expecting it to develop the way it has today. This is the great equalizer for whole generations of young Malaysians (since the early 70s) who have been marginalized by a secondary school education system designed to social engineer an "educated society" with more form than substance; a scheme of grand design that was to bring about "equality" albeit at a substandard level. A system that created whole generations of "literate illiterate" Malaysians as by extension, the standards in tertiary education suffered the same fate. Just take a close look at the "quality" of graduates in the last two decades who are expected to drive our K-economy!
An immediate effect of the system was the proliferation of students with double digit numbers of As never before heard of let alone seen. Certainly, the average IQ level of young Malaysians did not increase overnight! The obvious lowering of the bar eventually affected all races and this was only the academic aspect of schooling! Another major factor was and still is the downgrading of English as a medium of instruction. Socio-political factors which need no further elaboration here, drew clear demarcation lines that divided the races in schools. The fading of meritocracy put paid to any chance of the best shining through and I think the last nail is the vicious cycle that started when the very products of this education system became fodder for sprouting teacher training colleges which supplied substandard teachers back to the schools.
My children were direct victims of this system as they learned virtually nothing useful from their years in so-called government school. It was frustrating to see how they "progressed" through the system yet their knowledge base was obviously way inferior compared to what my own generation gained from secondary schooling.
Yes, they are computer literate/savvy but that was not acquired in school. I shudder to imagine what they would be today if as parents we had not given them access to computers and the internet at home. Parents with my same dilemma can now rest easy. Go check out Khan Academy. Alas, the medium of instruction is English which justifies the efforts of the Parents Action Group for Education (PAGE).
Personally, I believe the best thing I could ever give my children was to teach them to think and imbue the attitude that we can master ANYTHING if only we are interested enough to want to learn more. J.J. is an interesting case in point. Since the left-brain/right-brained theory is now considered a myth and outdated I cannot explain why he is so much like Jeannie; they learn so well through audio visual means. Thank goodness for You Tube!!!
I chose not to point J.J. towards Khan Academy in hope that he would discover it himself. And discover it he did! He can now begin his personal journey to "fill in the gaps" and his first subject of choice is biology which begins with "Evolution and Natural Selection". He just told us he refuses to be a "lesser ape"!
Krystyn on the other hand is not so into learning from You Tube but being gifted with speed reading ability, Google is her most useful source of knowledge although she too can gain lots from the Khan Academy.
Watched Transformers 3 at Pavilion with Krystyn while JJ was attending a colleague's wedding reception at Corus Hotel nearby. The show was boring and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is no Megan Fox; by far actually.
Anyway, while the Transformers were transforming on the big screen, JJ was having his own transformation at the dinner. Whether it was a company tradition that they get the newest/youngest staff member pissed drunk as a "Christening" or JJ's own foolhardiness, there was no excuse for him to go way beyond his limit. JJ's colleague answered when I called JJ's phone after the movie. He said that JJ had passed out at the restaurant after too much drink.
We had already warned JJ that he may be forced to drink in good fun by his colleagues but he was not supposed to be manipulated by whomever, whatever the circumstances to drink more than he can.
Concern transformed to anger when I saw JJ lying prostrate on four chairs arranged in a row…dead to the world. Which father would want to see his son in that condition? A few of his male colleagues were standing around him trying to offer me some explanation and assurance that they would have sent him home regardless. A no brainer; an unwritten rule which is a given when drinking amongst friends. Conscience following complicity perhaps? Whatever!
There were also some ladies who were generally quiet, and positioned at the fringe. Maybe they knew more than what their male counterparts were letting on?
I was quite sure JJ was just drunk and not suffering from an overdose of, or dangerous allergic reaction to alcohol. He would be ok after a good sleep but this must become a life lesson for him. He had failed to heed a lesson that he must never allow himself to be coerced or intimidated by anyone to drink more that he can drink. If he did, then whatever the consequences, the blame was his and his alone. At occasions like Chinese weddings and such, drinking upmanship is common but a line is drawn at physically forcing someone to drink. Then it may even be deemed criminal.
Anyway, JJ managed stand up and with help from some of his colleagues, got to the hotel foyer where Krystyn was parked at the driveway.
I will know from JJ what exactly happened but it is not difficult to guess from what I already know. At the time of this writing, JJ is still asleep at home on the couch downstairs. For JJ, the episode will be considered part of his rites of passage. Not being able to drink is no crime and we all have our shortcomings. How else to explain when one can transform from:
