Daily Lessons from Life 05 April 2012 - Education is about developing enduring skills, character: Minister

"Education is about developing enduring skills, character: Minister - CNA 05 April 2012

SINGAPORE: Education today is about developing enduring skills and character, and less about transferring content knowledge, says Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

He said it starts with recruiting teachers with the right values to guide young Singaporeans.

Mr Heng was speaking at the ministry's annual promotion ceremony on Thursday.

The connection between character building and physical education may not be apparent, but some saw the potential in gymnastics and drama.

Mr Muhammad Ali, Head of Physical Education at Guangyang Primary School, said: "You can't really teach character. What you need to do is create that situation, that scenario where students are able to think on their feet, and engage them in problem-solving, how to relate with each other in case during the activities they have issues with one another, and how to resolve situations like that."

In 2010, the Ministry reviewed its educational outcomes and drew up its 21s Century Competency Framework. It wants to develop students who are confident learners, active contributors, and concerned citizens."

Maybe I am a bit too skeptical. Maybe I am jaded. These talks about: "eduacation today is about ... " puzzled me as the universal and fundamental reason for having a formal education is always to: instil knowledge, development skills (applied knowledge), values and character building (ethical behaviors) and be healthy physicall and mentally to contribute to the greater good of society!

Lessons for me are:

1. stick to the most basic and fundamental reasons why we have an education system and forget about creating the flavour of the week or month or year!;

2. the administrative work-overload of teachers were around when I 1st got involved the government Feedback unit (now called: REACH) in 2007? Operation Manager post was created and supposed to help with easing the administrative work-overload of teachers. Now we are still talking about administrative over-load for teachers that need resolving! What happened all these years?;

3. while we can ask skillful questions to give us some inkling about the values of the teach-wannabe interviewees, the ultimate proof is in the demonstrating of the proper values of a teacher like: care and concern for the students, knowing the limit of a teacher-student relationship, never violating the trust given to you by your students and the authority to call you a 'Teacher' - an honour and a big responsibility to be taken seriously. With the recent spates of sexual scandals involving teachers and 'allied' educationers, it does not bode well!

Yes. Educatiion is about developing eduring skills and characters. This has not changed. Just to way to get there may need some refining and adapting. One of the critical success factors has to be: right valued right skills teacher teaching and winning over the kids - no matter how rebelious and how wild they are! They care when they know someone really care too!