Education ‘Fun’

A friend of mine recently mentioned this to me: “You’ve missed out all the fun in Malaysia!”

I was wondering, what fun could I possibly be missing out apart from unable to reconnect with friends since most of them are scattered or soon to be flung to different parts of mother Earth. Fun in a sarcastic tonality.

Despite being shipped all the way to the Russian federation, I manually flip through the papers online to catch up with latest issues regarding my hometown. I have at least 7 choices of websites bookmarked under ‘News’ on my Chrome. The tricky thing about online newspaper is that one must be able to be smart to choose which to read, which to absorb, and which to believe.

Personally, I read The Star Online just to update myself on local as well as global issues revolving around Malaysia. You can’t dig any deeper just by reading that, but thanks to the overzealous devout outgrowth of mass media, blogs or other sites easily taught me within minutes of all that is horrible in our country. I wouldn’t put it exactly horrible, owing to the fact that I still patronize this country of mine.

It’s an endless growth, like roots and branches and stems that have been outgrowing since forever; paving every single speck in this nation. From education, with students griping over scholarships that are sought-after, the unbalance quota system that seemed to favour those in their own circle and many more… Even the recent news over a teenager suing Khazanah over Cambridge scholarship. These are just diminutive affairs covering our education system. I pity the future generation, like dolls being manipulated and tested.

Having said that, we still got to move on even if we are tangled among these veins of bloody revolutions endured by children, students, working people near and far throughout Malaysia who literally bleed out for a better future.

If you label this as a race or rally, then it is dejected to say that the outcome will all be the same. It’s because before this rally has even started, the ‘battle’ has already been won. Why fight with thin air and invincible warriors? I salute those who still bear their armors and swords.

Majority might be thinking that I’m currently seated on cloud 9 speaking about this without nothing to worry about education. As a matter of fact you’re wrong, I’m not even on any government-bounded scholarship pursuing my degree. My parents work to fork out every single penny out from their own pockets to ensure that my road is clear. In such position, I still choose to retreat. Back off all the strain and fighting for nothing can be changed, so what if much sacrifice needs to be taken into account? I believe one way or another it makes us stronger.

Nowadays, people go by asking ‘Hey, where is your son/daughter?’ or ‘Wow, sponsored by JPA/MARA/Petronas/Shell… [name whatever scholarships that are available, I bet they’ve memorized them behind their palms]’. It occurs all the time that parents have forgotten to even perform the most intrinsic work as a parent. I cannot comprehend on how Malaysians label people based on a certificate, or what’s worst.. how they brand us as ‘government sponsored’ or ‘private’.

Labels mentioned above doesn’t ensure you a longer run in society, given the best education to someone without the desire to pursue in it does not make him better than any other. 

What we can mobilize within our capacity that will benefit this unwanted situation is not just for the sake of ourselves, but for friends, family and for the sake of our country. Doesn’t matter if it affects people in measurements of nanometers.

On a more personal note, I gained a lot when having conversations with friends regarding issues similar to this. It doesn’t separate us being sponsored or not. I’m very proud of people around me, those that understand the current situation and making the very best out of everything.