It is the end of my examinations and I self reflect once again what I have learnt this semester. This post is dedicated to Emerson who is my dear tutee, as well as Samuel Chee. Wrote this in Emerson’s notebook on 4th November 2007, and I am reproducing it in full:
Education ==> Educated
What does it mean to be educated?
Life is made up of extensive problem solving.*
If education does not teach you to solve problems, what does it do?
To solve problems = Finding solutions
Therefore, you are adequately educated if you have the means to find solutions.
At Secondary 4 level, you are able to
– Read and Write
– Mathematics
– Minimal exposure to humanities (Which means more is required as at this moment you only memorise what is scripted. You need to critically ponder over what is said in the textbooks)
There are many ways to solve problems. They are:
– Read up by yourself; You can read and write
– Ask people with the relevant knowledge; Communication skills are important here
– Pay others to provide you with the relevant expertise; Something overlooked but may be relevant to you one day
In conclusion, always expect problems to surface. Always expect problems to be of different natures. It is not surprising. Therefore are you capable of sourcing out solutions to solve these problems?
*Samuel Chee, who is one of my best friends in Primary school, said this back then. This statement surfaces to ring in my ears when the going gets tough. Such wisdom.
Keching 