By C C Pung
Justice of Peace
It’s often been said that in adulthood, those with hopeless grades in high-school tend to do better, for example, make more money.
Is that true?
Examples abound.
Within Malaysia and abroad, there are successful people many of whom confessed to be poor with grades and never went to college.
I heard recently of a theory that says while school is a closed system where smart ones don’t share and those with lousy grates languish, cut off from learning opportunities.
But outside of school, knowledge and information are open.
Those who don’t learn well in school find the outside-scohool environment a very rich ground for learning.
While this type thrives, the school smarts find the free-for -all out-of-school scenario unfamiliar.
They are overawed.
They watch the free environment wide-eyed.
My own theory is that the grades deficient ones are, unlike their smarter classmates, not faced with much expectations, and are therefore more gung-ho for try out any new ideas.
In the process of try and error, their instincts grow shaper and discerning and become streetwise.
While a D grade classmate sees opportunities in almost any subject or vocation, the A student picks and choose, unaware that he actually is narrowing his options.
I was never a straight A student nor someone who hogged the tail-end.
I could ramp up my grades when I got along with the teachers, and self destruct when otherwise, which was more often because of I thought too much of myself.
The schoolmates who thought my maths was great and my English essays sensational are today wondering why those they thought were smart in the old days never got smarter.
Today, I watch as the age of artificial intelligence challenges everything we knew (or thought we knew) about education, raising children and preparing youths to take over the world.
Much of the world have done away with Malaysia’s way of examinations and rogue learning.
Our education officials keep talking about embracingb AI and incorporating the application of AI in the provision of education.
In many other countries, it is being done.
In China, for example, AI is in preschools.
In Malaysia, we cut maths classes to make way for more Islamic studies, every country I know is encouraging their children to learn one or more foreign languages.
In Malaysia;
We recommend Jawi. I don’t know which country’s language it is or if it has any relevance in trade, science, literature or diplomacy.
You never know. Would you?
Editor: The writer is a former editor and is a Sabah Journalist Icon.
