Remember school times

My kid is having his mid-term exams next week. He is standard 1, thus just started schooling. And the amount of work he has got to do is tremendous. Subjects to learn are English, Math, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, Art, Religion, Music, ICT - I hope I haven't forgotten any.

So we parents flip out, because of course, he is still a kid, and wants to play. But he has to learn. There is no time to play, and to develop creativity. And I know exactly what will happen in 10 or 15 years from now? The educators, the government, the employer, everybody will ask -where is the creativity? Be creative! We need creative people. We thought you learnt this in school.

I remember that in "my time", subjects were phased in gradually -one after the next, not all at once. As it happens in Malaysia. Kids got used to school in this manner and could develop. They had time to play and to develop creativity. Here, childhood and playtime finishes the moment you start school as in Malaysia, everything starts at once.

Just a thought from me on a Sunday morning, when my kid sits beside me, and is suppose to learn for his exam starting tomorrow, and just can't get started.