An Equal Playing Field - With A Biased Referee

From what i've observed during my brief tour around the university of melbourne, there are definitely more asians than caucasians...

'I will be damn pissed if i were a local...'
'You talk like you know how they feel...'
'Well, that's how i feel about the chinese nationals in singapore!'

A 16-year-old was charged with vandalism, theft and forgery... In the exact words of the ST article dated Tue, 16 Oct 07...

'The Institute of Technical Education student admitted to three of the 11 fresh charges'

I wonder if the reporter mentioned his education background as a-matter-of-fact or otherwise... The nation has undeniably came into possession of this stigma on ITE students... No matter how we argue on this topic, it is still a matter of fact that can only be pushed aside and we can only turn a blind eye to it at most... Even as the authorities try to remove this pre-cast label of ITE students in everyone's heads, it seems to backfire and a negative feedback mechanism is activated... Once again, catch-22 is back to haunt us!!

Which leads me to ask this question. How did it all begin?

I consider myself someone who has experienced 'both sides' to this reality... Simply said, in a layman's way, I've been to 'neighbourhood' schools and 'elite' schools... (I find it quite weird that 'neighbourhood' is used is this manner. I mean, ain't chinese high or hwa chong in the bukit timah neighbourhood?? so you see, the term has been coined to be a euphemism for something unpleasant-sounding...)

I did primary sch in Geylang Methodist Primary, a 'neighbourhood' school... This point of life is as close as it gets to an 'equal playing field'... I fared pretty well and I got into EM1 without much effort (OoooOOh... I shudder as I mention IT)... It didn't occur to me to think about how my friends in the other streams were striving for their bests, and I doubt if anyone really knew the reason for studying... I have been spared from this injustice, and I can only imagine a better life for all of us if we were allowed to be kids for a change... Kids ain't meant to study like their lives depended on their report cards... Most parents ain't helping much to improve the situation too...

I went to Dunman High, an 'elite' school... This was the place where I first discovered that growing up is a painful journey... I couldn't understand why my peers were devoted to their studies in such a religious way... And by the time I started to understand, I was left behind to feel my way through a cloud of dust which led me to another one of those deep and dark valleys in life...

Looking back, scoring 14 for L1R5 is really awesome you know! I thank God for carrying me through those times... Giving thanks while others feel sorry for you ain't child's play, but it is always good to recognise God in all situations of life... 14 was one of those scores that pulled down the 'good name' of Dunman High... 9 outta 10 got into the top 5 JCs and Chinese Nationals occupied most of the highest positions on the charts...

If the second half of sec sch is in the valley, life in JC must had been subterranean... I have yet to forgive the teacher who told me that students from DHS who then enter TPJC are meant to be despised... Well, I dunno who's despising who when they only managed to produce such results out of us... My classmates in JC have worked harder than any other classmates I've seen in my life... Once again, I have beared witness to this heart-wrenching injustice...

The irony reached its peak on the day of the collection of our results... I was elated with joy to realised that with the grace of God, I've scored two Bs and a C and a B3 for GP... I was already 4th in class ya know? Anybody who got 2 'A's or more were honoured with a round of applause... While in other JCs, if you have only 2 As, you are most probably drowned in your own tears cos you missed out on a scholarship to Ivy League...

Please do not take any of the above personally as it just ain't my point... It has left me flummoxed and bamboozled by how our destinies are changed by the difference between an A and a B, or how we allow it to... The inequity of the establishment has crushed the hopes of many, and these broken dreams have to be revived!