Ladies and Gentlemen,
One of Singapore's state owned news agencies, Straits Times of Jan 02, 2014 reports "New Character and Citizenship education textbooks launched in schools" Please see http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/thursday/breaking-news/singapore/story/new-character-and-citizenship-education-textbooks-launched-schools-201
According to the report " Mr. Heng (a Singaporean minister) who was a t Rivervale Primary School launched the news CCE textbooks which will be rolled out to Primary 1 (age 6) and primary 2 pupils this year"
The report and the Singapore Ministry of Education syllabus on the subject is alarming.
It is intended without any doubt whatsoever to brainwash young children into blind patriotism for Lee Kuan Yew and his Singapore, like Hitler did with his Hitler Youth or as in George Orwell's mind control sessions where people attend group sessions and go into a blind uncontrollable frenzy of patriotism in unison for the love of Big Brother as if they are possessed. Please see http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/files/2012/11/character-and-citizenship-education-annex.pdf
In the report it says under Nation "Developing a sense of national identity and nation building", "What makes Singaporeans" "How do my relationships contribute to Nation building" "how do we demonstrate our commitment to Singapore"
Nowhere in the report is any mention of encouraging children to read widely, and form opinions about the world, different schools of philosophy, the need to have a conscience and the courage to follow it, and to develop the virtue the courage to develop opinions even if they were contrary to those of Lee Kuan Yew and his ruling party.
There are no doubt from these Singaporean objectives what the plan is. It is to instill blind loyalty to the country which obviously is synonymous to loyalty to Lee Kuan Yew his son and their PAP.
It is all about blind obedience. There is nothing in the syllabus to suggest anywhere that children should be allowed to think and if they find the Prime Minister's pay of $3.7 million a year wrong, the courage to stand up and say it for one thing. Nowhere does it say that a good citizen is one who has the courage to stand up to Lee Kuan Yew and his son, not someone who sheep like is subservient.
It makes no reference that children should use their head and if they found the denial of the human rights of free speech expression and assembly are wrong, they should be able to say so and fight for their rights till their last breath. In America such a boy would be considered a model citizen. In Singapore he would be public enemy number one.
I fear this is a plan to brainwash children. I also fear that the secondary object of this plan is to increase spying on the children's parents who will come to the attention of the school through their students. It will also create tension between parent and child when the teacher says one thing and parent another.
Soon, I fear that children would be encouraged to tell on their parents to teachers and state security apparatus to identify deviant parents; even more than they do now. Teachers may be required to report what they hear. I fear retribution for the parent.
Character building of children should be the responsibility of parents not the State. Only in North Korea, China or Orwellian 1984 does the state get involved in mind control such as what is going to happen in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore.
Parents let me tell you again. Please do not let your children be subjected to this brainwashing. Don't allow Lee Kuan Yew and his son treat your kids like they treat kids in North Korea.
If you can, take your children out this minute from Singapore schools and educate them abroad in democracies. If this is not possible, regardless of the consequences to you, tell the schools that you refuse to let your child be subjected to this indoctrination. If you allow your children to be subjected to this, you will be responsible for hampering their ability to think independently.
Remember, a good student is not someone who blindly obeys the state. A good student is one that is able to think and question authority, point out when the state is right but equally and vehemently oppose the state when they are wrong. Not someone who blindly obeys every dictator that comes along.
In Orwell's 1984, children are brainwashed into thinking their state is always right, Big Brother is always right, even if everyone knew the state was totally wrong; encouraged to spy on their parents and report "deviant" thinking and have them arrested as enemy's of the state either to be "re-educated" or executed.
Children should be allowed to form their own opinions about themselves, their surroundings and their country trough their parents, and from their own education and life experiences; not by the State telling them what or who they should support and why.
When I went to school in Singapore we did not have any brainwashing. That's why I form my own opinions about Singapore and have come to the conclusion that it is no better than a one party Fascist state with Lee Kuan Yew and his son as dictators. If not I would have been capable only of Groupthink where everyone has the same ideas as in Lee's Red Book according to the syllabus in their CCE (Citizenship and Character Education, Singapore). And thank God for that.
Once again I am writing this from Fremont, Northern California United States. I would not have been able to write this from within Singapore and avoid arrest. The Lee Kuan Yew and son government do not tolerate criticism. And you may well ask them, what sort of CHARACTER is that?
Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
A Singaporean in Exile
Fremont, California USA
Tel: 510 491 8525
Email:nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
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4 comments:
Its time that Singapore parents to consider enrolling their kids into schools across the causeway at Johor Bahru in Malaysian primary and secondary schools. It will do them good.
I can now see the reason for the underlying pressure which exploded during the Indian riots of Dec 2013.
If my hotel and flights were refundable then my last trip to Singapore would have simply been my last trip.
To Termalert,
Who said
"If my hotel and flights were refundable then my last trip to Singapore would have simply been my last trip."
Are you saying that if your hotel and flight expenses were not refundable, you will continue coming to Singapore? Does not make much sense.
I was a MOE teacher, what you said sounds harsh but it's true. New teachers are assessed in such a way as to see if we are obedience, monetary rewards are used for bribery, and anybody who stands in the way of other teachers making money would be demonized. Sexual themes are often used. :(
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