University of Life – YS Chan

Examination result is the easiest way to measure the quality of education in schools, and those who have studied in tertiary institutions are regarded as “educated”.

For many, education is complete after obtaining a bachelor’s degree, while others are satisfied only after gaining their masters or doctorate degrees.

But many people with paper qualifications are not truly educated, although they may be learned in their field of studies.

Educated persons should have good communication and people skills.

But many graduates are not able to speak, read and write clearly in any language, and are handicapped in a world where English is widely used for commerce and online communication.

Anyone who does not display courtesy is not truly educated or holy, however learned or religious the person may claim to be.

Social and spiritual values can only be acquired in the University of Life, which every one of us is automatically enrolled, with graduates practising good communication and social skills.

Therefore, an educated person may not have studied in a conventional college or university and likewise, the few hundred thousand unemployed graduates may not be educated.

Education is supposed to build good characters and positive mental attitude, but these are grossly lacking in our education system.

This is because personal development is given little emphasis in our national schools and right up to public universities.

Going by the average quality of local graduates, our education is far from world class but we are fond of claiming that we are. Are we choosing to be blind or indifferent?

For example, the behaviour of motorists and motorcyclists on our roads and rampant indiscriminate parking showed that we are hardly an educated society.

Every year, a few million traffic summonses are issued by the various authorities with around 90% unpaid. The number of summonses issued represents only a tiny fraction of the billions of traffic offences committed.

Every day, I bear witness to hundreds of traffic offences. At the Jalan Cochrane and Jalan Shelly traffic lights junction in Kuala Lumpur, many motorists drive pass the red lights during the morning rush hour.

Educated persons prioritise health but most Malaysians prefer to enjoy delicious foods that are mostly unhealthy, instead of consuming balanced diets.

Our government hospitals are overflowing with patients and private medical care industry will continue to boom.

Only those who have learned to love and respect themselves will be able to love and respect others. Those who have not are probably spoiled and have big egos, with little respect for others.

Likewise, a person must be happy in order to make others happy, and everyone can be happy and spread happiness by showing courtesy. Every day, we are given the chance to do so whenever we meet someone, and they can be strangers or our loved ones.

Those who have not learned to be happy should realise that they are not so smart after all. Likewise, those with big egos or are arrogant actually lack confidence and self-belief.

I consider 18-year old K. Phugeneswaran from SMK Seri Bintang Selatan in Kuala Lumpur an educated person.

It was not so much of him scoring 7As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam but the manner of how he did it.

He scored only 1A in his Penilaian Menengah Rendah exam two years earlier, but was moved by the Science teacher’s tears of joy, which motivated him to study hard.

With no water and electricity at home, he camped in at the school’s canteen or the assembly area for two years. His mission was to make all his teachers happy.

His teacher Puan Raja Faziatul Hanim Raja Azie said Phugeneswaran was well-mannered and always came to class neatly dressed with his school shirt tucked in.

When bullied by the other kids, he just smiled and never took pity on himself despite his difficulties. He also did not accept any money offered by the kind teachers in his school.

Another teacher, Salina Abdul Manaf, said Phugeneswaran was the only student who went looking for all his teachers to thank them after he received his results last week.

Yet another teacher Zaireen Zainal Abiddin posted the story of this determined student in Facebook and it was shared more than 7,000 times.

I am not surprised if many teachers in SMK Seri Bintang Selatan had wept with joy, just as eyes welled up with tears upon reading the report.

Phugeneswaran is shining in this University of Life and may he continue to be an inspiration to all, especially for upper secondary students in Malaysia. – March 10, 2016.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.