In this report, Minister for Education, Heng Swee Heat, states that while the education system of the past 3 decades has delivered talents for the market, the current demand is for people who are capable of critical thinking.
Erm... Does he mean to say the 'talents' produced in the last 3 decades do NOT have critical thinking skills??
Then, by using their favourite KPI which may not actually make sense, may I ask:
How did we become a developed country with one of the world's highest GDP per capita?
By sheer luck?
I think it's more of a case of the system being unable to recognise what critical thinking skills are in the first place.
Even though some people with critical thinking skills are present in the system, it is largely filled with people WITHOUT critical thinking skills. This is because many decision-makers (currently in their 40s - 60s), who do not necessary have critical thinking skills, have been hired and promoted over the years by their predecessors who also are equally lacking in the same department. As current decision-makers, they choose to hire and promote more people who are like themselves. This is the Mini-Me phenomenon.
Hence, after a few cycles of hiring and promoting, the more enlightened ones start to realise that 'Eh?!! People around me do not have critical thinking skills'. Meanwhile, some of these critical-thinking-challenged may have been tasked to draft policies on how to include critical thinking training in the SG Education system.
Yet another 'Emperor's New Clothes | But he is not wearing anything?!!' moment.
Hence, after a few cycles of hiring and promoting, the more enlightened ones start to realise that 'Eh?!! People around me do not have critical thinking skills'. Meanwhile, some of these critical-thinking-challenged may have been tasked to draft policies on how to include critical thinking training in the SG Education system.
The SG Education is not the sole culprit for the so-called 'lack of critical thinking skills'. We must be able to realise that critical-thinking-challenged people may not always have been educated in Singapore only. This goes to prove quite simply that having gone through an 'exotic foreign education' does not guarantee the acquiring of critical thinking skills either.
(In fact, I believe that critical thinking may not be purely a skill. It's more complex than that. It probably requires a combination of personality traits, motivation, and ability to reason logically. In other words, I believe that it is possible for some to be incapable of critical thinking, regardless of training/education received.)
Regardless...
Therefore, the problem is not just with supply of critical thinking skills. The problem also lies with the demand.
The system (e.g. Public Service) needs 'education and reform', before it can learn to recognise, appreciate, encourage and breed 'critical thinking'.
Even before that, the system needs to learn to let go of coveted criteria/qualities such as 'branded education' and 'obedience', as critical thinking springs from neither.
(In fact, I believe that critical thinking may not be purely a skill. It's more complex than that. It probably requires a combination of personality traits, motivation, and ability to reason logically. In other words, I believe that it is possible for some to be incapable of critical thinking, regardless of training/education received.)
Regardless...
Therefore, the problem is not just with supply of critical thinking skills. The problem also lies with the demand.
The system (e.g. Public Service) needs 'education and reform', before it can learn to recognise, appreciate, encourage and breed 'critical thinking'.
Even before that, the system needs to learn to let go of coveted criteria/qualities such as 'branded education' and 'obedience', as critical thinking springs from neither.
If no one ever believed that diamonds could be harnessed for great value, they would remain untouched in the earth forever... Just like any other plain worthless rock.
Yet another 'Emperor's New Clothes | But he is not wearing anything?!!' moment.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar