THE recent uproar regarding the Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) principal's letter to students, asking them to sell tickets for the school fund-raising carnival, is a timely reminder for educators on the purpose of education ("Carnival tickets: Students feel sales 'pressure'"; last Saturday).
Education includes academic learning, soft skills and life experiences. With regard to the fund raising, the focus needs to be on the process of providing life experiences for the students and not on the quantity of tickets sold.
Take, for example, a neighbourhood school that is also organising a fund-raising carnival through the selling of tickets. This school encourages students to contribute in any way, either by selling tickets, manning booths or decorating the school, while emphasis is placed on participation rather than monetary targets.
In such a situation, even if only a small amount is raised, the school would celebrate this as a success.
Would this be a better approach, one that could educate our children?
The fund-raising carnival is another example of our society's focus on financial metrics and good outcomes. We should not place this burden on our students at such a young age, but just let them have the experience of participating in activities without setting hard targets.
Wong Shih Shen
Education includes academic learning, soft skills and life experiences. With regard to the fund raising, the focus needs to be on the process of providing life experiences for the students and not on the quantity of tickets sold.
Take, for example, a neighbourhood school that is also organising a fund-raising carnival through the selling of tickets. This school encourages students to contribute in any way, either by selling tickets, manning booths or decorating the school, while emphasis is placed on participation rather than monetary targets.
In such a situation, even if only a small amount is raised, the school would celebrate this as a success.
Would this be a better approach, one that could educate our children?
The fund-raising carnival is another example of our society's focus on financial metrics and good outcomes. We should not place this burden on our students at such a young age, but just let them have the experience of participating in activities without setting hard targets.
Wong Shih Shen
