Although I was
10,000km away when the Sabah earthquake happened, the news hit me hard because
it resulted in the death of Singaporeans including young primary school
students from a school which I passed by nearly every other day.
My deepest
sympathies and condolences go to the parents and family members of the students
whose lives were taken away at such a young age.
It is in such a
time that we should be sensitive and provide the space for affected family
members to mourn and to grieve.
However, what is
certainly not helping is the callous remarks and demands by people who are in
no way involved or affected by this incident to demand for MOE or TKPS to
cancel future field trips or to criticize the teachers and administrators
involved. Although the students climbing Mt. Kinabalu may be only 12 years old,
they were trained for months before hand and their lives were taken by an
earthquake (an act of nature) and not by any form of negligence or misconduct.
To call and demand
for schools to cancel all field trips or to criticize the people who are the
most stretched during this period is reckless, irresponsible, insensitive and
childish.
I understand that
some parents can be over protective of their children (resulting in the
strawberry generation that is epitomized by the NSF who had his maid carry his
field pack for him), however most responsible parents would give the space for
their children to stretch their limits and explore their potential.
When I was in choir
(yes, I was ever in the choir), my school won the SYF competition and we were
sent to Prague to compete. At that time, I didn't manage to participate, not
because of an over protective parent but because I couldn't afford it at that
time. My mother was extremely distraught, all she could think about were the
opportunities she was denying me. Although I repeated many times that I didn't
hold it against her, I think, secretly, she carries this guilt to this day.
In the aftermath of
this tragedy, the appropriate reaction should not be to reign in our children
and be even more protective of them or to criticize school administrators for
allowing our children to stretch their horizons. The appropriate reaction
should be to band together through this tragedy, lend a hand to support those
in need and to remember that life is short. This is why we should allow our
children to experience as much of it as possible and to live their lives to the
fullest. That is the true Singapore spirit.
L.A.M.