Flip Flop

Can you hear the sound of flip flop, down the corridors of the school blocks? Where our children are 'institutionalized' because there is a prescribed curriculum that they must follow? Flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop... and not a beat is missed.... the flipping and flopping continues...

Flip flops... it's a casual footwear. In some countries they call it slip slop, chappal and even thongs.... Nah! don't go thinking about G-strings and all that. 8) Even by the sound of it, you get the impression that it's something that's, well casual and gives an impression of lackadaisical attitude from the sounds that emanate from the wearer's feet...

When I was about to enter the job market eons ago, one of the things I did was to read up on the do(s) and the don't(s) of attending a job interview. And one of the don't(s) was do not drag your heel when you walk. It also meant do not make too much noise when you walk. Cos it implies that the wearer is lazy, etc, etc....

Flip flops... it's hard not to make much sounds when you walk in them cos they're loose on your feet. With just a strap for it to hang onto your feet, the flip flop will hit the sole of your feet as you lift your legs up in your strides... slapping your sole. So, flip-flop, flip-flop. And if you are that sort of person who drags your heels when you walk, then the sounds are amplified. With other shoes, you usually get one sound... from the dragging of your heels. Our flip flop policy.. double jeopardy for our kids.... no mastery of language, no mastery to deliver the content even in BM.

And flip flops also don't offer much protection from the natural elements too. But they're ideally suited for certain places such as the beach... for fun and play. It's not your all terrain kind of footwear. Our kids are only good enough for the local market... that also albeit lots of complaints from the prospective employees.

So, the flip flop of PPSMI... our kids don't have much to hang on to. As it is, we don't have much protection from the onslaught of globalization. The only way we can stand out (and be counted) would have been to take the bull by its horn - face globalization headlong - with skills in hand to compete. But our gahmen decided to flip flop the issue.... now we've this comical situation of kids getting to secondary school switching to BM from English... then if they continue to Form 6 or Matriculation, switch back again to English... flip flop.

But I guess, maybe this flip flop decision is also to shore up support. Keep the majority who also happen to be in the rural areas ignorant so that they can be more easily convinced to vote certain parties (people). You see, English is not only the language of science and technology or business. Let me borrow, Buzz Lightyear's signature call.... it's also a door 'to infinity and beyond.' And that means a creation of a thinking population. Thinking population is not good for corrupt leaders cos they are not easily fooled.

So, flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop.... down it goes, the corridors which takes us to the classrooms of our kids. And as the flip flop beats on the sole of the feet and the corridors, our kids future too take a beating... Flip flop...