The Tuition Syndrome

Ha...ha...ha...it has arrived at the shores of Melbourne!

Had some interesting encounters with parents and their children who are studying in Melbourne recently...

Case 1:

Father : My son is just not scoring the way I'd like him to.
Me : Hmm...which subject?
Father : English. I must get an English tutor to coach him.
Me : Do you need to do that? It's just getting into the right amount of reading and writing...you mean there are teachers doing that in Melbourne too ?
Father : Yup...many students are getting help that way too.
Me : So you are bringing that culture to Melbourne too? I thought assessment in Australia is more school-based and a greater emphasis in class participation?
Father : No...I need to make sure he gets a chance to get into the right university.
Me : And who gives tuition there? Asian teachers?
Father : I have to find out more...

Case 2:

Me : So how's the going in class, Jo? You're still topping in class?
Jo : Not in this new school. In my previous state school yes. But no more here in this new
'control' school.
Me : How come? You have always been on the top.
Jo : Aunty Ik Poh, in my class there are 1/3 Indian Nationality students, 1/3 Asian (yellow skin) students and the rest are local Auzzies. I can't fight with the 2/3s in the class. They are just plain kiasu and boy... they are out to score that 99.9 TER tingee!Stress! In Sydney there has been a case of 100 TER!
Jo's ma : Yup. Next year I must get him a tuition teacher.
Me : Which subject?
Jo's ma : Mathematics.
Me : Do you need to do that?
Jo's ma : Eh, must. The kiasu syndrome is very strong la!
Me : Looks like everyone is bringing the Malaysian way of studying to the new place!

During breakfast yesterday, while talking about this issue,

No.3 : You see mama...if I were an Auzzie, I will be so angry...suddenly they are surrounded by all the kiasus in town and there goes their original plan of education...leisure and pleasure. Now it's torture!
Me : Well, the parents did not send the children there for nothing. It's a lot of money and sacrifice but really, the Malaysians...they don't change, do they? ( me included!)

Interestingly, I read the papers yesterday and was informed that Taylor's Malaysia is world No.1 in the SAM program and even has a student with a score of 99.95! Hei, why not try here?

Somehow students here have a way the foreigners don't have...an ethos not found anywhere in this world!

Kudos Malaysia!