Help underperforming students!

Our Education Ministry has identified a total of 402 schools nationwide as hotspots for disciplinary and drugs problems. We wonder after the identification and classification, what are the follow-up actions to be taken by the authorities to help improving or delisting these schools? Are there any ready measures and guidelines for the schools to be followed in order to be removed their names from the list ?

It may sound illogical and unreasonable for the schools to be enlisted or red flagged but no guidelines or measures for the grieved schools to adhere for improvement.

The root-causes of the disciplinary and drugs problems among the students must be identified and rectified within the shortest possible time to enhance the public confidence and perception on these schools. It appears ironical and unfair to the schools on the list if there are no remedial solutions and counter measures by the Education Minster to render necessary assistance tackling the disciplinary and drugs problems. Without any clear directions, the enlisted schools will find it difficult to be delisted.

Why are students lackadaisical in their studies? Why are they not disciplined and drug-addicted?

Education is said to be free and fair to all but what we have seen today the process of educating and transmitting knowledge is not fairly practised especially onto those students who are slow-learners and incompetent. The present scenario is discrimination through classification based on examination results. The students are being judged and categorized through their examination results. Students with excellent results are classed in Category A and those students with poor performance are being seated discriminatingly in the lower rank of the classes. This act of classification undoubtedly and directly creates misconception and stress on these poor students whose self-pride are hurt.

Placement of students accordingly to their performances is good if there are plans to assist improving those needy. These students with poor academic results really need motivation and inspiration. Are there any constructive and rhythmical plans for these students. Contradictorily, knowing them exam phobia, they are again given the same test papers as those students categorized A. They are again graded in overall results of the same form of the students. What do we expect their results will be? It appears that they are repeatedly beaten and placed lowly in the examination throughout their school lives. Continual failure and poor performance in the examination not only erode the confidence but also help to develop disciplinary problems among the students.

Proactive measures should be embarked to help those underperforming students. Motivational and inspirational talks should be conducted often. Self-pride and confidence of these students should not be eroded for the creation of disciplinary problems which will become the social liabilities with high cost to tackle.

Road signs in Geroge Town

最近，在槟城的市区与朋友走走时，突然发现许多的路牌上的华语路名不见了。

Recently, while loitering along with friends in the city of George Town, we discovered that many road signs were now without Chinese characters.

最近，在槟城的市区与朋友走走时，突然发现许多的路牌上的华语路名不见了。 Recently, while loitering along with friends in the city of George Town, we discovered that many road signs were now without Chinese characters.

最近，在槟城的市区与朋友走走时，突然发现许多的路牌上的华语路名不见了。 Recently, while loitering along with friends in the city of George Town, we discovered that many road signs were now without Chinese characters.

还归真相?????

当一个人莫名其妙地被人诬赖和误会了，自然的反应就是尽量尽快的澄清本身的无辜。如果有人提供场所和机会给与这位所谓的无辜受害者来澄清自辩，肯定是求之不得天赐良机也！他绝对在第一时间，紧抓这机会来向众人告白！

俗语中的“清者自清，廉者自廉；浊者自浊”或来自屈原的“举世皆浊而我独清”只是生活指南，不是常人尤其是政治人物在日常生活中可行可实践的品格规范。政治人物一有风吹草动，对他不利的事情和传闻；通常多会立刻出来澄清，绝不会有任何拖泥带水，犹豫不决的举动来延缓还我清白的机会！所谓“官”字，两个口，上口用来吃饭，下口用来装钱，有鉴于此，“钱”对当官者实在是太敏感了。若是有传闻或事情牵扯上“钱”而不利于某位当官者，该当事人的反应是想尽各种各样的方法，用尽管道来澄清，让民众知道真相，明白他是清白的！

在我国的政坛上，这几年却出现了反现象。当官者被控时或被扣押待调查，被控者与被押着都在尽量拖延时间或尝试规避“还归真相”的程序。这反逆叛行的举动，的确让人一头雾水因为当事人每时每刻都在谈反污，打污去污还大地清凉的官员！所以，政客的话不可信以为真，需要我们选民“听其言，观其行”认真分析后才能知道他们的真实或虚伪！

some time, sometimes 和 sometime

有学生再次问及英语中的 some time, sometimes 和 sometime的区别。

Some time, sometimes 和 sometime 太相似了但它们的意思却有些不一样。

Some time - 一些时间，一点时间。

例子：

I need some time to finish the work.

我要一些时间来完成工作。

She needs some time to come here as the traffic is congested.

她需要一些时间抵达这里因为交通拥挤。

Sometimes 有时

例子：

He sometimes drinks coffee though his favor is tea。

虽然他喜欢喝茶但有时喝咖啡。

Sometimes I go to bed without washing。

我有时没有淋浴就睡觉。

Sometime 某时

例子：

We shall meet sometime in future.

我们将会在不久后的某时见面！

I did remember we had done the repair sometime last week.

我记得上周的某时我们已做了修理。

Bring back the Pinang trees to Penang

The activities of cutting and shortening overgrown branches by the workers of Penang City Hall have been a norm of daily panoramic view along the major roads in town and this cutting exercises on major roads have impeded the flow of traffic and create inconveniences to the road-users. Nonetheless, these exercises will continue as long as the present species of trees are not changed. Not only the ever-growing branches of the problematic trees create laborious cutting work but also its withering leaves require constant clearing labour of the council workers. Therefore, to save cost and also avoid controversial arguments on the environmental issues contradicting many banners with slogan of Greener and Cleaner Penang, it is high time for the local council to plant or replant or replace the present species of trees with less branches and falling leaves.

As the name of the island implied, Pulau Pinang derives its name from the name of Areca Catechu or Pinang Palm. However, ironically, except for few places such as Codrington Avenue and Esplanade playground, we can hardly find any prominent proliferation of these Pinang trees within the town area. Pinang trees, one of the essential features of Penang signatures, should be considered an ideal choice of substitution for the present species as they are of pinnate compound leaves without any branches. Incidentally, their leaves are not straightly or upwardly protruding but growing downwardly and this may help to save the cutting and trimming exercises being conducted regularly by the local council. Secondly, the leaves of Pinang trees do not easily wither and fall and this would keep the roads free of scattering leaves.

Prioritizing planting of Pinang trees is not only apt to the name of “ Pulau Pinang” but also nostalgic of its agricultural heritage.