A Poem by Allan CF Goh
Education starts from birth’s yell To teach the young survival skill Stories that all parents will tell Enhance the infants’ growing trill It is found in the lilting song Or the constant loves that surround Or the voices heard all day long As well as all the things around.
School and ‘formal education’ To many are one and the same That’s a narrow definition That strives to bring the child to fame School should be a knowledge centre To fund children’s curiosity Allow good values to enter With proper generosity
School is the national cradle To produce upright citizens If the wrong knowledge is peddled The Nation fails with denizens With all the useless attributes Unable to discern wrong from right Disadvantaged to contribute To bless the State with brightest light
Education the sacred torch Must light up the mental darkness With all righteous principles taught To produce students of rightness With useful knowledge and wisdom And unquestioned ability So as to build the best kingdom Within the world’s community
All our schooling generation Must not be manipulated By contrived misinformation Or ‘facts’ politically polluted They must freely develop To the best of their potential In solid worth enveloped Not crippled by politics racial
A good sensible government Will give all our students the best Ensure their destined fulfillment To overcome all future test A responsible government Ensnare them not in politics’ whirl But provide sound encouragement And value them for the future world
Students should not be subjected To wishy-wasy vagaries With their best interests rejected For political expediencies The State must provide best features In planning our education For our youth to touch the future Confidently for the Nation