The Old School Tie

I am quite fortunate that somehow I became a life member of my former schools, namely the King George V of Seremban and the Royal Military College(formerly known as the Federation Military College). My involvement in both is minimal but today when I read in the NSTP on page 30 entitled " Bring back the glory days" by H.S.Sraan of KL, I am prompted to pen my thoughts. What the writer says is nothing new, and since he's writing from experience being a former teacher at the RMC, I am sure he is sincere in making that call.I have not met him because he came much later after I left college in 1964. Perhaps he's not aware that the Old Puteras Association (which is the equivalent of an Old Boy's Association) have embarked on a project called " Return to Excellence" by first improving the facilities, which given the bureaucratic inertia had overcame an important hurdle when the former Chief Secretary was instrumental in speeding up action(he was an Old Boy) but more difficult is revivival of the standards. What I mean by standards is the benchmark of quality in people managing both the military as well as the academic areas of the College system. No matter how committed are the leaders at the College level, if they don't get the support from the Mindef which holds the key to many things, then all efforts shall come to no avail. The staff being posted to the College must be the cream of the cream, and not just any person will do.That was how it all started when Templer envisioned the College to be the home of future leaders in all walks of life, not just the Armed Forces. I might not have been in touch with what is going on in my alma mater, but from just one event which I attended a few months ago, it doesn't augur well on the future. I am not talking about the facilities, that have been taken care of, and in fact there is an allocation of about RM 100 million to expand the physical infrastructure in view of the future expansion in intake and the upgrading of the College. It's the quality of the present "Boys" that somewhat is in the askance. The ethnic balance which was the critical mass is not there, not that there's no effort in trying, but it's just not good enough. Selection must be purely on merit and if this is not adhered to, the poor perception of parents on the quality and superiority of the education provided there will not be erased. This coming friday night, I am attending a so-called "Teh Tarik Session" organised by a couple of old boys ( known as Old Puteras)as a speaker to share with those attending my past experiences of serving in government. I would like to see what are the changes that have taken place in their attitude towards things in life.I am keeping an open mind, and the next posting will perhaps be telling of the new generation which I have not known of.