::The inevitable happened.
Well, my request to defer my GEM was guess what.... rejected.
(Though actually I was not surprised)
Well, initially I was angry. (of course, who wouldn't be?)
Then, I became kind of sad.
Not at the school, but at the whole system.
(Isn't this also the way things are in other places?)
Here in sunny Singapore, life is all about scoring points and KPIs.
So what if taking part in an external course also meets the "objectives" of GEMs?
(Objectives such as broadening my experiences ie. learning stuff and making friends outside of one's course of study?)
Such things are not quantifiable - they cannot be accurately defined and measured.
Fortunately the number of courses one has taken can be measured.
(Whether they have actually succeeded in their objectives or not?)
Therefore it can make a good quantity.
After all, KPIs must be key to organisational success, right?
I am sad to say, I have made more friends and learnt more from my bike lesson than from all my GEMs put together.
For the record, I have not made any friends outside of my course from my GEMs.
GEMs that I have attended so far do not seem to go in depth enough into the topic to sustain enough interest.
(Exasperating to someone who actually signs up for GEMs because the topics interest her, then finds that unfortunately, the GEM she has chosen is kind of like... half-baked. :$ )
(Though actually I was not surprised)
Well, initially I was angry. (of course, who wouldn't be?)
Then, I became kind of sad.
Not at the school, but at the whole system.
(Isn't this also the way things are in other places?)
Here in sunny Singapore, life is all about scoring points and KPIs.
So what if taking part in an external course also meets the "objectives" of GEMs?
(Objectives such as broadening my experiences ie. learning stuff and making friends outside of one's course of study?)
Such things are not quantifiable - they cannot be accurately defined and measured.
Fortunately the number of courses one has taken can be measured.
(Whether they have actually succeeded in their objectives or not?)
Therefore it can make a good quantity.
After all, KPIs must be key to organisational success, right?
I am sad to say, I have made more friends and learnt more from my bike lesson than from all my GEMs put together.
For the record, I have not made any friends outside of my course from my GEMs.
GEMs that I have attended so far do not seem to go in depth enough into the topic to sustain enough interest.
(Exasperating to someone who actually signs up for GEMs because the topics interest her, then finds that unfortunately, the GEM she has chosen is kind of like... half-baked. :$ )
