-NiE ,
ADVANCED
ARE children born with values like honesty, honour, respect and social responsibility? Or are these values derived from cultural socialisation? We live in an age where “the end justifies the means”. People rationalise their actions with seemingly valid reasons.
NiE Activity 1 Critical thinking ● Measure ● Organise
11
Uncorrupted virtues
Integrity
● Identify ● Reason
25 OCTOBER 2017
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent
Problem solving
Communicating
Read this story that appeared in The Star in March, 2017. How far would you go to study in a prestigious university? What would you have done if you were under immense pressure to enrol in a prestigious medical school in India? Would you have been among the 630 students caught for cheating?
Student doctors barred
INDIA’s highest court has barred hundreds of students from becoming doctors after they were caught paying bribes and cheating on exams to gain admission into prestigious medical schools. Around 630 students from central Madhya Pradesh state were found to have copied answers, had proxies sit for their exams or just outright paid to gain entry to selective medical colleges between 2008 and 2013. The Supreme Court first delivered a split verdict, with one judge suggesting the students serve time in the army as punishment. Paying bribes to secure an exam paper early or get bumped up the admissions ladder is not uncommon in India, but the brazen nature of this scam caused particular outrage. Federal investigators joined the probe two years later after a local TV journalist covering the lucrative scheme mysteriously wound up dead
● Question ● Research
● Recreate ● Present
● Oral
● Written
How do we develop a culture of integrity? In groups of four, come up with answers for the following prompts based on your understanding of how cheating for medical exams (in India) have developed over the years. Do you agree or disagree with the statements? Justify your answers and give a solution.
Steps
How do we rectify the situation? Justify your answer and give one solution or example.
Learning begins in the classroom
Learning creates a culture that rewards success. There must be other systems that reward hard work, courage, determination and respect for classmates.
History
Dishonesty and disrespect flourish in society. Can you think of an example of a role model who stood up for his beliefs and values and thus made a difference in the world?
Punishment
Should punishment be meted out to those who cheat? Can dishonesty be made into a teachable moment? (You can draw reference to the story above.)
NiE Activity 2 Critical thinking ● Identify ● Reason
● Measure ● Organise
What is trust?
Creative thinking ● Imagine ● Connect ● Brainstorm ● Invent
Is it the fact that you can believe in someone? Could knowing that someone is telling the truth lend itself to building a trusting relationship? If a person who committed a misdemeanour owned up to the mistake and allowed himself to be accountable for his misdeed, would he be able to earn your trust once again? A very tragic fire robbed the lives of 23 people at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz in Kuala Lumpur last month. The fire at the religious school swept through the top floor of the three-storey building. Witnesses were unable to save the victims, who were mostly school-going children. The case is being investigated as a criminal offence as foul play is suspected. Sadly, though, the lives of the children could have been saved, had fire safety requirements been adhered to. Read the following excerpt that appeared in The Star on Sept 15, 2017.
Problem solving ● Question ● Research
● Recreate ● Present
Communicating ● Oral ● Written ● Non-verbal ● Aural
Collaborating ● Listen
● Compromise
● Contribute ● Attain goal respectfully
Fire Dept: Escape route was blocked
School did not follow local govt regulations in applying for permits Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (operation) Datuk Soiman Jahid said the incident could have been avoided if the school had followed the local government regulations in applying for the appropriate permits. “The school did not acquire a permit to begin its operations but was in the midst of applying for one,” he said. He added that operations should have only begun once all permits were acquired. The school has been in operation for more than a year. He said his department had come back to the school with recommendations for fire safety, including equipment. “Based on our investigations now, the recommendations were not followed and renovations were made including putting up an illegal partition. The renovation blocked access to the second exit,” he told reporters. He added that the school should have submitted mechanical and engineering drawings prior to the building construction but nothing was submitted. He said the living arrangements at the top floor were very cramped with double-decker beds placed too close to one another. “This also would have made it difficult for victims to escape in an emergency,” he said.
In a press conference on Sept 19, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, “All schools must adhere to high safety standards to protect students from harm.” What has come to the forefront of this tragedy is that the building was not in compliance with fire safety codes. In groups of four, read the article carefully once again. List down at least four gross fire safety misconducts. Next, your teacher will set you up in groups. Each group will research the following topics. On an appointed day set by your teacher, share your findings on the following:
Group 1:
Group 4:
Group 2:
Group 5:
Group 3:
Group 6:
Identify fire hazards in schools, generally. What are some typical fire safety violations your group has seen in your school? Highlight them. Identify basic fire safety rules and examine the basic chemistry principles of fire.
Your team is in charge of a school fire safety plan. Your team oversees the school’s fire safety committee. Discuss what you would do as part of this committee. Your team rewrites the article on the left. Change as many details as needed, to give the children of this school a safe escape.