Simple?

We like to opt for simplicity. Simplicity is the best. Simplicity is the easiest. What we fail to realise is that simplicity is not equivalent to being moderate.

In defence, many of us will ask. What’s wrong with being simple? Well nothing is wrong with being simple but it surely is disturbing when you start to think of the only solution to any problem is to simplify things. Why bother to think about the third choice when there is only black or white? Why do we need to bother about the possibility to be an ambivert when for an obvious reason most of your friends are made up of only extreme extroverts and introverts? Extreme is simple. Why do we need to think outside the box when thinking with limited capacity is sufficient to explain everything that revolves around us?

Simplicity as the name has suggested will later bring us to another bigger problem. This is when being simple will not be as simple as it seems to be. Talking about the current situation in Malaysia where everyone believes they have equal right to say things considering that they have done plenty of readings from social networks, mass media and “hey Google is our best friend”. Information is at your disposal. Reading an article written by an anonymous who self-proclaims a fresh graduate from an overseas university is ample enough to make you, a critical audience who knows everything about our education system.

There is no way that those people who have designed the current education system know better than you do because you have done your Google research. No need to read academic journals. Social networks they can disseminate information faster in a simplified form. But, probably I should try asking few experts…says no one ever!

When the education system is flawed, the simplest and fastest action to do is to find a scapegoat and apparently, we always believe that the leader should not err. A conscious mind who refuses to think simply will always hesitate before deciding who is to blame. But a simple mind will be easily controlled by impulse. Being impulsive and thinking in simplicity will often make us overlook at other possibilities. You will tend to choose between two extremes. Life on its own exists on a continuum. There is always something in between. You can choose either black or white. And there is always the third colour grey. 

Our education system is not built within a day. It is an on-going search. We are no near to perfection, of course. However, our ‘awful’ education system is improving gradually. We are going on a right track but to expect an immediate effect within twenty years, that is absurd. That is an evident of opting for simplicity.

A system is not called a system if only one person makes it work. It is a system because it consists of other components. Our education system is not being carried out only by the ministry. The implementation of it requires equal responsibility from students, teachers, parents, stakeholders, and schools per se. It is obviously unfair to elect a scapegoat and let all the blame cascading on him. That’s one hefty burden you have there, mate!

Similarly, simplicity and its simpletons may or could result in this one erroneous believe: schools should never have assessments. Malaysia is too exam-oriented. That is another evidence of us being too simple. Assessment on its own cannot be just discussed within one day. Its very own importance is undeniably manifested in every form of life. In Islam, we are often ‘assessed’. That is how we will know what fate awaits us in the afterlife.

All I am saying is that to simply say that assessment is not required only because it makes our education to be too exam-oriented is rather too egregious. Unjust. Assessment is a need. Assessment is made to measure one’s performance. It does not only benefit teachers, but students too. Who would simply set exam questions just to see their students suffering for an hour? I would not simply spend my days to give marks and write feedbacks for fun. I would do them because I believe in a good education system there is always a room for assessment. A good student is a reflective student. What better way can help a student to reflect himself other than an assessment? What we need is to have a type of assessment that can be both formative and summative. Hey, ever familiar with “there is no approach fits all”?

Find the golden rule. Of course, there is nothing wrong to be simple. Be simple when it is appropriate. I do not think it is relevant to think complicatedly when you know your life is in danger. It’s either fight or flee. Be moderate. Think of another possibility. Simplicity is not always be the best.