University for dummies

Is the purpose of enrolment into an university is just to earn an academic qualification? Or is it a challenge and opportunity to equipped oneself with the necessary knowledge and other softskills to face the real world beyond the ivory tower upon graduation?

Is the trend of achieving academic excellence and scoring string of As in the school education system since the last 15 years or so already penetrated the universities? Are undergraduates getting too exam oriented and missed out on the golden opportunity to really experience life as a student in a university?

Participating in activities which do not contribute to their CPGA are just not in their daily calender. Maybe with the exception of those students who aspires to be in the political arena after graduation. But then not everybody wants to be a politician nowadays. It is just not on their list of " What I want to be when I grows up".

The much maligned occupation and political parties being regarded as one of the most corrupted certainly will not attract those undergraduates who are getting use of swearing at politicians whenever something went wrong in the country.

Do not get it wrong. Being active in campus activities does not means the person wants to be somebody in the political arena in the future. Getting involved in campus activities is to educate onselves to be more wholesome in their personal development and able to look at things with a bigger and clearer perspective.

Those who are prepared to accept the opportunity and challenge to stand on stage speaking to tens or hundreds or even thousands of people will find these experiences beneficial in the working world later. Most if not all the jobs in the world need us to open our mouth and talk to living persons. Maybe except the cemetery night shift caretaker.

Leadership skills can be derived from the books and the lecturers, theoritically. To really learn and practise it, it need oneself to experience it personally. The triumph, despair, glory and failure in crisis management and trouble-shooting need the actual participation of the person seeking the experience. It is through self experience that enables oneself to understand the strength and limitation within onself and to strive harder to be better the next time.

University is the place to pursuit academic excellence and also capacity building. There is no doubt about it. But does the authorities and undergraduates realized this? - Loka