Friday, August 03, 2007
The Strait Times forum is filled with so many interesting issues, its like my playground. I know its a sad reality, but I guess a analytical mind is more exciting than some other rather boring stuff. A article recently commented on the swimming system in Singapore schools, and its ineffectiveness. The writer drew that conclusion from the fact that many people have seemed to be drowning in Singapore. When I was in school, I too had to take many swimming lessons, and personally I found it waste of my time. Eventually I would end up playing with water with my friends, thank God I didn't drown there.
I'll have to agree with the response to that letter, which said "I don't think any amount of swimming lessons will help you if you get caught by strong currents in the sea, reservoir or canals.. think the MOE is barking up the wrong tree with swimming lessons, should instead teach water safety (can't swim? then don't swim) and teach practical stuffs like how not to be stupid think that a handphone that has dropped into the canal costs as much as a life."
If we want to bring it to an extreme, I'd say that if the government had real concern for the safety of it's people in waters, it should adopt the same policy with swimming as it does with driving, so that when people pass, they really know how to swim. Granted not every situation can be covered and taught in class, enough should be taught so that swimmers know what to do in an emergency, just as drivers will know what to do when a police car comes down the road with its siren on. If you ask me, I think I drive better than I swim.
Dan
2:37 pm
