Education. What on earth is it anyway? Newspapers are bursting with news of graduates with low quality, no English command and whatsoever nonsense. Even my course lecturers are lamenting the quality of our graduates now. We may be well equipped with the knowledge in our specific major...seems like...we are getting more and more selfish. No la...selfish is too harsh a word...ignorant I think sounds better.
Today, in my course of Introduction to Peace and Humanities, there is a talk by Mr Anis who had once worked with the United Nations for quite some number of years. He came to talk to us about UN of course, and its role in peacekeeping. But half his lecture succeeded in revealing how darn ignorant can these so-called "educated" people can be. How these people, in the course of their own comfort zone in the now peaceful Malaysia, never really bothered about that happen to other people, other countries...and painfully narrow minded when it comes to general knowledge all these educated people should have known. I was probably one among the many in class that were ignorant to an extend.
He started off the talk with a few questions. The few...which lucky me..manage to answer all correct. Some were really my knowledge...some were a guess out of common sense. Here we go:
1. How many countries are there in the United Nations?
A) 200 B) 185 C) 192 D) 195
This question I definitely know the answer...partly was because hey, I love to read. Partly was because I heard this over and over again in gakkai...which mentioned that SGI has also 192 countries and territories in its membership.
He mentioned something very strict...many in class just give it a wild guess. Wild guessing is just like cheating...you do not know the answer and you just sapu one and hopefully you got it correct. Where in the world is your integrity? Nearly sweated when he said that. Can only say that, I was glad I know the answer as in..KNOW...not guess.
2. Who is the UN Secretary General
A) Kofi Adnan
B) Boutros Boutros Ghali
C) Ban Ki Moon
D) Barrack Obama
Well...I should say if anybody who call themselves students or educated and had no idea about the answer to this question should be seriously ashamed of themselves. Except for Obama, the rest of it are all Sec-Gen...just that Ban Ki Moon is the current one.
3. When is the UN formed?
A) 1914 B) 1946 C) 1945
Well...it is formed after WWII...1945
4. How many countries are there in Africa?
Too lazy to type his multiple choice. Generally I was half guessing this question as well. I heard of it before somewhere in my secondary school...But as he went on with his multiple choice, I and another student in class (only two people), chose the correct answer. But frankly speaking, even if you hunt online...it gives many differing answers anyway.
Why do majority of the class know nothing about the Africa continent? When he asked around for their first impression of Africa...nearly all are negative. No wonder... We already have a bad mindset.
5. How big is the population in Iraq?
Hm...I surprisingly got this right. His choices differ from 100 million to 17 million. Many who thought they are very well equipped with people because of so many wars, chose 100 million. I chose 17 million...because I thought many lives are probably wasted anyway... Actually, it is probably less than 17 million...
His talks are mainly to empower us to study hard, graduate well and contribute to the society.. Especially with the thought of working in United Nations. Hmm...nice point to ponder. But he also mention some 'disabilities' of students that can prevent this from happening...inability to communicate well in English, not outspoken, ignorant of the most basic questions like...how many countries are there in the world? Aiya...I don't even know...
How well educated am I huh?
