Statement from the Lee DW School of International Policy Studies

Saturday practice is back again. Do you know what that means for us?

It means waking up at 8+ to travel to school(depending on where you stay), then practice for around 3 hours. Then another one hour trip back home or wherever.

It means the convenient ignoring of a letter given to our parents before SYF stating that the school was sorry, we need to add Saturday CCA for your son, once SYF is over we'll stop it.

It does mean no Friday practice. But the time spent in the run-up to the 3.30 Friday practice and the run-up to the Saturday practice are two different things altogether.

On Friday, we are already in school. Now, you are either in a merit CCA that is held after school (that's why CO starts at 3.30) or you, like me, slack around in the Bishan area before that. The library is overrun by CO people before 3.30. People either rest or mug.

On Saturday, we have to actually go to school again, just like weekdays. Honestly, what do you like better: staying back for a bit to go for CO, possibly using that tme for something good, or having to specially come to school on Saturday?

Now, you may be dismissing me for a lazy conservative person. But you want to be politically correct? So can I.

The Government has implemented a 5 day work week as standard throughout its departments. The MOE has also strongly supported this action. (http://www.moe.gov.sg/parliamentary_replies/2004/pq19102004.htm)

When the current batch of Sec 4s were Sec 1s, we had a Saturday xiaozu. Because of the 5 Day Work Week that was cancelled.

Have you considered family time? Does your family actually like you running to school to Saturday? The first day of the weekend?

Now, many people say it is 'necessary' to hold practice then. That is ambiguous.

Firstly, is holding xiaozu on Monday and dazu on Friday wise? That's a 4 day gap between the two of them, people.

Oh wait, there's a solution. Anyone feel like Wednesday practice? Hmmm?

Another reason given is that Mr Lim can't make it on Friday. I shall conveniently ignore the fact that he actually came on Friday before, not once, but twice. But I shall not speculate on his schedule.

What is more important, the orchestra or the conductor? I am not in any way disrespecting Mr Lim. He is a very, very good musician. (http://www.sco.com.sg/about_orch_musicians.asp , scroll down to the bottom, see arranger-in-residence) But everything is give and take. If we sacrifice too much...well, there's no end to it, is there?

Weekends are there for a reason. Rest. Homework. Family time. So on and so forth.

Choose carefully. Unfortunately, if you're not on one side you're on the other. You can't pon and not not mean to pon at the same time.

“Every board member should have the right to stand up and vote the way they believe in. Just because the board is not voting 5-0 doesn't mean it's dysfunctional.” Christopher Myers


P.S : Good luck for CCTs. I'll talk about them next time if I haven't already been arrested. O.O

Di Wei
Secetary
RICO