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Teaching to
Cheat
by Haali-mathee
Haa
(pseudonym)
January 2003
School is a competitive business in Maldives, as in other societies, and school exhibitions often feature student works of high quality. However, our correspondent is disturbed that the real reason for encouraging student talent may be lost in the rush for prizes. Is it life's most important lesson that we win at any cost?
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One of the worst social
problems in today's Maldives is the pointless rivalry among parents of school
children. It serves no useful purpose and escalates the social stress that is
all too rampant in the country.
Often jealous parents lay in wait near schools
for a talented student in their child's class to come out. When she or he does,
the parent and their adult friends will verbally abuse and bully the
poor child in front of jeering parents and children.
Award-winning exhibits
entered in school art exhibitions are routinely done by professional artists.
Some schools seem to be powerless to stop this, and are now labelling exhibits
as done by the student and parent. It is an insult to the intelligence of those
who go to see the exhibitions. An example was the Ghiyasuddin School (Malé)
art exhibition called Art to Heart which presented the work of students aged 7 to 12 years. Their website is: www.educom.edu.mv/ghiyasuddin/exhibits/
art_to_heart.htm
Almost all the award-winning exhibits
pictured here were assigned to the student 'and parent'. One has
to wonder if the school is assessing the skills of the student, the parent or
a professional artist. All the awards, bar one, in that exhibition were won by exhibits entered jointly
by students and parents.
The sole exhibit by a student, supposedly without input from a parent, won an award probably because it was inspired by an Islamic religious theme and depicted a derelict mosque. From the sophistication
of the work, it is highly questionable whether that painting was done by the student
on her own.
Young people's creative talent will only grow if the parents and professionals give them the opportunity.
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