不该在吃麦当劳早餐时读这样的新闻。一位从所谓“精英”初院毕业的所谓‘精英’，在读完NIE后得知自己被分到一间邻里小学教书，立刻要求转校，理由？

"When I received the notification that I will be posted to this school, I immediately went to apply for a transfer with the HR department. I have heard that neighbourhood schools, such as this school, have a lot of 'problem students'. I am from XX Junior College, I would not be able to adapt to such an environment".

读了这段话，我差点儿没吐出来。新加坡的教育出了什么问题，怎么会教育出这样的男人（如果我们还可以称他为男人）？虽不知道是哪一间初院，但也不难猜，就那一两间而已。很好奇，他的这种BT想法从那里滋生的。生活环境还是学校灌输？若是家境导致，必是富贵之家出生，那何必让自己受苦做教师，教师的薪水是饿不死，也发不了财，在家让父母养着，岂不快哉？何苦折磨自己？若是学校灌输，这间初院的大名可真该见光一下，是否学校有意无意间在灌输学生只有进了该初院，就意味着脱离了广大平民百姓，高人一等，位居‘精英’之列？

可悲的是，不论何种原因，都不是短期内可以解决的，当今社会、家长的一些根深蒂固的观念需要的是几代人的努力才能初见成效的，而教育大环境更不是很多人站出来举起瘦弱的手臂就能改变方向的。但至少我们可以从小做起，教育部先应同这位‘精英’谈谈，防止其病菌继续传播开来。这位目前已转去一间‘Elite’学校教‘gifted’学生，相信当学生不听话，不交功课时，他给出的反例一定是之前这间邻里小学，跟着警告学生，如果你们不好好读书，将来一定跟他们一样，而不是象我这样成为国家的精英。悲兮！

值得欣慰的是，新闻中的另一位主角，该邻里小学校长的一番话：

"Young man, you are very fortunate to be able to enjoy being educated in 'elite' schools since young, to have a good family and schooling environment, to live in such a protected and happy environment and not come into contact with those from another socio-economic milieu. Before coming to this school, I was also unaware that Singapore has so many low income families which are struggling to survive. 60% of the students here have parents whom only have primary school education, 30% of them come from single-parent families; having a hard life, these children already have a bad starting point and live in a maladjusted environment, thus bringing all kinds of bad habits and problems to school. Hence, in order to bring them onto the correct path, we need to approach and teach them with greater love and patience".

我是语言上的悲观者，却是行为上的乐观者。虽然嘴上说得好像世界将要灭亡般黑暗，但心中坚信教育界中这类‘精英’不过是一锅香喷喷粥里的一颗老鼠屎，在它的病毒没有散布开来前小心挑出来，粥依旧可口。毕竟大多数的教育者虽不一定都有着崇高的理想，但至少有着良知和基本的职业道德，在自己能力范围内努力地将一代一代人培养成对社会有用的非精英，他们才是这个社会坚实的基础。