Games at NUS orientation camps sexualised
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If this is really happening, it should be investigated and the uni should put a stop to it. It is completely unacceptable.
This is the result of the overemphasis on academic results and the paucity of education on values. And it’s not just the fault of the education system. So many parents who should be teaching their children values are focusing only on their children’s academic results as well as their own jobs and leisure pursuits (‘hand phones’). The often unmonitored, easy access to the internet and social media that our kids ‘enjoy’ is also to blame.
When DS1 went to sec school, it was a bit of a shock to my system to hear about kids who clearly lacked so sorely in the areas of responsibility, honesty and integrity. And there is nothing in place to encourage any of them to change. The mindset now is to foster independence. Sometimes I think that is just an excuse by an overburdened system not to provide these impressionable teens with the supervision they need.
Bracing myself for worse in Uni, JC and army. -
I don’t know that it’s the emphasis on academic results. I believe it’s the legacy of “it was done to us, so let’s do it to the juniors” coupled with too much exposure to sexualised content these days. Possibly the fact that the guys have done NS may also have something to do with it? I have told my girls that if it ever happens to them, they should walk out and we will back them all the way.
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This seems an old issue…can’t the uni tell the organisers…one more complaint of such activity and you are expelled?? Obviously the school is failing the kids. Mine are boys - but I will be sure to tell them, feel free to walk out if these activities are offensive, NEVER be party to such harassing ways.
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slmkhoo, it’s good that you had that conversation with your kids.
And it’s not the emphasis on academic results as you have pointed out. What I mean is the OVER-EMPHASIS on academic results at the expense of values. Of course there are exceptions, but in general, I would say this is true of many Singapore youth and parents today. -
SpartanMum:
That, I agree. For many, all can be forgiven as long as the kids produce good grades.slmkhoo, it's good that you had that conversation with your kids.
And it's not the emphasis on academic results as you have pointed out. What I mean is the OVER-EMPHASIS on academic results at the expense of values. Of course there are exceptions, but in general, I would say this is true of many Singapore youth and parents today. -
hquek:
This seems an old issue...can't the uni tell the organisers...one more complaint of such activity and you are expelled?? Obviously the school is failing the kids. Mine are boys - but I will be sure to tell them, feel free to walk out if these activities are offensive, NEVER be party to such harassing ways.
Yes, I can't understand why this never seems to go away. Just tell the organisers that their grades will be reduced across the board, and I'm sure that should work. Or that they won't get good testimonials when they graduate and need to find a job. -
slmkhoo:
Orientation activities have committees. That hard to find who's at fault? Else, make the whole committee responsible for any such violations. Otherwise I am just going to believe that the universities don't give a hoot.hquek:
This seems an old issue...can't the uni tell the organisers...one more complaint of such activity and you are expelled?? Obviously the school is failing the kids. Mine are boys - but I will be sure to tell them, feel free to walk out if these activities are offensive, NEVER be party to such harassing ways.
Yes, I can't understand why this never seems to go away. Just tell the organisers that their grades will be reduced across the board, and I'm sure that should work. Or that they won't get good testimonials when they graduate and need to find a job. -
I am just amazed at how an entire organisation committee or the majority of their members can think that these games are appropriate. Even at JC level when we were planning orientation activities, we were mindful not to carry things too far and we are talking about getting someone’s uni dirty, not make them simulate such unspeakable acts.
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hquek:
Orientation activities have committees. That hard to find who's at fault? Else, make the whole committee responsible for any such violations. Otherwise I am just going to believe that the universities don't give a hoot.
As long as no strong official complaints are made, the universities would prefer to do nothing, I guess. After all, it's just a couple of weeks a year, they probably think. And a lot of students will prefer not to make an issue of it for fear of repercussions from seniors. It needs to be really blown up, with complaints to the police, the press, raised in parliament, names named etc. Just sack or suspend a couple of the perpetrators as an example, and the problem will be solved. -
slmkhoo:
Concur! Hope next year and onward kids will stand up and walk out if they don't feel comfy.hquek:
Orientation activities have committees. That hard to find who's at fault? Else, make the whole committee responsible for any such violations. Otherwise I am just going to believe that the universities don't give a hoot.
As long as no strong official complaints are made, the universities would prefer to do nothing, I guess. After all, it's just a couple of weeks a year, they probably think. And a lot of students will prefer not to make an issue of it for fear of repercussions from seniors. It needs to be really blown up, with complaints to the police, the press, raised in parliament, names named etc. Just sack or suspend a couple of the perpetrators as an example, and the problem will be solved. -
This is terrible ! I would bay for blood and demand accountability!
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hquek:
Concur! Hope next year and onward kids will stand up and walk out if they don't feel comfy.[/quote]No! They have to make it right THIS YEAR! There has be proper apologies to the girls and the organisers hauled up. Education hasn't done much for them, has it?slmkhoo:
[quote=\"hquek\"]Orientation activities have committees. That hard to find who's at fault? Else, make the whole committee responsible for any such violations. Otherwise I am just going to believe that the universities don't give a hoot.
As long as no strong official complaints are made, the universities would prefer to do nothing, I guess. After all, it's just a couple of weeks a year, they probably think. And a lot of students will prefer not to make an issue of it for fear of repercussions from seniors. It needs to be really blown up, with complaints to the police, the press, raised in parliament, names named etc. Just sack or suspend a couple of the perpetrators as an example, and the problem will be solved. -
Can I just say that in the current day and age, it’s difficult to teach abstinence. Rather, it makes more sense to teach protection and respect.
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ammonite:
Right.
No! They have to make it right THIS YEAR! There has be proper apologies to the girls and the organisers hauled up. Education hasn't done much for them, has it?
Because next year the current students who felt traumatised this year will not be affected , so they wont care. That is why it carries on year after year. :mad:
Time for a talk with DD. -
Some of the kids who got ‘lewd acts’ performed on them need to question themselves as to why they couldn’t speak up for themselves and allowed such acts to be performed on them. The worry of being ‘ostracised’ is greater than the need to protect oneself? Something is not right in their character building journey I feel (not decisive/brave enough to stand up for self).
My kids didn’t join in similar sorts of ‘orientation programmes’ after sec schools onward.
Asking them why?
They replied, ‘You know what kind of lame games they are likely to play and what for go and be humiliated?’
Asking them they not afraid of having no ‘network’?
They replied, 'Network sure will have wan. No need purposely go what orientation program for such."
Call them cynical but I view them as ‘smart’ not to put themselves in a probable crowd of ‘lewd people’.
(these types of lewd games happened even during my times and so it does seem like they are ‘rituals’ to compete who can get ‘dirtier’ for ‘fun’.) -
How are these “student leaders” selected?
If the uni can expel the student leaders who executed the games, I bet the leaders will think twice even though if the games are planned by the committees.
Something wrong with our education system in leadership selection! -
For those questions asked, I know a feisty kid enough to cleverly answer the questions to bounce back at them effectively. However, I am not sure if such actions would provoke them to make her do more crude and lewd acts since the power of orientation is in the their hands. Bottom line is whatever answer is given, it is a win-lose situation, so it is clearly an act of bully.
So I wonder at a few things:
1. Are the members in the organising committee predominantly boys or no girls at all? Even if there are minority girls, should they not represent the girls' interest? Can lesson #1 be 'learn how to accept sexual harassment?\" That would be appalling!
2. NUS and NTU chase for good high ranking for the universities ranking...do they want to be ranked low for orientation? I hope not. It really deprecates the value of the universities. The activities conducted are not embarrassing, they are totally OBSCENE!! :roll: Shocked that nothing has been done effectively to curb this for a decade!
3. Are these obscene activities happening only in specific faculties and Unions? I cannot imagine all faculties are the same... I would like to be warned which faculties behave in such a wayward way instead of assuming all faculties are the same. :yikes: if all the same... But if there are best practices in certain faculties, these should be make role models for the rest and publicised.
4. Since the activities are getting so crude and lewd, perhaps the last resort is for new students to boycott the orientation totally by spreading the word around for those lousy orientation groups. If there are no attendees, what can they do?
5. Of course writing this bad track record into their personal record of the committee involved would most probably be the most effective but that would be the most drastic action if required for these young and restless and mindless for a change of behaviour. -
Ikid:
How are these \"student leaders\" selected?
If the uni can expel the student leaders who executed the games, I bet the leaders will think twice even though if the games are planned by the committees.
Something wrong with our education system in leadership selection!
Some murder case contains a couple (husband and wife) as murderers
Then one may wonder that it's bad enough for one to be siow but it gets worst when two can go siow together.
So your question on 'leadership' is a sound one.
The leader can be siow, but how come his/her members can siow together with him?
Is he/she that charismatic to charm everyone into agreement to do wrong things or his/her members are just plain blind mice who have no blain of their own?
Leadership! -
Anyone knows which faculty ?