Discussion on Dr Ong Teck Chin

[autolycus]

WeiHan:

I read that the former head of CID has been appointed to lead the investigation board.


But don't expect much info will be released after the investigation. I speculate that there will be much coverup to save the name of the school.

Don't read too much into that. The 'former head of CID' happens to be on the http://www.blueskiescom.com/alumni/aug_sep_10/acs_boards.html, so it seems a rational choice. After all, he's had a lot of experience in investigating, no?

As for cover-up, there are only three reasonable outcomes (exonerated, exonerated with caveats, and guilty), and no board has to report findings to non-stakeholders. Unlike an institution that has the word 'National' in its name, or one that has a powerful patron, this one (having neither) is not really of such great interest.

[daisyt]

ksi:

Recently I received a missed call from my very own mobile number in my same mobile phone. My own mobile is no where stored on my mobile phone so there could not be any error on my part to call myself.

Hur?? How can that happen? :?

[jencrs]

3Boys:

For instance, I do have financial advisors representing certain institutions, who will advise me to take on products from competitors if they were better, and I appreciate their candour and respect them for that.

That's not the same thing at all.

These are financial advisors. If the CEO of the financial institution tells you publicly to go to their competitor, what would you think? The boss doesn't even have faith in his own company.

[3Boys]

jencrs:

3Boys:

For instance, I do have financial advisors representing certain institutions, who will advise me to take on products from competitors if they were better, and I appreciate their candour and respect them for that.

That's not the same thing at all.

These are financial advisors. If the CEO of the financial institution tells you publicly to go to their competitor, what would you think? The boss doesn't even have faith in his own company.

I don't think there is a perfectly correct answer for this. I have had vendors who have recommended a competitor's product based on specs I set. In the case of the above, if the company indeed does not have the best product in that segment, then I DO expect that even the CEO would tell me to go elsewhere. Its not so much whether the CEO has faith in his own company, but whether the company serves that market segment or not. If not, far better to declare that at the outset than to struggle along and fail to deliver.

[jencrs]

hquek:

Weighing in on this, I think it's admirable that he dared to stand out and tell the students to go to another school where their talents may be better enhanced. I would take it from a point that the current school is not able to meet their needs fully and there is a better school they can consider.

It's not admirable at all. If he told this to specific students, the cream of the crop, I could perhaps tolerate it.


But to say this publicly, to students in general and teachers present, is akin to a slap in the face. What does that do to morale? To say something like that in public, how would the principal and teachers feel? How would the students view the school and teachers afterwards?

hquek:

There are so many choices out there in the world, it's refreshing to hear something that's not biased just cos one is an employee or has something to gain from their recommendation.

Not biased? You DO know his alma mater is Raffles right?

[jencrs]

3Boys:

I don't think there is a perfectly correct answer for this. I have had vendors who have recommended a competitor's product based on specs I set. In the case of the above, if the company indeed does not have the best product in that segment, then I DO expect that even the CEO would tell me to go elsewhere. Its not so much whether the CEO has faith in his own company, but whether the company serves that market segment or not. If not, far better to declare that at the outset than to struggle along and fail to deliver.

Again, not the same thing. The further we go down this financial product illustration, the more we'll digress.

[3Boys]

jencrs:

hquek:

There are so many choices out there in the world, it's refreshing to hear something that's not biased just cos one is an employee or has something to gain from their recommendation.

Not biased? You DO know his alma mater is Raffles right?

Ha Ha! Makes him all the braver I think! Yah, many folk would ding him for being a RI old boy, but he went ahead and did it anyway. Maybe his way of lighting a fire under underperforming staff and shaking the school out of complacency.

[3Boys]

jencrs:

3Boys:

I don't think there is a perfectly correct answer for this. I have had vendors who have recommended a competitor's product based on specs I set. In the case of the above, if the company indeed does not have the best product in that segment, then I DO expect that even the CEO would tell me to go elsewhere. Its not so much whether the CEO has faith in his own company, but whether the company serves that market segment or not. If not, far better to declare that at the outset than to struggle along and fail to deliver.

Again, not the same thing. The further we go down this financial product illustration, the more we'll digress.

I am struggling to understand why not. Perhaps you could cite a more appropriate analogy?

We are losing the plot here a little. One needs to keep in view the results. Yeah, if what he did was not coupled with strong leadership, and let to a meltdown in morale and performance, sure, knock him. But if turned the school around and shot them up the academic rankings, who could argue that the methods did not work? Not everyone could do what he did and get away with it, but he had an end-game in mind, and the faith in his own abilities, so we need to view the tactics in light of winning the war, and not on their own.

[jencrs]

3Boys:

Ha Ha! Makes him all the braver I think! Yah, many folk would ding him for being a RI old boy, but he went ahead and did it anyway. Maybe his way of lighting a fire under underperforming staff and shaking the school out of complacency.

If he wants, do it in staff meetings.

[jencrs]

3Boys:

I am struggling to understand why not. Perhaps you could cite a more appropriate analogy?

haha I am struggling to understand why an analogy is needed in the 1st place.

3Boys:

We are losing the plot here a little. One needs to keep in view the results. Yeah, if what he did was not coupled with strong leadership, and let to a meltdown in morale and performance, sure, knock him. But if turned the school around and shot them up the academic rankings, who could argue that the methods did not work? Not everyone could do what he did and get away with it, but he had an end-game in mind, and the faith in his own abilities, so we need to view the tactics in light of winning the war, and not on their own.

No one's knocking his achievements. They are undeniable.

So what you're saying is that the end justifies the means? To view tactics not on their own but just to win the war?

This is the part where on surveys I'll put 5 on the scale for strongly disagree Life is as much a journey as it is the destination. And more so during the early impressionable years of a teenager.

Is what he did really so admirable that after all these years it still leaves a bad taste in the mouth of my ex-teachers and my ex-classmates?

But I'm curious to know where you're coming from. It's easy to be a devil's advocate and to make comments as an armchair general to put a positive spin into almost anything. Given a little time, I'd bet anyone could even come up with a case for the Holocaust. Doesn't mean it's right. So are you an Old Boy?