Respect is the Key Word

            It is hard to believe but good values are dying. We are living in an era of materialism that deteriorates life values our ancestors had upheld for ages. Young people have lost their sense of appreciation of everyone and everything around them and for some, respect is a forgotten word.

The following are scenarios that happen in schools every day that show students’ insensitivity and immaturity.

            In the classroom, it is common to see educational books lying on the floor. Outside, exercise books and workbooks are discarded in the dustbin with other waste. Is that the value of books? These students throw them away without a second thought or sense of guilt. This is actually a reason why students have hard times comprehending new topics in the syllabus. The respect for knowledge is not there. This is upsetting.

            To make it worse, they disrespect not only the knowledge but also the knowledge giver. Many students treat their teachers badly and nonchalantly. For them, teachers are puppets. They lose their temper easily especially after they are taken actions for breaking the school rules. These rude students call their teachers bad names straight to the face. The teachers’ vehicles are always on target too. Just recently, a few Form 1 boys wished me, “May your house be on fire when you get home.” The words hurt but I tried not to take it personally.

            On another note, some students are caught chatting when the national anthem is sung. They should observe the moment of patriotism as a sign of respect. The special feeling to be Malaysian is clearly not instilled in them. This is certainly not the way we thank our heroes who fought to earn the freedom we enjoy today. These unpatriotic students fail to understand the value of the meaningful Negaraku.

Students also lack civic consciousness that results in a dirty environment. Rubbish on the floor and leftover food block people’s way when they walk along the corridor and the staircase. This causes discomfort and danger as they could slip or stumble on the rubbish scattered everywhere.

In his poem, “Heir Conditioning”, M SHANmughalingam expresses his disappointment towards the new generation who shows little respect for the environment. The poet reminisces the old days when pollution was not an issue and people embraced nature. Now, things are not the way they were and money is all they care about.

            One of the solutions to curb this problem is by starting an awareness campaign. I used to carry out a Clean, Clear and Conducive Campaign (4C) for the hostel in my previous school. The students work cooperatively based on the task distribution. They are free to decorate their dormitories and beautify the hostel compound creatively. The activity has not just taught them to respect their surrounding, it also teaches them to preserve the environment for the next generation.

            To show some respect is not rocket science. The children just need some guidance from their parents to help them be on the right track. We do not want our grandchildren to lose their respect on us, do we? So, start instilling good values in our children today for they are our leaders of tomorrow.

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey.

 9 September 2014