Since the death of a boy in Royal Military College due to being ragged by his seniors last month, this ragging issue is being such a big hoo-haa in the whole nation! And yes...even to the extent of our Dean warning us not to get involved in it or we will be expelled if got caught! This is the first time we had ever been issued such warning because after all, our get-to-know-each-other session was a long time tradition being practiced by years and years of previous students. Apparently one anonymous parent called up our Dean and threatened to write to the mass media if there's another complaint (from obvious reason his pampered son or daughter) on ragging!
Now what IS ragging??? According to Wikipedia,
'Ragging' means the doing of any act which causes, or is likely to cause any physical, psychological or physiological harm, apprehension, shame or embarrassment to a student, and includes
- Teasing or abusing or playing practical joke on, or causing hurt to any student. or
- Asking any student to do any act, or perform any thing, which he/she would not, in the ordinary course, be willing to do or perform
But do we rag?? Well, the above definition is so vague that practically almost everything you do on the freshies are ragging!! So, from now on, seniors would just sit over a coffee table and chat all the way with the juniors to know each other?? But that's nothing special about that! I'll bet that by next year, seniors and juniors would just be merely saying "Hi" and "Bye" to each other with some even not knowing each others names!
What I think is, ragging in the form of physical wise is harsh.... But mentally and emotionally would only make one stronger, in fact, strengthen his/her E.Q. If by scolding and asking them to perform non-sexual acts are considered ragging, then I believe in almost all leadership camps and scouts camps would be termed ragging as well?? I do believe, in the end, it all goes down to the child being so pampered and spoilt by his/her parents that caused them to be unable to withstand minimal stress. What come our future generations of students? A bunch of sissies and cry-babies??? :|
3 comments:
hahaa.you should ask ur dad to make such report two years ago. Well, they are well pampered I would say
Well, I don't believe in ragging. I mean, if they were forced to, I'm sure seniors would be able to come up with activities to do that will strengthen the bond between seniors and juniors.
If your aim is only for seniors and juniors to get to know each other in a closer way, there are TONS of other ways that does not compromise the emotional, physical and mental state of the freshies.
It's not about being pampered, it's about culture shock. I mean, I'm sure at home you weren't asked to crawl around on the ground in circle on your hands and knees right? These "kids" are scared and frightened. Ragging does nothing but aggravate that. And face it, not EVERYBODY is as "strong" in mind to handle these sort of fears and issues in a strange, foreign place with no familiar face.
Ragging is only fun for the ragger, not the raggee. I doubt juniors would want to continue this tradition. >.<
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