From Classroom Discipline to Job Interview Attitudes — What Happened to Our Standards?
1. A Tale of Two Mindsets
A recent viral exchange between a job applicant and a recruiter sparked national debate. The applicant refused to attend a face-to-face interview, insisting that an online interview “wasn’t that tough” and that meeting in person did not guarantee a job. The employer’s calm yet cutting reply — “Keep this attitude for the rest of your job-hunting period; you’ll surely succeed in life” — exposed something deeper than employment etiquette.
It wasn’t just about interviews. It was about attitude, respect, and values — the very foundations once built in our schools.
2. From Classrooms of Excellence to a Culture of Entitlement
Rafizi Ramli, in his recent Deepavali message, praised his Indian-Malaysian teachers who shaped his life. That simple gesture touched many because it reminded Malaysians of a time when teaching was a calling, not just a career.
There was a time when:
- One graduate in a kampung was a source of pride.
- One PhD holder in town inspired generations.
- Scoring 80% and above was excellence — now, even 60% can be an A and 30% a pass.
We must ask ourselves:
- Have we lowered the bar so much that we now produce graduates without grit?
- Are we equating degrees with competence?
- Have we traded discipline and humility for entitlement and excuses?
3. Malaysia’s Golden Age of Teachers and Schools
From the 1950s to the 1980s, Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak were home to some of the best schools in the region — many built by missionaries, philanthropists, and community leaders. Among them:
- St. Paul’s Institution, Seremban
- St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh
- Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur
- St. Joseph’s, Kuching
- All Saints, Kota Kinabalu
- Anglo-Chinese School, Melaka & Penang Free School
- The La Salle and Convent school networks
These schools shared a DNA — teachers who demanded the best, students who took pride in discipline, and sports that built character. Being late meant learning accountability, not excuses.
4. Teaching: Once a Passion, Now a Profession?
The Cambridge Global Education Census found that 70% of Malaysian teachers still find teaching rewarding — the highest globally. Yet, the challenges are mounting: larger classes, more paperwork, and less parental involvement.
In the 1970s and 1980s:
- Teachers ran extra classes without pay.
- Students were taught values alongside subjects.
- Discipline was expected, not questioned.
Rafizi’s praise is more than nostalgia — it’s a reminder of the ethos we’ve lost.
5. India’s Parallel Journey — A Lesson in Community Responsibility
Post-independence India and Malaysia shared similar educational blueprints — both nurtured by missionaries and dedicated educators. But in India, education remains a community duty. Philanthropists, temples, and trusts fund schools, scholarships, and hostels. In Malaysia, we left it all to the government — and bureaucracy replaced benevolence.
Today, India exports scientists, engineers, and innovators while Malaysia struggles to fill STEM classrooms. The difference lies not in intellect, but in collective will.
6. From Colonial Roots to National Identity
The Razak Report (1956) aimed to unite the nation through education — with schools of different mediums but a common curriculum. But somewhere along the way, politics infiltrated pedagogy. We forgot that education was meant to produce thinking Malaysians, not obedient ones.
Questions we must ask:
- Did policy dilute standards in the name of equality?
- Are we teaching how to think or what to think?
- Have we started rewarding mediocrity instead of mastery?
7. Civil Service, Integrity, and the Decline of Pride
Malaysia once had a civil service admired for efficiency and pride. Air-conditioning was rare, but dedication was abundant. Today, we see complacency, absenteeism, and corruption where integrity once ruled. As one senior officer said: “We no longer serve the people; we serve our comfort.”
8. When Entitlement Replaces Effort
The job applicant who refused to attend a physical interview is symbolic of a generation raised with convenience over commitment. It mirrors our education system — pass marks lowered, standards compromised, accountability forgotten.
Education shapes work culture. Work culture shapes a nation. A nation without standards collapses under its own excuses.
9. The Way Forward — Reclaiming the Spirit of Our Teachers
We must reignite the spirit of the teachers who shaped us — the Paul Mony Samuels, the Brother Vincents, the Brother Ambroses, and the countless educators who saw teaching as service, not salary. Schools must again produce:
- Thinkers, doers, and dreamers.
- Effort, not excuses.
- Values as much as victory.
10. Conclusion — A Call to Rebuild
If the greatness of a nation is measured by the quality of its teachers, then our decline began when our reverence for teachers ended.
It’s time we ask:
- Where did our pride go?
- Who diluted our standards?
- What will we do to rebuild the spirit of the classroom that built our nation?
As we move forward, let us honour those who taught us that respect, effort, and humility are worth more than any paper qualification.
Success is not online. It is earned — face-to-face, with effort and heart.
This article is part of the Coaching4Champions commentary series by Amarjeet Singh @ AJ — exploring leadership, education, and values that shape Malaysia’s future.