台灣民主政治非完美 / Taiwan's Democracy Is Far From Perfect

台灣民主政治非完美 李怡	Taiwan's Democracy Is Far From Perfect Li Yi
三月，台灣總統大選，不僅台灣人民全情投入，而且也使全球華人矚目，北京當局與國際社會，也關心大選的結果。	THE PRESIDENTIAL election in Taiwan last month aroused the fervour of the entire population on the island. Moreover, it grabbed the attention of the Beijing leadership and the international community alike, as well as that of the ethnic Chinese across the world.
這是台灣有史以來第二次全民投票選總統了。而且與第一次不一樣，這次沒有蔣經國指定的繼承人李登輝強勢參選，而是三強鼎立，競爭激烈，究竟鹿死誰手，難以逆料。因此，在台灣，真的是幾乎人人投入，體現了以民為主的時代。人民在選舉期間，就是“頭家”，握有決定國家領導人的莫大的權力。	This is the second time that the Taiwanese have chosen their president by direct voting. In the first election years ago, Lee Teng-hui was presented as the candidate strongly endorsed by the late President Chiang Ching-kuo. By contrast, in the recent poll, three strong teams of candidates contended for the presidency and people could hardly tell the results until they were announced. Almost every Taiwanese was involved, showing that the era of democracy had arrived. Throughout the campaigning, the people turned into the “boss” who wielded the almighty power of selecting the leader of the island.
從專權政治到民主政治，確實有很大的改變。專權政治是由一人、一黨做主，民主政治則是由全民做主。	It has been a drastic change from autocracy to democracy. Autocracy allows one person or one political party to decide everything, whereas democracy requires that all people make decisions together.
一人做主與全民做主，當然有本質上的區別。只不過，“做主”則是一樣的。儘管一人做主所行使的做主權力天天都存在，而全民做主則只是四年行使一次權力，但所行使的權力也是絕對的。	Herein, of course, lies a fundamental difference in the way decisions are made. The power to make decisions has remained an absolute one, though the autocrat could exercise the power every day whereas the whole population do so only once in four years.
一人做主的專權政治時代，獨裁者身邊總有許多阿諛逢迎的佞臣，獨裁者愛聽各種讚美他的好話，不要聽批評他的諫言。	In the old days of autocracy, around the monarch there was always a throng of toady courtiers. The dictator enjoyed all sorts of praise and flattery but hated frank criticism and admonition.
全民做主的時代，在全民行使投票權的時候，也有各候選人講些全民愛聽的好話，比如說要搞好經濟，增加全民的收入；說要進行政治改革，結束黑金政治；說要將党營事業付諸信託，政黨不再經營企業。	When decisions are made by all people, particularly when they are exercising their right to vote, there are also candidates who try to please the voters with sweet talks. For example, they promise to boost economy and raise income for the population; to carry out political reforms and put an end to money politics; or to hand the ruling-party-linked businesses over to the custody of trust companies and delink all political parties from business interests.
8年前美國總統大選，克林頓說要將中國人權狀況與美國是否給中國最惠國待遇直接掛鈎，這是美國老百姓愛聽的話，但克林頓上台後，卻不但不“直接掛鈎”，而且乾脆脫鉤。	In 1992, when campaigning in the presidential election in the United States, candidate Bill Clinton promised to directly link China’s human rights records with Washington’s decision on the Most Favoured Nation status for Beijing. That was nice to hear for the American voters. After entering White House, however, President Clinton did nothing to link the one with the other. Instead, he just delinked them.
專權政治時代，各地要買官的人紛紛向獨裁者獻上禮品，包括各地的珍寶、字畫、美女。全民做主的時代，在全民要行使投票權的時候，候選人也向“做主”的人民送上各種禮品，包括承諾會減稅，會增加福利。	Under the system of monarchy, greedy position-hunters would present the ruler with gifts, including treasures collected across the country, precious works of art, and pretty women. Under the system of democracy, especially during the electoral campaigning, candidates would present the voters with all kinds of gifts, including promises of tax cuts and welfare perks.
連戰提出將九年免費教育增加至12年，並主張“提高薪資特別扣除額”（即免稅額）的減稅措施。這些支票若予兌現，將大幅度減少財政收入、增加財政開支，光是提高免稅額一項，估計就會導致政府稅收減少74億元（台幣）。	Lien Chan, the ruling party’s presidential candidate in Taiwan, promised to extend the 9-year free education to 12 years and offered special tax rebates to allow the people to pay less to the government’s coffers. Should such vote-seeking promises be honoured, the financial revenue would be slashed and expenditures puffed up. For example, the special tax rebates alone would cut the tax revenue by NT$7.4 billion (S$414.4 million).
此外，各地方縣市，也趁選舉的機會，向中央要求增加地方預算撥款，有的縣要求增加的金額達十億元，執政黨為了選票，也一一允准。	Local administrations also tried to profit from the situation. They asked the central government for greater budget. Some counties, for instance, asked for a top-up of NT$1 billion (S$56.1 million) and got it, because the ruling party was keen to garner votes.
專權政治的時代，開明君主曾告誡不要“損百姓”，“若損百姓以奉其身，猶割脛以啖腹，腹飽而身斃”（見《貞觀政要》）。意思是，倘若君主苛斂，使老百姓疲弊痛苦，這就跟割下自己小腿的肉來充飢沒有兩樣。肚子飽了，卻難免一死。	Even an enlightened monarch in imperial China knew better than to overtax his people. Emperor Tai-zong of the Tang Dynasty warned of the consequences of fleecing the population to satisfy the ruler’s greed. “It is like cutting flesh off your own leg and feeding on it – your hunger is allayed but you die soon after,” he said, according to historical records.
以民為主的時代，老百姓又要政府減稅，又要政府加福利，無疑是“割脛啖腹”，若當選的政客將他所開的支票一一兌現，則百姓腹飽而國亡。因此，民主時代是逼政客說謊，因做主的百姓愛聽謊言，不說謊就不能當選。	Now, with democracy, the voters ask for tax cuts alongside welfare perks from the government. This is also like feeding on one’s own flesh. If the elected politicians honoured all the promises they have made, the people’s desires would be satisfied but the state would perish. So, democracy forces politicians to tell lies, because the would-be decision makers like lies. He who refuses to lie won’t get elected.
民主政治絕不是完美的制度，它只是至今為止，人類社會中弊端較少的制度而已。	Democracy is far from a perfect political system. It is merely a system that, so far in human history, has had fewer drawbacks.
(作者是前《九十年代》主編，資深政治評論家；本文原載香港《明報月刊》2000年3月號。)	[The author, editor of The Nineties, a defunct Hong Kong-based magazine, is a veteran political commentator. The source text was published in Ming Pao Monthly, March 2000.] (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[ 原載新加坡《聯合早報》2000-04-10社論/言論/天下事 (Bilingual Section)]

廢墟音樂 / Music from the Ruins

廢墟音樂 金雨田	Music from the Ruins Jin Yu Tian
五名音樂家，着整齊晚禮服，在已成一堆廢墟的圖書館內，演唱莫札特的安魂曲。場地局限和安全理由，觀眾不多，但通過國際電視轉播，兼籌義款。	FIVE musicians in neat evening dress were singing Mozart’s Requiem in a bombed-out library, or rather amid a heap of rubble. The rough venue and tight security check had kept down the audience, but the concert was being televised live on international media networks – to raise charity funds, incidentally.
多不和諧的場面，歌聲繚繞，卻在在為無數的戰爭冤魂哀戚。仇恨的炮火，可以摧毀一切有形，但滅絕不了人們內心對生的悲憫的优美聲音。	It was an incongruous situation. The air was resonant with the music and songs mourning for the countless lives lost in the war. Gunfire of hatred could destroy everything physical, but it could never stifle the voice of beauty and compassion from the human hearts.
音樂會的地點，就在波斯尼亞首都薩拉熱窩市內。就在這古城，還記得美國反戰民歌手瓊拜絲嗎？去年，她到這里演唱，出入坐裝甲車，一天，她步行時看到有個人在一間面包房瓦礫前拉大提琴，已經二十二天了，哀悼死于炮轟中的人，包括他兄長。	The scene was in downtown Sarajevo, capital of war-torn Bosnia, the same venerable city visited by – perhaps you remember – Joan Baez the pop singer and pacifist from America, who came and sang at concerts there last year. Mostly she travelled around in an armoured personnel carrier, but one day she took a walk outside. In front of a bakery reduced to ruins, she saw a man playing the cello there for the 22nd day hitherto, grieving with his music over the bombardment victims, including his own brother.
他演奏慢板樂章，哀悼死亡的瘋狂，祝頌幸存者奇蹟似的命運。瓊拜絲跪在他身旁，兩人最后相擁而泣。	Joan stopped. She listened to him playing adagio, bemoaning the ghastly deaths and rejoicing over the miraculous survivals. Finally, she knelt down beside the cellist and the two ended up in a close embrace, weeping.
她寫道：“那一整天我都暈眩在哀傷的靜謐中，縱使我在那天死了，也都不會遺憾！” —— 我讀的是平面文字，充盈滿耳的卻是淚水和音樂 —— 廢墟里散發人性尊嚴的淚水和音樂！	“All day long, I was seized by a swoon of soundless sorrow,” wrote the singer later. “I wouldn’t have regretted it even if I’d died that very day!” Reading those printed words, I felt tears welling up in my eyes and music ringing in my ears – an image of the ruins, witness to the dignity of Man. (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[原載新加坡《聯合早報》(2000)；收入《不著地族 / A Lift-Off People》(潘正鐳著、Allen Zhuang 英譯；Singapore: All Publishing House, 2002)]

踏踏實實才是主流 / Quick Profits Not the Only Aim

踏踏實實才是主流 王鍾渝	Quick Profits Not the Only Aim Wang Chung-yu
社會上彌漫講求快速致富、快速成長，一切都快就是未來的新趨勢。用這種只重表面的虛象來引導年輕人發展，並不是一件好事。	CURRENTLY there is a widespread belief that the trend in the future is quick profits, quick growth and everything accomplished quick. This, however, is not the right message to our young people, because it gives them nothing but an illusion.
像一些建築，只講究外表的漂亮，一遇到地震，卻不可靠。	Just look at those apparently impressive buildings that proved to be fragile in an earthquake.
今天的社會變遷、資訊快速、科技進步，這是不能改變的。但是，這些發展不一定要引申成快速致富，一夜成功。反而應該是踏踏實實、一步一步走，才是將來的主流。	True, social changes bred of ever faster flows of information and advances in technology are irresistible today, but they do not always translate into wealth or success overnight. Steady and step-by-step progress will still be the mainstream in the future growth.
因為，腳踏實地的發展，並不與快速的資訊與科技進步有衝突；我們可以利用科技的變遷，資訊的快速發展做為工具。在這種工具的協助下，我們還是要一步步腳踏實地，這樣的成功才能持久。	Such solid progress is in no contradiction with new developments in information and other technologies. The latest and fast changing technologies will help maintain and facilitate growth, yet our growth must be reliably down-to-earth to ensure sustainable success.
如果傳統的一些舊價值是好的，就應該要延續，發展成未來需要的“新價值”。	Traditional values in our heritage that are proven viable should be retained and developed into “new values” needed for the future.
過去的改變慢、行動慢、要好好考慮的決策方式，必須因應科技的進步、資訊傳播的速度而改變，但是走的方向還是要實實在在，這才是我們要推廣的新價值觀。	Given the ever-changing technologies and fast-flowing information, we should do away with the slow changes, sluggish actions and time-consuming decision-making in the old days. Yet we must maintain a steady orientation for our growth. This is the new value we need.
過去常見將企業分成大企業、小企業、傳統企業、高科技，這種分類法是不對的。如果傳統企業用高科技生產傳統產品，就算是高科技企業。生產傳統的產品，不表示它就不是高科技。	We used to label various enterprises as large or small, traditional or high-tech, but that classification is no longer valid. If a company makes traditional products by high-tech means, then it is a high-tech enterprise. Traditional products do not disqualify the producer from gong high-tech.
如果沒有傳統產品支援高科技產業，它也沒有辦法去發展。假如大家用這個觀念思考，所有的企業都是為了這塊土地的繁榮與福祉再努力，讓生活品質更好，就沒有區分的必要。	On the other hand, high-tech industries cannot grow without support from traditional products. In this light, one can see that there is no point in classifying the various enterprises so long as they all function towards prosperity and wellbeing in this land and better life for the people.
企業的發展應該朝向聯盟的方向。不只是同業聯盟，還要異業聯盟，相互支援、合作。	In their progress, enterprises should move towards alliance – not only within the same industries, but also across industry borders – for better mutual support and cooperation.
(源文載臺灣《天下雜誌》，作者是臺灣中鋼公司董事長。)	[The author is chairman of China Steel Corporation in Taiwan. The source article was first published in Common Wealth Magazine. ] (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[ 原載新加坡《聯合早報》1999-12-11社論/言論/天下事 (Bilingual Section)]

我們的教育欠缺些甚麼？/ What's Lacking in Our Education?

我們的教育欠缺些什麼？ 蔡深江	What's Lacking in Our Education? Chua Chim Kang
作者最近率領本年度模範華文教師訪問中國山東和北京，參觀當地的中文教學情況。這是他的感想。	Heading a group of Chinese-language teachers on a recent trip to China, the author visited schools in Beijing and Shandong Province. He shares his observations and reflections with our readers.
xxx	xxx
最近在中國參觀了兩所學校，校長辦校的理念讓人暗自喝彩。	HAVING visited two schools in China recently, I can’t help but applaud the ideal of education upheld by the principals.
中國也面對新生代學生不愛閱讀的問題，濟南一所小學的校長於是在學校推行製作藏書票的活動。	Like Singapore, China is witnessing a generation of young students who dislike reading. To tackle the problem, the principal of a primary school in Jinan City, capital of Shandong Province, started a school-wide project of bookplate-making some years ago.
不但是全校各年級學生要製作藏書票，老師也必須參與製作。整個製作藏書票的活動成了學校最主要的一個工程，每一年浩浩蕩蕩舉行。	Now, high on the must-do list for the school, the activity has been taking place annually on a large scale. Not only are all the pupils required to make bookplates but the teaching staff are called on to help, too.
美術老師負責課後教導學生以石膏刻製版模，其他科目的老師則鼓勵學生閱讀課外書，點出製作藏書票的意義。	The art instructors are to teach the children how to make printing blocks out of plaster, with which bookplates will be printed. Teachers of other subjects will recommend to their pupils titles suitable for outside reading, highlighting the significance of attaching an Ex Libris onto a book they have read.
最後，所有師生的作品都展示出來，藏書票加上簡單的讀書報告，成了學校最漂亮的成績單，不但達到了鼓勵閱讀的目的，也巧妙地提煉了學生的美學觀念。	Then, pupils and teachers will put their collective works on show: bookplates along with brief reading reports. This has become the most eye-catching item among the school’s achievements. This way, not only are the children encouraged to read more, but a refined aesthetic sense is cultivated in them.
校長的出發點很平實，只是想通過藏書票這個古老的印刷方式，結合美的教育和閱讀習慣，讓學生通過一種更輕鬆有趣的認知過程，加強學習效果。	The principal’s idea stemmed from a plain desire. With the aid of the time-honoured art of block print, he hoped to instil in the children a love for reading and appreciation of beauty, so that they can enjoy fun and pleasure while they learn and study.
北京的一所中學則是讓學生成立電視臺，從節目的策劃到臺前幕後的大小工作都由學生負責，連擔任電視臺臺長的學生也是通過校長和全校師生一人一票選舉產生。	A similar objective is achieved in a Beijing’s secondary school by having the students run a TV station of their own. All work involved, from programme planning to chores on stage and backstage, is done by the students themselves. Even the student director of the TV station was elected on a one-man-one-vote basis by the whole school including the principal, teachers, and students.
校方則提供相當有限的製作經費，以及設立簡單的攝影棚和條件不是很好的剪接後製場所。	The school provides limited funds plus basic facilities such as a simple film studio and tolerable equipment of post-production.
我和負責同學在悶熱的剪接室交談，夏初的暑熱使人難受，然而我對學生們的精神十分佩服。	On a sultry summer day, I had a talk with the students working in the stuffy editing-room, and was deeply impressed by their spirit.
校長用週會放映學生拍攝製作的節目，並且讓學生公開討論，辯論解說節目的內容和製作水準。	The principal shows the TV productions thus made during weekly school assemblies, and invites all students to discuss and comment on the works about their contents and techniques.
學生在課餘時間進行攝製的相關工作，不影響他們的正課學習。	As the TV productions are done as an extracurricular activity, the students’ schoolwork is not compromised.
面對訪客，校長不談學生的學業成績和其他輝煌的比賽記錄，專心分享她和學生成立電視臺的用心、效果以及驕傲。	When interviewed by the visitors, the principal shared her experience, joy and pride in helping the students run their own TV station. She did not touch on the children’s scholastic performance or results in various competitions.
我不得不將本地的教育情況帶出來比較。	I cannot help comparing the education in Singapore with that in those two schools.
新加坡信奉的是完整紮實的行政經驗，能當上一校之長，一定是出色的行政官，卻不一定有清楚的教育理念，或者敢大膽推行規定以外的政策。	Our country values a strong administrative background in a school principal. The head of an educational institution must be an excellent administrator, but may not have a clear idea of education or the drive for bold moves beyond the set rules.
教育家和行政官是兩種很不一樣的角色，我們要的是何者？	Of course, an educator is different from an administrator. But which is more needed for our schools?
難道這兩所學校的作法非常特別嗎？或是本地學校沒有這樣的構思和條件？	Is bookplate-making or a student’s TV station so peculiar to those schools in China that it can’t be emulated in Singapore for lack of ideas and facilities?
其實活動的設計本身並不重要，推動與激發學生自由學習的原動力，才比較接近教育的本質。	In fact, the activity per se doesn’t matter, but the initiative to boost the students’ motivation does. The essence of education lies more in activating a desire in the educated to study of their own accord.
在一波接一波的教育政策、預期目標、評估與成績的壓力底下，再勇敢的校長也會力有未逮。何況，制度重視的是校長的執行操作能力多於對教育的熱情。	In Singapore, wave upon wave of new policies, re-set targets, appraisals and assessments tend to make even the most competent principals feel inadequate. Besides, a principal is judged by his executive abilities rather than his commitment to the ideal of education.
本地當然有充滿理想的教育工作者，在種種限制中卻不見得有打破體制的衝動。校長和老師也許不乏推動教學的新點子，然而，能不能以學生的角度出發，為教育堅持理念，是一個更大的挑戰。	Of course we have no lack of educators highly actuated by ideals, but they hardly have the urge to break through the various restrictions. Principals and teachers alike may have lots of fresh ideas of how to do a better job, but they have yet to take an even tougher challenge and uphold the ideal of education for the benefit of their students.
我們的教育有完善的體系，也提供了中規中矩的成長環境，然而，整個教育過程鼓勵的是追求更傑出的表現與更好的可能，忽略了在心智與人格發展上的平衡元素。	Here we have a perfect education system, which provides a regular environment for normal growth. Yet our practices, on the whole, still encourage excellence and fulfilment of potentials while neglecting the balance between intelligence and character in the educated.
辦教育應該不同於管理一家公司，如果學校校長敢於擺脫束縛，在合理的假設上追求一些理想，相信我們會看到多一些執著的夢想成真。	Education should be different from business management. If our principals can free their minds to pursue their ideals on a reasonable assumption, we can expect to see more of their cherished dreams come true.
[作者是小學生週報《大拇指》主編。]	[The author is editor of Thumbs Up, a weekly newspaper for primary pupils.] (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[ 原載新加坡《聯合早報》 2000-07-09 社論/言論/天下事 (Bilingual Section) ]

給新生公平的起點 / Allow Primary-1 Pupils A Fair Start

給新生公平的起點 蔡深江	Allow Primary-1 Pupils A Fair Start Chua Chim Kang
明年的小一新生報名作業照例如火如荼展開，讓許多關心的家長既期待又怕被拒於名校門外。	ONCE again, the registration of next year’s primary-1 pupils is in full swing, keeping many parents anxious that their kids may not get into one of those elite schools.
教育的過程應該是資源的重新分配，起到社會平衡的作用，以讓人民在公平的起跑線上追求生命的立足點，還是延續子靠父蔭的傳承過程，繼承上一代的優勢以強化下一代的競爭能力？對此，我們應該有清楚的思考。	Herein is much for the public to chew on. Should education enable people to begin their life’s race on a level field from a common starting line by granting each a fair share of the resources available, or should it allow some of them to benefit from their parents’ power and influence to win the competition?
按現行遊戲規則，小孩的哥哥或姐姐在該校就讀、父母加入校友會、父母是諮詢委員會或管委會成員、父母與學校有直接關係者，孩子報讀小一都享有優先。	The present rule is: preference in admission is given to children whose elder siblings are current students, or whose parents are alumni, members of the advisory board or management committee, or otherwise directly connected with the school in question.
這樣的分配法則，肯定讓成功為第一個孩子報讀名校的父母松了一口氣，也使名校校友滿心歡喜，卻不見得對沒有“顯赫”背景的普通老百姓有合理的交代。	Parents who have managed to get their elder kids into a top school feel relieved, and the old boys and girls are happy. But, to the masses without a special background, such a system of allotting school vacancies can hardly sound reasonable.
孩子可能不會明白家長的苦心，更不瞭解教育體制繁複的原則與考慮的支點，卻肯定嘗受到自己無法隨心所欲，順利報讀某校的失望 心情。	The children handicapped by the system are sure to feel disappointed when denied admission to the schools of their choice. The complex principles and regulations with the rationale behind them, as well as their parents’ effort and frustration, are probably beyond their young minds to grasp.
當年許多父母為孩子報讀小學時，都是就近入學，或者依“方便原則”，也就是看怎麼安排最不麻煩，讀什麼學校不重要，讓孩子接受基礎教育。當時，多數父母相信學校都是有教無類的，甚至認為只要有書讀就很不錯了，哪會考慮這麼多？	Back in the old days, most parents would send their kids to the nearest school, or one that was most convenient for them. It didn’t matter which school they chose so long as they could get an elementary education for the young. Indeed, most parents then did believe in the ideal that education should ignore distinction between social classes. They counted themselves fortunate to be able to send their kids to school at all, caring little about the status of the particular school.
可是，當初無心插柳卻造成今日樹不成蔭。 自己的孩子要入學之際，才驚覺“母校”這個名字原來意義深重。若是母校爭氣，風生水起則門庭若市，不但在新生報名日擠滿了殷切的父母，平時也不乏熱心的家長貢獻時間精神，名正言順攀親搭戚，其良苦用心令人搖頭歎息。	Now, they wish they had paid more attention to that all-important matter. Many parents had not realised what “alma mater” could imply until they tried to get their children registered for primary-1. If one’s old school turns out a prestigious institution, it will see large crowds of enthusiastic parents thronging into its gate on registration days. At other times, it will have no lack of volunteers contributing their time and energy to its various programmes, trying to build up the right connections. Their diligence is admirable － and lamentable.
對一些表現平平，乏人問津的學校，是不是校友根本沒有關係，反正學額一大把，沒有人會爭先恐後。	As to schools with ordinary performance and fame, the status of an alumnus is irrelevant because there will be no great rush for a place in them.
還有更痛苦的懲罰是母校因任何理由關閉了，校友欲哭無淚，孩子欲讀無門，只能怨歎遇“校”不淑，誤了孩子的機會。	Even more hurt and grieved are those old boys and girls whose mother schools were closed down for whatever reasons. As former students, they have nowhere to attach their memory; as parents, they can find no schools that would accept their children on preferential terms. Perhaps, if anything, they could only curse their stars for having attended a school doomed to closure, a sad fact now putting their children at a disadvantage.
從來也沒有人提出可以像處理南大校友那樣，把名冊轉到另一所學校名下，以慰“亡校”在天之靈，繼續發揚母校精神。	By an arrangement not long ago, former students of the defunct Nantah were recognised as alumni of today’s NTU, to keep the memory and spirit of their alma mater alive. Unfortunately, similar arrangements have yet to be suggested for other schools extinct so far.
這樣的競爭公平嗎？出身鄰里小學的父母，他們的孩子就活該繼續報讀鄰里學校嗎？	Could any competition be fair under such circumstances? Are those unwelcome neighbourhood schools the only destined option for kids whose parents attended the same type of schools?
無論怎麼自圓其說，教育的起跑點已經不公平了，我們怎麼能理直氣壯告訴國人，其實每一所學校都同樣能夠協助孩子達致“理想的教育成果”？	Whatever the rationale, the starting line is not the same for all those receiving an education. With the current primary-1 registration system, how can one justify our claim to all Singaporeans that each and every school will help their children achieve “an ideal result in education”?
許多人做夢都沒有想到自己二十幾年前念的小學，竟關係到孩子成功的第一步。當年平凡的出身可能不會影響自己今日的成就，卻絕對干擾了孩子報讀名校的計劃。	Few people can have imagined that the status of the school they attended 20-odd years ago should now affect the first step of their children on the path towards success. The parents may not have been hampered by their own lowly origin, but now their children definitely are.
難道是父母，甚至是祖父母的錯嗎？	So, are the kids’ parents － or even grandparents － to blame?
入學關卡的設計，直接影響了學生對教育的選擇，雖然事事無絕對，當局也廣設了其他管道和途徑讓一些孩子有報讀名校的機會，思考重點還是應該著重在教育的本質，讓好學校有機會落實並證明自己的理念，改變人們對名校趨之若鶩的心態。	The hurdles in registration are restricting the students’ options. Although other channels leading to top schools have been opened up, the authorities could focus their efforts on more essential issues in education. They could allow the numerous schools a freer hand in proving their worth by putting their ideal of education into practice. Their success will help rid the public of a blind faith in elite schools.
要不然就得行政高官們以身作則，率先讓孩子報讀一般的鄰里小學，以破除家長非名校不可的迷思。並建議有關當局投家長所好，凡需求強勁的名校，廣開分校，以滿足家長求好心切的心理。 這麼一來，不但照顧了孩子的脆弱自尊，也讓家長很有面子，顧全當局的堅定立場原則，也貫徹了有教無類的精神。	And they could persuade high-level government officials to set an example by sending their own children to those less popular neighbourhood schools. This will help break the myth that only elite schools are worth attending. Moreover, they could have the sought-after schools set up more branch campuses to satisfy the needs by eager parents. This way, the self-esteem of children will be boosted, the face of their parents saved, and the position of the authorities maintained. More important, the ideal that education should be fair and equal for all will be put into effect － in a real sense.
[作者是小學生週報《大拇指》主編]	(The author is editor of Thumbs Up, a weekly newspaper for primary pupils.) (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[ 原載新加坡《聯合早報》 2000-07-23 社論/言論/天下事 (Bilingual Section) ]