Netizens are riled up over this cartoon which one half of our Education Ministers duo shared on Facebook.
Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, who just got elected in General Election 2015, has been slammed by netizens for being insensitive>
Many criticised him for thumbing his nose at “lowly” cleaners and disrespecting them as people because of their profession.
Others regarded the post as an “elite looking down from his ivory tower” mentality and questioned if he’s the right fit for the Education Ministry.
The post has since been shared over 3000 times.
But what many missed, was the text written by Mr Ng accompanying the picture.
He said:
“Our values guide us. Saw this online recently and it struck a chord with me. Many of us have heard or even said the same words: “study hard or else you’ll be a cleaner next time.”
While it is important to urge our children to study hard and realise their potential, it is ultimately our character that defines us. How would we treat others and do our part for society, regardless of our ‘successes’?
Let’s work together and take every opportunity to inculcate the right values in our kids.”
In other words, he’s saying let’s teach our kids not to belittle cleaners.
And, he’s using a comic to show what some of our parents have been telling us from young, i.e “don’t study hard ah, next time you become road sweeper then you know…”
Perhaps not the most sensitive of comics to use, but did Mr Ng deserve the negative outburst he received for trying to spread a good, wholesome message about teaching kids to be of good character?
