Today, the Straits Times (MPs: Help needy kids move up in life, A8, The Straits Times, Mar 2, 2011) reported that Singapore MPs, on the 2nd day of the Budget Debate, made "calls to reduce disparity in opportunities for rich and poor students". They wanted higher quality teachers and IT resources for neighbourhood schools as their parental background sets them back when competing to get into top secondary schools.
Some MPs quoted Minister Mentor's Lee Kuan Yew's January 2011 statistics that students of top secondary schools like Raffles Institution have >than 50% of fathers who are graduates nowadays compared to the <10% for neighbourhood schools. The MPs remarked that the neighbourhood school students will be disadvantaged in time as they cannot be competitive academically as they get less opportunities to get scholarships or university places and graduate to get high paying jobs. Less opportunities for neighbourhood school students mean a growing social stratification with the rich becoming richer.
Is there a solution to this resolving problem of lower academic excellence in neighbourhood schools? I don't know.
However, there is an interesting development in Myanmar's education system. In Feb 2011, I visited around 7 primary and secondary schools and was surprised to see that the Ministry of Education publishes yearly a calendar of photos of top 10 students in the final secondary year national examination(Grade 11). Schools and some villages display this page.
In Singapore, this will be considered putting "pressure" on the students and such ranking of students had been thrown out of the door by parental complaints in the past years.
MYANMAR SCHOOL SYSTEM
1. Kindergarten (Grade 1). 5 years old student.
2. Primary School (Grade 2 to 6). Final exam in Feb
3. Middle School (Grade ). Final exam in Feb
4. High School (Grade 11) - recent change. Students will be 15 years old. It was called Grade 10 last year but since kindergarten is Grade 1, Grade 10 becomes Grade 11. It is equivalent to "O" levels. Final exam. A national exam for all students in Myanmar in March.
5. University.
SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM
According to one Myanmar lady in Singapore, Science and Math are taught in the English language. English is also taught. Other subjects are in Myanmar language.
READING SKILLS COMPETITION
There is such a competition in villages. I did hear loud recitals by students in schools and once I chanced upon a young girl of around 12 years reading loudly (in French according to my guide) while trekking in the Inlay Lake district. I had to walk past her school. She was just sitting on her chair and reading loudly and continuously.
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
1. March, April and May
2. October 10 days
3. December 10 days.
TEACHERS
Government teachers and volunteer teachers in villages. Some village school have no desk or tables for the children.
I can see that even in Myanmar, there is strong interest in education of the young children.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
349. Veterinary Nurses Wanted
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Company Description
March 1, 2011
Veterinary Nurses Wanted for dog and cat animal practice. Able to converse in Mandarin and English. Lives around Yishun to Toa Payoh area. N or O levels. Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Photoshop preferred. Able to work alternate weekends and loves dogs and cats, hamsters and rabbits. E-mail resume and two testimonials to judy@toapayohvets.com.
Company Website URL
http://www.toapayohvets.com
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Display logo in Job Postings
Company Description
March 1, 2011
Veterinary Nurses Wanted for dog and cat animal practice. Able to converse in Mandarin and English. Lives around Yishun to Toa Payoh area. N or O levels. Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Photoshop preferred. Able to work alternate weekends and loves dogs and cats, hamsters and rabbits. E-mail resume and two testimonials to judy@toapayohvets.com.
Company Website URL
http://www.toapayohvets.com
Company Map
Display map in Job Postings
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Pure Stupidity
"Pure stupidity," Julia said when I asked her what she thought about the case of a Singaporean man who purchased and smuggled a Golden Retriever puppy from Malaysia to Singapore. The case was reported in the Straits Times. A Dr Boon told this man to confess to the Singapore Government in 7 days or so or else the doctor would do it. The man did not. So, the doctor did. The AVA punished him and he lost "Princess".
I wonder what happened to the Golden Retriever puppy now. It was never mentioned in the newspapers.
Some pet shops are said to sell smuggled dogs. One man told me that he could get any breed of dog I wanted from Thailand. I told him I was not interested. Smuggling of dogs is an offence as rabies may be introduced to Singapore which has been rabies free for over 50 years.
I wonder what happened to the Golden Retriever puppy now. It was never mentioned in the newspapers.
Some pet shops are said to sell smuggled dogs. One man told me that he could get any breed of dog I wanted from Thailand. I told him I was not interested. Smuggling of dogs is an offence as rabies may be introduced to Singapore which has been rabies free for over 50 years.
Friday, February 25, 2011
347. A German Shepherd licks his foot pad
"He will never permit a barricade fencing to prevent the dog from leaping down to the car porch," the mother said to me. "When we put up fencing, Dad will take it down," the daughter in her undergraduate studies reinforced her mum's statement to me.
The mother phoned me because the dog had been licking his Right Fore foot pad for the past 2 days. "It is common," I said as the mum wondered whether I knew what she was talking about. She is an old friend of over 30 years but she would consult other vets as I don't charge.
"The dog will lick the big foot pad under the foot till the black covering becomes white," I replied. "Usually it is due to some wooden splinters or sand stuck inside the cut pad and the dog tries to get it out by licking vigorously."
"Yes," she confirmed that the pad was indeed white but she disputed that there were any foreign bodies inside as she could not see any.
"You can't see the small foreign body because it may be embedded horizontally or at an angle inside the pad, but the dog can feel its irritating presence."
Indeed this was the picture. "How does it happen?" the mum asked.
"Well, the dog could be pawing the garden."
"No," she replied. The domestic worker was present and she said yes, the dog did paw at certain patches of the garden.
"Maybe it is due to the dog leaping down from the higher garden to the car porch (a height of around 3 feet) and cut his pad. The bricked edge of the tiled border of the garden at the edge might have cut his pad."
There was a 0.5cm cut in the pad and this could support her hypothesis. Now, I advised fencing up this area to prevent the dog from leaping.
"Thomas will not permit it. He just takes down any raffia string fencing we put up as it makes the house looks untidy."
"Can you talk to him again?" I asked the mum and daughter. They shook their heads. It was none of my business too. I gave a steroid injection IM in the back muscles while the maid held the dog who was now muzzled and was also wearing an e-collar. "So quick?" the mum was surprised.
"I need to be fast or I will get bitten," I know of Singapore vets being badly bitten by German Shepherds during house calls.
I had this sadness in visiting this house as the eldest daughter had passed away in a car accident some months ago. She would have become a good veterinary surgeon as that was her passion. That was her dog. He had been X-rayed recently by another vet as the family had not consulted me about their dog's health care for many years as the mum would not want free veterinary services from me.
Should I phone the father to advise putting up the fencing? The wife and 3rd sister in the house had been much negative and I ought to leave family matters alone. For the sake of the dog, I phoned the father to let him know I had treated his family dog. "Your wife had spent $500 on X-rays and veterinary consultation for the dog's problem," I said to him. "If you continue to let him leap, you will need to spend thousands of dollars in veterinary fees for his injuries to his back or hips and that is a lot of money to be spent."
The father replied in a serious tone and I thought there was no hope. However, the wife happily told me that her husband had put up some fencing when I phoned the next day. I asked the wife whether the dog was still licking his right paw. She said, "No, he is wearing the e-collar."
I said, "It is not the e-collar. It is due to the steroid injection I gave. You can take away the e-collar."
Sometimes, the vet has to be proactive in contacting the other spouse to advise in the interest of the dog and this takes courage and time. In this no-hope case, the husband accepted the advice with great reluctance I am sure as he does not phone me back to let me know.
The mother phoned me because the dog had been licking his Right Fore foot pad for the past 2 days. "It is common," I said as the mum wondered whether I knew what she was talking about. She is an old friend of over 30 years but she would consult other vets as I don't charge.
"The dog will lick the big foot pad under the foot till the black covering becomes white," I replied. "Usually it is due to some wooden splinters or sand stuck inside the cut pad and the dog tries to get it out by licking vigorously."
"Yes," she confirmed that the pad was indeed white but she disputed that there were any foreign bodies inside as she could not see any.
"You can't see the small foreign body because it may be embedded horizontally or at an angle inside the pad, but the dog can feel its irritating presence."
Indeed this was the picture. "How does it happen?" the mum asked.
"Well, the dog could be pawing the garden."
"No," she replied. The domestic worker was present and she said yes, the dog did paw at certain patches of the garden.
"Maybe it is due to the dog leaping down from the higher garden to the car porch (a height of around 3 feet) and cut his pad. The bricked edge of the tiled border of the garden at the edge might have cut his pad."
There was a 0.5cm cut in the pad and this could support her hypothesis. Now, I advised fencing up this area to prevent the dog from leaping.
"Thomas will not permit it. He just takes down any raffia string fencing we put up as it makes the house looks untidy."
"Can you talk to him again?" I asked the mum and daughter. They shook their heads. It was none of my business too. I gave a steroid injection IM in the back muscles while the maid held the dog who was now muzzled and was also wearing an e-collar. "So quick?" the mum was surprised.
"I need to be fast or I will get bitten," I know of Singapore vets being badly bitten by German Shepherds during house calls.
I had this sadness in visiting this house as the eldest daughter had passed away in a car accident some months ago. She would have become a good veterinary surgeon as that was her passion. That was her dog. He had been X-rayed recently by another vet as the family had not consulted me about their dog's health care for many years as the mum would not want free veterinary services from me.
Should I phone the father to advise putting up the fencing? The wife and 3rd sister in the house had been much negative and I ought to leave family matters alone. For the sake of the dog, I phoned the father to let him know I had treated his family dog. "Your wife had spent $500 on X-rays and veterinary consultation for the dog's problem," I said to him. "If you continue to let him leap, you will need to spend thousands of dollars in veterinary fees for his injuries to his back or hips and that is a lot of money to be spent."
The father replied in a serious tone and I thought there was no hope. However, the wife happily told me that her husband had put up some fencing when I phoned the next day. I asked the wife whether the dog was still licking his right paw. She said, "No, he is wearing the e-collar."
I said, "It is not the e-collar. It is due to the steroid injection I gave. You can take away the e-collar."
Sometimes, the vet has to be proactive in contacting the other spouse to advise in the interest of the dog and this takes courage and time. In this no-hope case, the husband accepted the advice with great reluctance I am sure as he does not phone me back to let me know.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
346. Cost of spaying a cat at Toa Payoh Vets, Singapore
On Wed, Feb 23, 2011 at 4:59 PM, ... wrote:
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED FEB 23, 2011
Hi
I would like to enquire how much will be the cost for sterilise a cat?
COST IS AROUND S$150 WITH PAIN-KILLER AND ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION AND E-COLLAR. LOWER FEES IF YOU DON'T WANT E-COLLAR WHICH PREVENTS LICKING.
How am i to go about it?
Do i need to make an appointment?
APPOINTMENT PREFERRED. TEL 6254-3326
Lastly where is your clinic located?
It is located at Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, near the Golf Driving Range. See www.toapayohvets.com, click LOCATION or goto: Location of Toa Payoh Vets
|
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Toa+Payoh+Vets,+Singapore&sll=1.352083,103.819836&sspn=0.631535,0.884399&ie=UTF8&ll=1.365265,103.850842&spn=0.078942,0.11055&z=13&iwloc=A
E-MAIL TO DR SING DATED FEB 23, 2011
Hi
I would like to enquire how much will be the cost for sterilise a cat?
COST IS AROUND S$150 WITH PAIN-KILLER AND ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION AND E-COLLAR. LOWER FEES IF YOU DON'T WANT E-COLLAR WHICH PREVENTS LICKING.
How am i to go about it?
Do i need to make an appointment?
APPOINTMENT PREFERRED. TEL 6254-3326
Lastly where is your clinic located?
It is located at Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, near the Golf Driving Range. See www.toapayohvets.com, click LOCATION or goto: Location of Toa Payoh Vets
|
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Toa+Payoh+Vets,+Singapore&sll=1.352083,103.819836&sspn=0.631535,0.884399&ie=UTF8&ll=1.365265,103.850842&spn=0.078942,0.11055&z=13&iwloc=A
345. Teaching interns rabbit medicine
My assistant Mr Saw views interns as pests as he has to take time to teach them. He would never tell me directly but I hear this from Khin Khin. I don't blame him as not everybody cares about teaching interns as it really takes lots of time.
Being busy, he does not want to waste time on interns. Interns who are helpful will of course, be appreciated by him. However, there will be vets and vet assistants who don't want to waste their precious and busy time on interns.
Rabbit medicine - In this case of a rabbit not eating, I got the two interns to learn how to bathe a rabbit with stained feet. This thin 7-year-old rabbit had been de-matted yesterday and had some bath. However, his feet were all stained greenish-black and he tried to lick the stains off.
As the vet in charge, I inspected warded animals and checked the treatment. This rabbit's feet had not been cleaned. After bathing by the 2 interns under Mr Saw, the rabbit appeared to have excellent appetite. Intern Nathaniel Gay took 5 pictures with his latest iPhone 4 presented by his father. I showed him the craft of taking photos by zooming and using correct points of views.
He uploaded on Microsoft Silverlight and emailed to me the link to see. I thought it was youtube.com as he had given me the impression. It was a slide show and probably lasted for 5 days. Well, it was a learning experience for him.
This case of the skin-and-bone rabbit could be due to a lack of grooming care as the rabbit had excellent appetite after de-matting. Only that his feet were not washed by the groomer and I had to intervene by asking Mr Saw to show the interns how to bathe a rabbit. The intern first got the big blue tub for Golden Retriever puppies and switched on the hot water shower. Just as small plastic container sufficient to confine the rabbit and warm water from the boiling kettle would do. Sometimes, one must think about the situation and not bathe pets blindly, using big tubs and wasting lots of warm water.
Pic is shown here.
Being busy, he does not want to waste time on interns. Interns who are helpful will of course, be appreciated by him. However, there will be vets and vet assistants who don't want to waste their precious and busy time on interns.
Rabbit medicine - In this case of a rabbit not eating, I got the two interns to learn how to bathe a rabbit with stained feet. This thin 7-year-old rabbit had been de-matted yesterday and had some bath. However, his feet were all stained greenish-black and he tried to lick the stains off.
As the vet in charge, I inspected warded animals and checked the treatment. This rabbit's feet had not been cleaned. After bathing by the 2 interns under Mr Saw, the rabbit appeared to have excellent appetite. Intern Nathaniel Gay took 5 pictures with his latest iPhone 4 presented by his father. I showed him the craft of taking photos by zooming and using correct points of views.
He uploaded on Microsoft Silverlight and emailed to me the link to see. I thought it was youtube.com as he had given me the impression. It was a slide show and probably lasted for 5 days. Well, it was a learning experience for him.
This case of the skin-and-bone rabbit could be due to a lack of grooming care as the rabbit had excellent appetite after de-matting. Only that his feet were not washed by the groomer and I had to intervene by asking Mr Saw to show the interns how to bathe a rabbit. The intern first got the big blue tub for Golden Retriever puppies and switched on the hot water shower. Just as small plastic container sufficient to confine the rabbit and warm water from the boiling kettle would do. Sometimes, one must think about the situation and not bathe pets blindly, using big tubs and wasting lots of warm water.
Pic is shown here.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 11:11 PM, ... wrote:
Dear Doctor Sing,
I've previously brought 2 of my dwarf hamsters to your clinic for treatment (removal of tumor & ear growth).
I've another dwarf hamster turning 2yrs 4mths at the end of February. Just yesterday night I noticed there was some blood stain on the left side of her ear. Today, it got worst due to excessive scratching.
I've attached 2 pics for your review. As she's getting old, I wonder if there's any external medication/application that I can apply on her to stop her itch.
May I also check with you on the earliest slot that I can bring her over for your review @ your clinic.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Thanks & regards,
Hi
I just came back from Myanmar. Please accept my apologies for the late reply as it is practically impossible to access the internet in Myanmar or it takes a long time. So, I did not access the internet.
Your pictures of the hamster shows an ear infection deep inside the ear canal and on the surface of the ear and may require ear irrigation and cleaning under anaesthesia.
Pl make appointment at 6254 3326 and let the receptionist know that you will be making appointment with me as there are 3 vets at Toa Payoh Vets.
BEST TO TELEPHONE 6254-3326 but young generation prefers email or text!
Dear Doctor Sing,
I've previously brought 2 of my dwarf hamsters to your clinic for treatment (removal of tumor & ear growth).
I've another dwarf hamster turning 2yrs 4mths at the end of February. Just yesterday night I noticed there was some blood stain on the left side of her ear. Today, it got worst due to excessive scratching.
I've attached 2 pics for your review. As she's getting old, I wonder if there's any external medication/application that I can apply on her to stop her itch.
May I also check with you on the earliest slot that I can bring her over for your review @ your clinic.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Thanks & regards,
Hi
I just came back from Myanmar. Please accept my apologies for the late reply as it is practically impossible to access the internet in Myanmar or it takes a long time. So, I did not access the internet.
Your pictures of the hamster shows an ear infection deep inside the ear canal and on the surface of the ear and may require ear irrigation and cleaning under anaesthesia.
Pl make appointment at 6254 3326 and let the receptionist know that you will be making appointment with me as there are 3 vets at Toa Payoh Vets.
BEST TO TELEPHONE 6254-3326 but young generation prefers email or text!
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