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JOURNEY OF A SCOUT AND TEACHER

“Scouting is not what I do; scouting is who I am”

My Days in Malaysia

As I sat down and reflected upon my life, I realised that my career and my life have been

shaped by the many seemingly unimportant decisions that I have made. I have rarely

thought of the long term impact of these decisions. Perhaps it is impossible to predict or

determine the way a decision could impact our lives at the moment we made that decision. I

would like to share how one such apparently simple decision has shaped my life and has

made me the person that I am today. I decided to join the scout movement when I was a

young lad of 12 who did not really know what was scouting – its mission, its method or its

beliefs and values. I joined because it looked like fun.

I was admitted to Clifford Secondary School in Kuala Kangsar, a small town in Perak,

Malaysia, in 1962. Although joining an extra-curricular activity was not compulsory in those

days, I decided that it would be fun to join the scouts. I saw the scouts building impressive

wooden structures (I later learned that these are called pioneering projects) on the school

field and having fun every Saturday, singing strange songs and playing even stranger

games.

I can still recall with fondness the many experiences in my first year of scouting. One of the

most memorable occasions was my first camp; I remember that it was held was in the

backyard of a large colonial bungalow at the edge of a rubber estate. I think the house

belonged to an Englishman who was the manager of

the rubber estate. Although it was a relatively safe

camp site, it was still exciting to experience the silence

of the night and be woken up by the screams of the

monkeys in the early hours of the morning.

The camp was also the first time that I had to share

such a small space with someone who is not a member

of my family. It was uncomfortable initially but I quickly

got over the awkwardness. There was not much space

in the small three-man tent and so I had to ensure that

all my clothes are dry and neatly folded and kept in my

haversack. It was really amazing that I was able to do

such apparently simple tasks which I was never able to

do, or more aptly bothered to do, when I am at home.

I cannot accurately describe the excitement I felt at this first camp, but it was the start of

hundreds of other camps. There were the numerous times I camped in school with two or

three other scouts (often without the knowledge of my scoutmaster); the camps by the

stream in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve when I returned to Singapore; the annual group

camps; and camps at the District and National levels. However I must confess that as I grew

older, it became more difficult to give up the comforts of a soft mattress, air-conditioning and,

more importantly, my privacy. When I was invited to be the Deputy Camp Chief of the 22nd

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World Scout Jamboree I had only one condition – I needed to have my own room. I really

admire some of my contemporaries who continue to sleep in tents and thoroughly enjoying

it.

Although I have stopped sleeping in tents, I

try to participate in (or at least visit) camps

held at the national, regional or world levels.

I have often asked myself why I like camps

so much, and I could never quite articulate

the reason. Perhaps it was the “freedom”

that I experienced whenever I am in camps.

Perhaps it was the proximity to nature.

Perhaps it was the opportunity to live and

learn from, and with, my peers. Perhaps it

was the many opportunities that I had to

discover my own strengths and weaknesses

in authentic social settings. Perhaps it was the memory of the intimate campfires that we

always had at the end of each day - nothing beats the feeling of sitting round a fire, singing

scout songs and listening to a good yarn at the end of a day.

Perhaps it was just the magic of camps – I

do not know for sure but I suspect that

camps must have contributed to the deep

friendships among scouts. The closest

parallels that I can think of are the boarding

schools and the army where such lifelong

friendships are also fostered.

My second camp was in Jubilee Camp in

Penang. This was a lovely campsite by the

beach on the island of Penang, about

100km from Kuala Kangsar. It was a totally

different experience. Waking up to the

sound of waves and playing games along the beach and in the sea were quite different from

my earlier camp. It was Club Med to a young scout. It was the first time that I truly saw the

thousands of stars in the night sky. I learned about the different constellations from the more

senior scouts and how we could use the Southern Cross and the Orion for navigation. I

adopted the scout name Crux (which is another name for Southern Cross) when I became a

Troop Leader because I believed that it was my duty (youthful arrogance) to “point the way”

for the scouts under my charge. I suspect that this was the start of my personal goal to help

others find their purpose in life and led me to become a teacher. I am constantly reminded

of this goal whenever I see Crux in the sky.

I took to scouting like a duck to water and thoroughly enjoyed the many things that I had to

do to pass the tests required for my Tenderfoot and Second Class badges. Somehow these

‘tests’ were so unlike those that I had to sit in my academic studies. Other than the Scout

Law and Promise, these tests were not focused on theories that I had to memorise and re-

produce at examinations. They were activity-centred and my achievements were recognised

and rewarded almost immediately – important principles of effective learning but rarely

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applied in the classroom. For example, one of the tests was “Naming Birds and Trees”. I

was required to do rubbings of tree trunks, collect the leaves, flowers and fruits and describe

the shape of the trees. Similarly I did coloured sketches of birds (photography was too

expensive in those pre-digital days), collected the feathers and described their calls. I put all

these in log books which I happily decorated and submitted. This ‘test’ developed in me an

acute awareness of and love for the flora and fauna in our environment, and I introduced it

as an activity for the Science Clubs in primary schools when I was an active member of the

Science Teachers Association of Singapore (STAS).

Very quickly I passed my Tenderfoot and started working for my Proficiency Badges. I

remember that I took my First Aid badge from a doctor who had his own private practice. He

was certified by my school’s scout unit to conduct first aid courses and be the examiner for

the First Aid badge. I am not sure if he was a scout in his younger days but I am sure that

he is more than qualified to be the examiner. Similarly I took my Cyclist badge from the

owner of the local bicycle shop who gleefully punctured my tyre and watched me repair it in

his shop.

The Firefighter badge was another experience that I cannot forget. The course was

conducted by the town’s Fire Brigade and I learned how to roll and unroll the huge water

hoses, how to use the different types of fire extinguishers and how to prevent fires in the

home. The highlight must be the ride on the red ‘fire engine’ on the last day, as a graduation

treat. I was allowed to ring the bell on the vehicle as we raced through the town. How could

I forget that thrill and pride as I sat up there for the whole town to see.

Scouting was truly a community activity and I am sure that it helped to build the kampong

spirit of the community. It reminds me of the African saying that it takes a whole village to

raise a child.

My first Job Week was another learning experience I will not forget. I cycled through the

town looking for jobs. I was a shy kid and it took a lot of courage to go up to the front door

and ask for a job. It was also the first time that I experienced rejection – “no job” – and had

doors slammed in my face. However there were also kind families that gave me cookies and

drinks after my jobs. I learned that it is not easy to earn that dollar but it was a great feeling

to know that I was able to do so.

Although most families would give us simple household chores like sweeping the floors or

cleaning the windows, this and the other subsequent Job Weeks gave me the opportunities

to learn DIY skills. On reflection, the Job Weeks developed in me the “can do” mentality

when I had to maintain my house when I started my own family. I am not afraid to change a

lock, replace the taps, clear the choked pipes, install new lights, build a shelf, or even

change the engine oil of my car – the result of my Job Week experiences.

It is sad to hear that many NSOs have stopped this activity either because it was felt that it is

not an efficient way to raise funds or out of concern for the personal safety of the scouts. I

am so glad that Singapore has continued with Job Week and tries to educate the scouts and

the public of its educational value.

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Back To Singapore

My family eventually moved back to Singapore and I continued

with scouting. I was by then a Second Class scout, with a sleeve

full of Proficiency Badges. My achievements were recognised by

my new school, St Gabriel’s School, and I started working for my

First Class Badge. I later became a Senior Scout (later called

Venture Scout) and started to work for the Proficiency Badges

under this section. Most of the badges that I worked for were an

extension of the badges that I obtained when I was a scout in

Malaysia. I am not sure if I did this because it seemed simpler to

continue with an area that I already have some knowledge and

skills, or if it was because these were areas that I had interests

in. Nevertheless taking these badges at the Senior Scout level

allowed me to consolidate and deepen my knowledge and skills

in my areas of interest.

I also had to be selective in the proficiency badges that I took because I was aiming for the

Queen’s Scout Award (now called the President’s Scout Award after Singapore became an

independent nation) and I had to show proficiency in different areas to ensure that I did not

‘specialise’ too early in my education. In fact, the Proficiency Badge scheme is an important

complement to the Progressive Badge scheme. While the latter ensures that all scouts learn

some fundamental knowledge and skills, the Proficiency Badge scheme encourages a

young person to search for and develop his own interests and talents – an important factor

for success in life

I must, however, confess that I had another motive for earning as many badges as possible.

It was one sure way of getting the attention and admiration of the pretty girls from St

Joseph’s Convent, an all-girls school next to my school.

I was one of the first few scouts to receive the President’s Scout Award from the late

President Yusoff. In fact, we received the President’s Scout Award certificate instead of the

Queen’s Scout badge because the latter was not ready. Pursuing this Award was one of the

most challenging experiences I had as a scout. I had considered giving up on many

occasions. Could I have done better in my academic studies if I had not pursued this

Award? I am not sure, because I could have easily spent my time partying or hanging

around street corners with my friends. I am grateful that my parents never forced me to give

up scouting when I was sitting for my GCE O-levels, although they did nag when they felt

that I was spending too much time on scouting instead of studying.

With the benefit of hindsight, I truly believe that this Award taught me time management,

self-discipline, determination and leadership which were perhaps as important, if not more

so, than the grades I got from my academic studies. It was only in later life that I realised

that the true value of this Award was the process and not the badge itself.

Senior Scouting was not all about badges. We had many activities that developed the soft

skills (or 21st Century Skills) that educators are currently talking about. One particular

activity which I found to be most beneficial was what was called the Venture Obstacle

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Journey (VOJ). This activity comprised a number of ‘stations’. We were presented with a

problem at each station. The problem was usually exciting scenarios that appealed to our

youthful sense of adventure. One obstacle, for example, required us to think of how we

could get our patrol out of a prison which was surrounded by electric wires. We could only

use the spars and planks scattered around in our ‘prison’. Another obstacle required us to

build a water purification system because we were stranded in the mangrove swamp and we

ran out of drinking water. We had to drink the purified water to show our confidence in the

gadget that we built. Hyflux came after scouting. We had these VOJ activities not only in

our school but in the swamps in Punggol and Sarimbun. These activities really brought out

from us our problem solving skills, creativity, leadership and team work (key outcomes of

what is now called Problem-Based Learning) – in non-threatening, non-formal and enjoyable

ways.

I remember the period when Singapore introduced many ‘community songs’ as part of its

nation building efforts in the 70’s and 80’s. Scouting knew that songs build friendships and

community long before that, and campfires has always been a ‘must have’ during our

camps. The traditional campfire is something I truly miss. We used to take so much pride in

preparing the wood for the fire – staking them up to ensure that it burns well without the

need for kerosene. Then there were the songs. The tempo of the songs had to match the

intensity of the fire. The feeling that was created when we sang the slower songs as we

watched the flames die down was out of this world. We had to choose songs that everyone

could sing together. Learning new songs was never part of the campfire but something we

did during our meetings. Neither did any group try to “out-sing” another group. The focus

was on a sense of community. The person behind a successful campfire is the campfire

leader. Dressed in his campfire cloak, the campfire leader would lead the entire group like a

conductor at a symphonic orchestra – neither a lead singer nor a master-of-ceremony.

Campfires in the old days were never ‘mega’ events but small intimate gatherings. We even

had campfires at the patrol level. During these small campfires we would throw sweet

potatoes, yam and even chicken wrapped in aluminium foils or mud into the fire and have a

lovely meal at the end of the campfire.

I tried unsuccessfully to bring back the traditional campfire in recent years. I was told that

the youth of today prefers campfires where they try to ‘out sing’ each other or compete to

see which group has the better cheer – that the youth of today needs to be entertained and

compete. I am not convinced by this argument because I do not believe that they have lost

the primeval need to belong.

One of the tenets of scouting is “Duty to God” and this was woven into our activities.

Perhaps it was easier for my scout group because we were from a Catholic school and

although we never imposed our religious practices on scouts from the other faiths, we were

able to go beyond the perfunctory “minute of silence” at the start of our meetings. We also

invited priests to celebrate Sunday mass in our camps and other important occasions.

Although none of my peers joined the priesthood or any religious order, I firmly believe that

incorporating “duty to God” into our scout routines helped many of us to keep to the “straight

and narrow path”.

The other practice that I shall always remember is the solemn and emotion-filled investiture

ceremonies that we had. I did not know that “Symbolism” is an important part of the Scout

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Method at that time, but I knew deep down inside that that ceremony had tremendous impact

on each and every scout. Our parents, and girlfriends when we were older, were always

part of our ceremonies. Scouting was not a mere school activity but part of the life of our

families.

I suggested that we should have a similar meaningful ceremony for the recipients of the

Chief Commissioner Award (CCA) when I was the Chief Commissioner. Parents are invited

to this ceremony, which are usually held in a meaningful place, and it is the parents who give

the CCA badge to the recipients. In return the recipient will give a gift, which they personally

made, to their parents to symbolise their gratitude for the support that they received from

their parents. It always made for a touching moment to see fathers hugging their sons on

the stage during the ceremony (public displays of affection are still rare in Asian societies). I

am glad that anecdotal feedback suggests that the recipients and parents found that

ceremony to be most meaningful.

The Patrol was the most important and fundamental organisational unit in scouting when I

was a scout. I firmly believe that the patrol system is a powerful mode of learning for a

young person. It is really putting into practice the principle of “learning by doing”. It was the

norm to have a ‘Patrol Second’ who assists the Patrol Leader, a ‘secretary’ or ‘scribe’ to

maintain our patrol log book and a treasurer to keep our funds (we collected subscriptions

each week for our Patrol Fund). I took on

these various responsibilities in my

Patrol. Each of these roles gave me an

opportunity to learn new knowledge and

skills which continued to be useful in my

work life. More importantly, I learned how

to work with others with different

responsibilities and as a member of a

team. I became a Patrol Leader (PL) and

later a Troop Leader (TL) in St Gabriel’s

School. It was my first taste of

leadership. Unlike a formal organisation, there is really no ‘position power’ in a patrol. I had

to lead scouts who were older than me and to be the ‘big brother’ to the younger scouts at

the same time. Unconsciously, I had to learn to rely on my expertise, charisma and

relationship with the other members of the patrol to get any job done.

Being a PL and TL also allowed me to learn about responsibilities and looking at issues from

a macro-perspective – moving beyond the “I” to the “we”. One powerful structure that we

had was the Court-of-Honour (COH). The COH was chaired by the TL and comprised all

PLs. The Scoutmaster acted as the Advisor to the COH and would usually allow us to make

the decisions. The COH would decide and plan the activities for the whole year and to

maintain the morale and discipline of the whole Troop. I cannot recall any major decision we

made, but I do remember vividly the seriousness with which we took our role. The COH also

provided me with the first opportunity to look at issues from different perspectives, a skill

which was critical for my later years as an adult.

Obviously we had our fair share of wrong decisions. I remember vividly an incident when we

had to decide the punishment for a scout who continued to use foul language and

misbehaved. In our youthful vanity, we decided to strip him of all his badges, despite advice

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from our scoutmaster. The scout understandably resigned and I heard that he later became

a criminal in his adult life. That decision still haunts me till today. Would he be a better man

if he had remained in scouting? Have we contributed to his criminal ways? Would he have

led other scouts astray if we had allowed him to continue in our unit? I do not know the

answers to these “what if” questions, but I know that I learned to be less punitive when I

became a teacher and school principal.

A similar incident happened at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree. A few boys from a country

that just got out of a long civil war, were caught stealing some small souvenirs from the

Scout Shop in camp. The contingent leader explained to me that these scouts came from

the war torn part of the country and that was the first time they were exposed to such an

event but could not afford to buy those souvenirs. What they did was wrong and should be

punished. But did we need to hand them over to the police? What could we have done to

ensure that they learn from that incident and grow up to be a good person?

I cannot remember any formal leadership training before I took on the role of PL and TL.

Anyway I am still not sure that you can really train a leader through lectures or workshops.

Theories of leadership are just theories and the best way to learn to be a leader is ‘learning

by doing’. I still believe that the best way to learn leadership, which is a lifelong process, is

to be ‘thrown into the fire’ or what the management guru Warren Bennis (2004)1 called the

Crucibles of Leadership – but with appropriate scaffoldings, guidance and mentoring. This

was how I learned to be a leader and I believe my scouting days have really shaped the way

I practice leadership throughout my career.

One such learning episode was during one of our camps. One evening, our scoutmaster

smelled cigarette smoke from my patrol tent. He went in but could not see anyone with the

cigarette, although the tent was filled with smoke. So he called me out and asked me who

was smoking in the tent. I was caught in a moral dilemma2; should I ‘betray’ my patrol boys

and risk losing their support? Or should I lie and say that I don’t know and risk being

stripped of my position? After what seemed like an eternity, I decided to be upfront with my

scoutmaster and explained my dilemma to him. I said that it was my fault that I allowed

smoking in my tent and would bear the responsibility. I said that if I ‘betray’ my patrol then it

would be as good as giving up my appointment as the PL. Luckily my scoutmaster

understood my dilemma and decided to punish the whole patrol and that I would also be

publicly reprimanded the next day at the morning flag breaking ceremony. Should I have

been a “stronger leader” and stopped my friend from smoking in the first place? Should I

have accepted the punishment alone instead of allowing the whole patrol to be punished

because, in many ways, it was my lack of leadership that led to the situation? I would have

been the ‘hero’ and earned the respect and loyalty of my patrol. But would I have been

manipulative or unethical if I had used that incident for my personal goal? Should I have

identified the culprit so that the others would not be punished? On the other hand, did my

patrol learned about collective responsibility through that punishment? I do not think that

there is a textbook answer to all these questions but I am glad that I was forced to think of

those questions because I eventually faced similar situations in my adult life.

1 Warren G Bennis and Robert J Thomas (2004). Crucibles of Leadership in Harvard Business Review on

Developing Leaders. Harvard Business School Press 2 Moral dilemma is a powerful strategy used in values education.

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I was still a Senior Scout and, later, a young scoutmaster when Singapore scouting went

through what I would like to call the industrialisation of scouting, mirroring the rapid

industrialisation of the Singapore economy. There was greater emphasis on standardisation

and many activities were centralised in order to ensure standards. We slowly deviated from

one of the fundamental principles of scouting, which is our promise to do our best, and be

recognised for having done one’s best. How can a scoutmaster know that a scout has done

his best? When is one’s best good enough to justify a ‘pass’? These are difficult questions

but I am not sure that standardisation is the answer.

Although we always had a national uniform, there was greater tolerance for ‘customisation’

or ‘individuality’. I

remember wearing jungle

boots when we went for

hikes and outdoor

activities, and made and

wore our own lanyards.

All these accessories were

not part of the uniform

described in the POR but

we were never hauled up

by our scoutmaster or any

other adult leader. They

gave us this laxity and it

helped fulfil our apparently

contradictory teenage needs of being different and the yet belong to a ‘gang’.

The industrialisation of scouting also caused unit camps to slowly give way to District and

National Camps. Formal training of PLs and even Sixers were introduced. Centralised

courses were conducted for the different tests and badges. Students from the same cohort

were placed into the same patrols because it was deemed to be more efficient when

activities and tests were organised. Individual interests and progress, the philosophy behind

the Proficiency Badge scheme, were sacrificed in the name of standards and efficiency.

The urgent need for nation building when Singapore gained its independence also had a

profound impact on

scouting. I traded my

jungle boots for marching

boots. I spent long hours

learning foot drill so that we

could put up a marching

contingent for the Youth

Festival and National Day

parades. Schools also

mimicked this military-style

celebration and believed

that it was mandatory to

have parades on functions

such as Speech Days. The

hours that I used to spend chatting with friends in the Scout Den, the hikes, the

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backwoodsman cooking, the preparations for the camps and camp fires, the pioneering

projects, etc gave way to the foot drills and polishing of boots. This change was inevitable

because so much time was required to prepare ourselves for the parades.

The traditional horseshoe formation and hand signals that we used during our flag breaking

assemblies were replaced by military formations and commands. The PL took on the role of

the Sergeant while the TL became the Sergeant-major. Individual discipline and

responsibility were over-shadowed by group discipline or ‘regimental discipline’ and

obedience. “Theirs not to reason why; Theirs but to do & die” (The Charge of the Light

Brigade by Lord Tennyson).

I am not sure if these changes were debated at the national level because I was still a young

scout and not privy to these discussions, if any. Perhaps we had no choice because we had

to move with the nation-building fervour that swept through Singapore. Perhaps we were not

confident enough about the validity of the scout method to challenge the national mood.

Perhaps it was just politics. I do not know but I know that many of us embraced the changes

because we were told, and believed, that these changes will better prepare us for National

Service.

I was a commissioned officer in the Armed Forces and, on hindsight, I am not sure if these

‘military’ activities helped me much during my national service. In fact, I think it was the soft

skills that I have learned through the traditional scout activities that were more useful. It was

my ability to interact and communicate with my platoon mates, my ability to work with others,

my ability to solve problems in the field and my leadership attributes and skills that were

more useful.

Once a Scout

As our saying goes “Once a scout, always a scout”, I continued with scouting even after I left

school. I was still actively involved in

scouting even during my university

days and went back to my alma

mater as a teacher. I suspect that

scouting was one of the motivations

that led me to take up teaching as a

career. Interestingly, the more I

learned about formal education, the

more I realised that scouting is an

integral part of the total education of

a young person. There are so many

things that we do in scouting that

could be explained through

educational theories. It became

increasingly clear to me, when I was a young teacher, that being actively involved in

scouting is part and parcel of being a true educator.

Except for a hiatus when I was raising my family and building my career, I contributed at

different levels and in different positions. I was in the Training Team, an Assistant District

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Commissioner and Deputy Chief Commissioner before taking on the role of the Chief

Commissioner in 2002.

Singapore made two bids to host the World Jamboree, when I was the Chief Commissioner.

Although we lost both bids,

it was a valuable learning

experience for me. It

brought me to almost every

continent (except

Antarctica) and allowed me

to learn about scouting in

these vastly different

societies, each with its own

concerns and challenges.

Then in 2009, I was elected

to the Asia Pacific Regional

Committee (APRC) and this

allowed me to understand

in even greater depth how

scouting can be so different

in this richly diverse

Region.

These two roles provided me with opportunities to interact with adult leaders from not only

Singapore but the different National Scout Organisations (NSO). These interactions led me

to realise two very important things. The first is the very different reasons why adults

continue with scouting. Some remained in scouting because they enjoyed scouting in their

youth and want to cling on to their fond memories. These are the adult leaders that often

say “In the good old days…..”. Others continue their love for collecting ‘badges’ and have

moved on to collect titles and awards and enjoy the glory, recognition and status that come

with these. Then there are those educators who truly believe that scouting is education and

seeks to adapt scouting to the changing world while still holding on to the fundamentals of

scouting. There are yet others who probably have all three motivations albeit in different

proportions. I still recall with fondness the “good old days” but also better appreciate

scouting as an integral part of education. Seeing or enjoying scouting as a young boy must

be very different from participating in scouting as an adult. A student will not understand

why he is doing most of the things he does in school, but it does not mean that the

curriculum designers and teachers should not understand the reasons as well. The

challenge is to help more adult leaders appreciate the educational value of scouting so that

they are better able to customise the activities to meet the specific needs of their scouts.

The second thing I learned is that scouting is not culture-free (I am using the word culture in

the broadest sense to include the beliefs, values and practices of a society). I started

scouting when I was a young kampong boy and grew up in the World’s most globalised city.

These two contrasting environments and my own learning about education has allowed me

to realise that to be successful, scouting must be ‘customised’ to suit the culture and stage of

development of the society that it is operating in. We have spent long hours discussing

whether our scout uniform in Singapore is attractive, and yet I saw very happy scouts in

Papua New Guinea who would be grateful if they can have shoes. We spent precious hours

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at World Conferences debating about Human Rights when scouts in some countries I have

visited are longing for the right to be fed.

When I was at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree, I had the opportunity to observe up close the

behaviour of more than

40,000 scouts from 166

countries. The behaviour

of some of the young

people from some

countries would be

regarded as “improper” or

even “sinful” in other

societies. What is

“correct” behaviour

remains highly subjective

and culture-specific. I

have also met many

young adults from Europe

who would take a year off

from work to serve in

various positions in

scouting; this is rare in Asia where the state welfare provisions are not as well developed

and where jobs are scarce. The priority in Asia is to complete one’s education, look for a

job, start a family, work for your career advancement and look after your parents. Many in

the developing economies can, therefore, only do scouting in one’s spare time (which in

itself is difficult when you need to hold on to two jobs to earn enough to sustain your family)

or when one has reached the pinnacle of one’s career. The push for youth involvement as

decision-makers at the highest levels in an NSO by NSOs from the developed economies

fails to recognise the realities in other countries. This push is not only unfair to the young

adults in these societies but also fails to respect cultures where age is equated to wisdom.

Scouting cannot be viewed as a subversive youth movement that seeks to impose a specific

set of values and beliefs on another society but used to develop the universal values of

honour, integrity, loyalty and duty to oneself, community and God. The challenge is to be

able to see beyond these ‘noise’, embrace our diversity, and focus on the education of our

young people.

I know that this is easier said than done because education itself is not value free.

As I gained more knowledge about education, I began to better understand the true value of

scouting. I confess that I joined scouting because it looked like fun, but it is only through the

eyes of an educator that I am able to appreciate the theoretical underpinnings in the Scout

Method. It always amazes me that although Baden Powell was never schooled in education,

he was able to formulate so many concepts, principles and methods that resonate with the

theories found in education. In fact, I often think that scouting, as education, was way ahead

of its time but is now even more relevant in the 21st century as we grapple with challenges

brought about by globalisation and the digital revolution.

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Unfortunately, many people I have talked to, including very senior scout leaders, still regard

scouting as just an outdoor adventure club or merely associate scouting with knots and

pioneering.

Challenges Ahead

It is often said that the youth of today is different from those of yester-years. I beg to differ. I

heard this statement often when I was a young man. I am always reminded of a quotation

which is often attributed to Socrates, although the actual source is unclear.

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for

authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of

exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their

households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They

contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties

at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

I like this quotation because it clearly shows that the way adults view young people have not

changed over the centuries. I remember my father’s reaction when I listened to the Beatles,

imitated Elvis’ hairstyle and did the twist. He thought I was mad. I behaved in exactly the

same way when I was at the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the 22nd World Scout

Jamboree in Sweden. I thought that all the young scouts at the Jamboree were mad to

scream and jump in the pouring rain to the loud music (noise?) coming from the stage. I

retreated to the relative silence (and sanity) of the main tent and waited for the reception.

Perhaps the needs of young people have not changed over the years although their needs

are manifested in different ways. The need to be accepted and belong to a ‘gang’, for

example, have always been there although the symbols for membership in these ‘gangs’

might have changed. Wearing tight (drain-pipe) pants was the symbol during my time

although it is now replaced by torn jeans. My need to communicate and be connected was

met through pen pals while my children use the many social media available.

The challenge, therefore, is that while we seek to update our activities, we must never

forsake the fundamentals of scouting because they are educationally sound and have served

the needs of young people for more than 100 years. When will we cross the line and

change our fundamentals as we ‘modernise’ our scout activities is the million dollar question.

For example already more than 50% of the world’s population is living in cities and all data

shows that this will continue to grow at an exponential rate. Mega cities are sprouting up all

over the world. One of our pillars in our Scout Method is the use of nature. However nature

may be hours away for many scouts living in these mega cities. Does it mean that they

cannot do quality scouting? Or should we interpret “nature” to include humans, ie that

scouting should be carried out in the community and in close interaction with other humans?

Or that one of the outcomes of scouting should be one’s ability to work and live with other

humans and to work to improve the quality of the lives of the people in our community?

Some purists among us, however, would regard this as heresy. So will this interpretation of

“nature” be a new fundamental of scouting or is it just an “update” of our activities?

It is true that the digital revolution has brought about a pace of change never experienced

before in human societies. How much can scouting change before it is no longer

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recognisable or no different from any other youth movement is the challenge we must

confront.

I will not pretend to have the answer to this challenge. I can only say that I have benefitted

from scouting – acquiring indispensable values, attributes and skills through fun and

enjoyable activities. Let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater but try to deepen our

understanding of the fundamentals of scouting, albeit through the lens of a changed society.

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Dr Selina Tang Jinli, PhD

Growing up, I definitely knew that my father had been a scout in his heyday and loved it. In

fact, my brother and I were constantly reminded that not only was he a scout; he was a

Queen’s scout. This was generally brought up when he displayed his incredible talent for

knot tying; there was always a special knot for a particular need. Then there were the hikes

through Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; most families walked on the built up path, we hiked

through the forest. Oh, and the school camps he insisted I attend. My dad was definitely

more enthusiastic about me going to Outward Bound School than I was; or of me cooking my

own food out in the open; or having to sleep in a tent out in a field. Reading his reflections on

his experiences at camp, I hate to agree but I have loved every single campfire I attended

(not that there were many). He’s right, there’s nothing like sitting around a campfire and

singing along to songs after a long day of team-building activities; I still know the lyrics to

“moonlight bay” and “silvery moon”. I can also mentally hear my dad singing the songs.

Although, my dad’s description of the campfire leader makes me think I probably missed out

on something special without a campfire cloak.

Thinking back, I remember being told that my dad was nominated Chief Commissioner. Sure,

I knew he had been attending weekly scout meetings for a fair few years, but the extent of

his commitment had been lost on me (I confess to being a self-absorbed teenager). Was I

proud? Definitely. Was I surprised? Not so much. My dad has always been in a position of

leadership in his career. I have never doubted his capabilities; but I was definitely proud that

he was at the helm during Singapore’s bid to host the World Jamboree.

I still remember a young scout knocking at our gate during Job Week when my dad was

Chief Commissioner; my dad was home at the time and asked him to sweep the porch. My

dad then joined him. At the time, I mused whether the young scout knew who the man next

to him was. After my dad explained the concept behind Job Week to me, I agree how the

experience could be valuable to a young person. I mean, where would I be if my dad had

never learnt to fix a leaky tap?

Privy to his experiences, I am amazed by how what started out as fun, has grown into a

commitment on a regional and international level. The scouting movement has also taught

my dad lifelong skills and values that he has lived by his whole life. Skills and values that

have in some way contributed to who my dad is and what he has achieved, and has in turn

imparted to my brother and I. I am proud to say that I can change my own door locks, and

build my own shelves. Ever my father’s daughter, I will also never sleep in a tent outdoors

again.