Education and critical thinking - a viewpoint of a Chinese graduand in the US

Yang Shuping, University of Maryland class of 2017, is shown in a screen capture from YouTube from her commencement remarks. (YouTube) Yang was widely criticised on Chinese social media outlets for remarks she made that were critical of China and laudatory of the breadth of social and political freedom in the United States. She has since apologized on the Weibo Chinese-language social-media platform.
Education and critical thinking - a viewpoint of a Chinese graduand in the US


A Communist China graduand, Shuping Yang, was given the honour to speak at the commencement for the University of Maryland, Class of 2017.

In her address, Yang courageously touched on many salient universal issues that can be considered taboo in her homeland.


“The content of her speech shows Yang’s critical thinking, observation and judgment,” Gerakan Deputy Speaker Syed Abdul Razak Alsagoff said.

He said Yang pointed out to the audience that “her voice matters, your voice matters and our voices matter”.

“She also stressed that civil engagement is not a task for just politicians,” he added.

Syed Razak, who is Gerakan’s nominee to contest N.37 Bukit Lanjan in the coming 14th General Election (GE14), said a notable quote from Yang was this:


“We are graduating from a university that embraces a liberal arts education that nurtures us to think critically and also to care and feel for humanity.”

In short, Syed Razak said, Yang is asking whether “we want robot-like students and graduates or critical-thinking students and graduates who can contribute immensely to nation-building using their innovative minds”.

However, and unfortunately, Yang was widely criticised on Communist China’s social media outlets for her remarks that were deemed critical of China and laudatory of the breadth of social and political freedom in the United States. She has since apologised on the Weibo Chinese-language social-media platform.

“But, is Malaysia ready to nurture critical thinking graduates who care and feel for humanity? View the above video, you be the judge,” he added.


N.37 LET BUKIT LANJAN SOAR WITH SYED ABDUL RAZAK ALSAGOFF

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