The Existence of the RIPB

We had the prefectorial candidates forum. And so being a forum the candidates expressed their wish, basically, to be a prefect. I'm simplifying things to the basics now, since the reasons they were there was to convince us to vote for them.

Now we were led to the questions-and-answers session, before Benjamin Yap turned to me while I was playing with chalk (yes, the white material your parents used in school). Then he said, "What's the difference between a normal student and a prefect?"

So while the candidates were busy answering the questions, I pondered his question, and I said, "They have the ability to keep discipline?"

"That's booking. Anything else?"


Questioning the Existence of the RIPB
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So I really did my best to find whether they had any difference from normal students. They organised events? Wait. They had student councils to handle these. And who was part of the student councils? Normal students.

And who did National Day? RE student group.

And the inter-class? CEC council.

And I haven't come into the problem of the Prefectorial Board's only purpose as felt by the general voice of the Rafflesian Population - the existence of it would be to book people.

In nicer terms, let's all call it "maintaining discipline".

'Maintaining discipline' in Raffles would be to book people, and accumulating 6 demerits points for 6 bookings would result in detention.

That's fine with me, seriously. I mean, if it does help in maintaining discipline - by the way, there are still people coming in school late every single day, eating outside the canteen, sporting long hair. And right, I only know of this three bookable offences. If there are others, I'm a good student and only have been booked for this 3 offences over my three years in Raffles.

So wait, the RIPB exists just to curb these 3 sins? Or 5 sins? 6?

No, they also exist to organise Rafflesian Spotlight, and the likes? Yes.

Now, let's move on to the other aspects - what if RIPB didn't exist.

Well, we can all still survive, albeit with 'lesser discipline' then before. Late arrivals - wait that can be detected by the teachers. Those not on the attendance list are considered late. That isn't hard work, considering how our CEC aids the teachers. Mrs Tan just asks, "Who isn't here?" during morning assembly, and whoever is not in the line would be marked absent. And if he comes later, he's of course, late!

Forget about writing reasons - how ever good the reason would be, whether you're involved in a car crash and couldn't get on time, you've got your demerit point and would be later sent for detention upon being involved in 6 car crashes.

So there. But wait, that is unfair! What happens if you're sick? States on the Raffles Handbook that if you're sick, you should call the General Office and inform them you're late. They will inform the teachers of that class. Let's say maybe about 10 students a day. Not tiring, just call in, copy the name class, and send to the teacher.

You will then be marked absent for the day, and no demerit points for you. And if you want to play truant, you can't because whether the RIPB is in existance or not you still have to go to school. Fail to produce an MC, you are reported to the discipline master or the level head.

Any mention of RIPB in my process of being late? No. If you come later that day, your responsibility to inform the form teacher. Any difference should Matthias the Prefect or Kristian the Prefect were there?

No.

Let's now move on to Hair Check. So Kristian goes down the entire line, as with all prefects from 1A to 4T. The prefects move down the line. Along with the CEC. The prefects will then single out students with hair that is too long. CEC would then do the attendance.

Wait, so why can't Ben Low move down the line, spot out the hair-failers, send them to the clock tower, and check the missing people? Is he in any case, more supceptible to bribery compared to the prefects? If he is, why is he part of the CEC then? Is he, in any case, have a psychomotor disablity to spot the hair-failers and the absentees in less then 2 minutes? It's a class of less than 30. Just sweep through twice and you're done - efficient.

Any void so far left by the prefects' absense? No.

Eating outside the canteen.

Now let's say from tomorrow we were allowed to eat outside the canteen.

We would have insects everywhere, ants, cockroaches, and the like. And I totally despise people who argue that it's the cleaner's job to clean up after all. We would all come to the consensus that we would not be able to study with rats scurrying around 3L, or the design centre.

The CEC can't do anything - they are based in class only and they can't go around just looking for people who eat outside the canteen.

In fact, no one is deployed just for a single purpose - to check people from eating outside the canteen.

And that, readers, definitely includes the RIPB, for RIPB consists of students who need a life, who need lesser stress, and more time for themselves.

No, I'm not saying that members of the RIPB do not have a life. Among those 70 people, how many of them truly enjoy their posts? Ok. Prefects who are reading this blog, I'm not psychic, and I cannot think what you are thinking.

You may enjoy the job, but after reading my points and feeling no need for you to be present in hair check and late-coming, are you going to exist for the sole purpose of looking for a piece of bread outside of our canteen? And for goodness, what can be eaten during recess outside of the canteen?

Bread? Biscuits? The management has indeed produce a good solution to this problem already - go to the 1st floor to eat your sandwich.

And why don't you see many people doing that? Probably because of the inaccessibility to the lifts. But, you see, it all fits perfectly - allow acess of the lifts during the official break periods! No teachers would be using the lifts then - they would by then, be in the canteen or in the comfort of the staffrooms.

Trust me, teachers, you would still be able to use the lifts. Should there be overloading, off the students go. And for goodness, students know their limits. We are not stupid enough to enter a lift with teachers inside.

As to the rest, we have to base on our own principles. Show others what it means to be a Rafflesian. After all, we cannot always depend on prefects to make us Rafflesian.

We cannot depend on them to keep ourselves neat and in-check.
We cannot depend on them to come on time everyday.

At the end of the day, we have still have to depend on ourselves. I believe fullheartedly that you can survive a day without mentioning RIPB.

And oh yes, about playing soccer in uniform. We stopped playing when Ms. Martina Ong saw us and stopped us from continuing. How many teachers do not pass the Astroturf frequently? Or even the field? Or the basketball court?

And trust me guys, playing with school uniform and sweating like hell isn't going to work. If you can't resists (which happens most of the time), borrow a PE kit from your friend.

Personally, I do not think you want to look transparent with sweat when you go to J8 after your soccer match - looking presentable is totally based on your ownself. And by the way, bring a bottle of deodorant always. I believe that's the best you can do to keep yourself, presentable.

Let's not burden our fellow friends and transform them into policemen. Remember when you wanted Shanzhi to play soccer with you all, but are not able to because he's a prefect, and he can't play with his school uniform? Of course he can't play - you will get him all sweaty and transparent - his responsbility gets him to bring his own PE kit to change into. And what gets him the responsbility? It's the Rafflesian Spirit - willing to keep our uniforms clean, and be proud of ourselves.

It's no wonder we don't have the Pasir Ris Secondary School Spirit - the thinker, leader, pioneer is inside all of us - we don't need any policemen to keep our actions in check.

Lastly, to all Prefect Nominees. Be proud of who you are - the name Rafflesian is already enough. As a Rafflesian, you're a Thinker, Leader, and Pioneer. Do you have to be a prefect to be a thinker, a leader, a pioneer?

To Karthik - do you need to be a prefect to call for the allowance for students in lifts during official break hours and after school?

Do you need to be a prefect to organise the Raffles Sport Colosseum? No. Just ask for permission from the school adminstration and off you go, organise.

Thus I conclude this blogpost questioning the existence of
the RIPB, and emphasizing the importance of the CEC, and of course,
the Rafflesian Community.