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Better Believe It......Because They Actually Happen(ed) Collection 76
MOE “disconnected” from the real challenges in country’s education system, says MCA in school necktie debate By Bernie Yeo An MCA Youth leader has slammed the recent announcement by the Education Ministry (MOE) that students will no longer be required to wear neckties to school from next year. Describing the announcement as “concerning”, the youth wing’s Melaka chapter chief Tee Tian Leng said the move to make school neckties optional reflects a serious misalignment in the ministry’s policy-making priorities. “Despite having spent years in government, the current MOE continues to focus on adjustments related to attire and outward appearance while more critical reforms involving curriculum content, teaching structures and overall educational direction remains sidelined,” he lamented. “The direction the MOE is pursuing is clearly disconnected from the real challenges faced by the people in today’s education system.” The decision was conveyed in a circular dated Dec 17 which was signed by education director-general Mohd Azam Ahmad, according to a report in BuletinTV3 on Tuesday (Dec 30). However, the ministry said wearing a tie would still be allowed if agreed upon by schools and parents, adding that no party is permitted to coerce or place pressure on students regarding the wearing of ties. Further criticising the announcement, Tee said the policy on neckties being no longer being compulsory for students is a simple and non-controversial announcement that “neither improves student learning outcomes nor meaningfully reduces the financial burden on parents”. He said more importantly, the announcement does nothing to address the structural issues that have accumulated within the education system itself, reducing such policies and reforms to mere surface-level changes. “What the MOE truly needs to confront and prioritise are several long-neglected issues, including the dual language programme for Science and Mathematics, which remained inconsistent for years and has failed to provide schools, teachers and parents with a stable and clear direction resulting in confused implementation and negatively affecting learning continuity and student outcomes,” he continued. Full story at Focus Malaysia (January 2026)
Korean Researcher Solves 60-Year Moving Sofa Problem, Top Math Innovation Dr. Baek Jin-eon's Proof Awaits Peer Review, Recognized by Scientific American in 2025 Top Discoveries By Song Hye-jin Dr. Baek Jin-eon/KIAS A Korean researcher who solved the “Moving Sofa Problem,” a mathematical challenge that had puzzled mathematicians for nearly 60 years, was selected as one of the top 10 mathematical innovations of last year. The American scientific journal “Scientific American” included the research of Dr. Baek Jin-eon, 31 years old, a June E Huh Fellow at the June E Huh Center for Mathematical Challenges, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, in its “Top 10 Math Discoveries of 2025” at the end of last year. The moving sofa problem. It asks for the shape with the maximum area that can start in a horizontal corridor, turn a right-angle corner, and exit into a vertical corridor./KIAS The “Moving Sofa Problem” is a challenge proposed by Canadian mathematician Leo Moser in 1966. It involves finding the shape of a two-dimensional figure with the maximum area that can pass through an L-shaped corridor with a width of 1, also known as the “ideal sofa.” In other words, it asks what the largest shape is that can navigate around a right-angled corner in a narrow corridor. While the problem itself is not difficult to understand, finding the answer has proven challenging, remaining a challenge for the mathematical community for approximately 60 years. The sofa shape proposed by Professor Gerver./KIAS In 1992, mathematician Joseph Gerver proposed a shape composed of complex curves (a form made up of 18 line segments) as a likely answer, but no one had proven whether it was truly the optimal solution. The one who presented the answer is Dr. Baek Jin-eon. In November 2024, while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Yonsei University, he published a 119-page paper on the preprint site “arXiv” after challenging the problem for seven years. His answer was that “no sofa wider than Gerver’s sofa can exist.” Full story at The Chosun Daily (January 2026)
Gaza children risk snipers to attend tent schools Students in Beit Lahiya are attending makeshift classes in the dangerous ‘yellow zone’ near Israeli positions, as UNICEF warns that trauma will impact children. Palestinian children, mostly from displaced families, gather at an UNRWA school west of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on December 6, 2025 [AFP] By Mohammad Mansour and Shady Shamieh In a small tent overshadowed by the sound of nearby gunfire, seven-year-old Tulin prepares for her first day of school in two years. For most children, this would be a moment of excitement. For Tulin and her mother, it is a chapter of terror. The relentless Israeli war has destroyed the vast majority of Gaza’s educational infrastructure, forcing families to create makeshift “tent schools” in dangerous proximity to Israeli forces — an area demarcated by Israel as the “yellow zone” west of the separation line, often just a few metres away from danger. “Until my daughter gets to school, I honestly walk with my heart in my hand,” Tulin’s mother told Al Jazeera correspondent Shady Shamieh. “Many times, I find myself involuntarily following her until she reaches the school. I feel there is something [dangerous], but I want her to learn,” she added. “If not for this situation, she would be in second grade now. But we are determined.” ‘Take the sleeping position’ The journey to the classroom is perilous. Walking through the rubble of Beit Lahiya, Tulin admits she is terrified of the open spaces. “When I go to school, I am afraid of the shooting,” Tulin said. “I can’t find a wall to hide behind so the shelling or stray bullets don’t hit us.” Inside the tents, protection is nonexistent. The canvas walls cannot stop bullets, yet the students sit on the ground, determined to learn. Their teacher describes a harrowing daily routine where education is frequently interrupted by the crack of sniper fire. “The location is difficult, close to the occupation [forces],” the teacher explained. “When the shooting starts, we tell the children: ‘Take the sleeping position.’ I get goosebumps, praying to God that no injuries occur. We make them lie on the ground until the shooting stops.” Full story at Al Jazeera (January 2026)
ICE detains five-year-old Minnesota boy arriving home, say school officials Superintendent says Liam Ramos and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway and sent to Texas Liam Ramos, five, detained by ICE in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, outside of his home on Tuesday. Photograph: Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools By Sam Levin US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a five-year-old Minnesota boy on Tuesday as he returned home from school and transported him and his father to a Texas detention center, according to school officials. Liam Ramos, a preschooler, and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway, the superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, said at a press conference on Wednesday. Liam, who had recently turned five, is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration’s enforcement surge in the region over the last two weeks, the district said. Liam and his father had just arrived home when they were detained, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent, who said she drove to the home when she learned of the detentions. When she arrived, Stenvik said the father’s car was still running and the father and son had already been apprehended. An agent had taken Liam out of the car, led the boy to his front door and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in, “in order to see if anyone else was home – essentially using a five-year-old as bait”, the superintendent said in a statement. Stenvik said another adult living in the home was outside during the encounter and had pleaded to take care of Liam so the boy could avoid detention, but was denied. Liam’s older brother, a middle schooler, came home 20 minutes later to find his father and brother missing, Stenvik said. Two school principals from the district also arrived at the home to offer support. Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, said the family had an active asylum case and shared paperwork showing the father and son had arrived to the US at a port of entry, meaning an official crossing point. “The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out,” he said. “They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals.” He said there was no order of deportation against them and he believes the father and son have remained together in detention. Liam Ramos, five, detained by ICE in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, outside of his home on Tuesday. Photograph: Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public Schools School officials released two photos of the encounter, one showing Liam, in a blue knit hat, outside his front door with a masked agent by his side, and another showing Liam standing by a car with a man holding on to his backpack. “Why detain a five-year-old? You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal,” Stenvik said. Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday night that ICE was conducting a “targeted operation” to arrest Liam’s father, who she called an “illegal alien”. “ICE did NOT target a child,” she said. McLaughlin also alleged the father “fled on foot – abandoning his child”, saying, “For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended [his father]. “Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates,” she added. The school district provided a statement from Liam’s teacher, who expressed shock over the boy’s detention: “Liam is a bright young student. He is so kind and loving, and his classmates miss him. He comes into class every day and just brightens the room. All I want is for him to be back here and safe.” Full story at The Guardian (January 2026)
Firefighters rescue teacher weighing 350kg, safely transported to hospital By Farhana Yaacob Masjid Tanah Fire and Rescue Station personnel rescuing a 40-year-old teacher weighing about 350kg, who was severely incapacitated at home due to medical conditions, at Taman Sri Gemilan, Kuala Sungai Baru today. Photo credit: Melaka Fire and Rescue Department ALOR GAJAH: Firefighters assisted a 40-year-old teacher, weighing about 350kg, who was severely incapacitated at home due to medical conditions, at Taman Sri Gemilan, Kuala Sungai Baru, early this morning. Melaka Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Mohd Hafidzatullah Rashid said the department received an emergency call at 2.56am, prompting a team from the Masjid Tanah Fire and Rescue Station to respond immediately. On arrival, the man was found unable to move in the bathroom, despite assistance from his wife. "The patient required specialised help from firefighters to safely transfer him from a confined space. He was experiencing significant physical limitations due to underlying medical conditions," Mohd Hafidzatullah said in a statement. Eight firefighters were involved in the operation, which took about 20 minutes. The man was then transported to Alor Gajah Hospital in a fire department vehicle. Full story at New Straits Times (January 2026)
Student protesters march to Parliament, want varsities Act scrapped By Justin Zack and Gerard Gimino KUALA LUMPUR: A group of student protesters has called for the abolishment of the Universities and University Colleges Act (Auku) 1971. The protesters, who said they belonged to various student groups making up the Abolishment of Auku Secretariat, walked to the Parliament building here on Monday (Feb 9) morning to hand over a memorandum on their demands. They said the Act should be replaced by more inclusive laws. "This memorandum calls on the government to completely repeal the Act and replace it with a more progressive, inclusive and democratic legal framework. "Despite being amended several times, the Act still retains a centralised power structure, creating room for political interference, abuse of administrative authority, and the suppression of freedom of expression and association. "This situation contradicts the principles of constitutional democracy and the role of universities as independent and critical institutions of knowledge," the group said in the memorandum. Full story at The Star Online (February 2026)
Ten dead after shooter opens fire at Canadian high school in rare massacre By Ismail Shakil and Ryan Patrick Jones Students walk out of the school building with their hands up after an assailant opened fire at a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, February 10, 2026. Western Standard/ Jordon Kosik/Handout via REUTERS Feb 10 (Reuters) - Ten people including the shooter are dead after an assailant opened fire at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday in one of the country's deadliest mass casualty events in recent history. The attack brought to Canada the type of mass shooting more common in the neighboring United States, and was carried out by a shooter described as female, police said. Six people were found dead inside a high school in the town of Tumbler Ridge, in British Columbia, two more people were found dead at a residence believed to be connected to the incident, and another person died on the way to hospital, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. At least two other people were hospitalized with serious or life-threatening wounds, and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police did not say how many of the victims may have been minors. Parents gathered in a local community center as they waited to learn the fate of their children. "It was a situation that you really never want to face again ... the sight of what I saw was devastating, many parents just waiting for the news on whether their child had survived the shooting or not," said local pastor George Rowe. Police would only identify victims when they had "absolute, unequivocal identification," he told CBC News on Wednesday. SUSPECTED SHOOTER ALSO FOUND DEAD A suspected shooter was also found dead from what appeared to be a self‑inflicted injury, police said, adding they did not believe there were any more suspects or ongoing threat. "It's hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. It's the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home," British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters. Police released almost no details about the shooter except to say the person was described as female - potentially an unusual development as mass shootings in North America are almost always carried out by men. Darian Quist, a 17-year-old student at the school, said his class had been locked down for more than two hours starting at about 1.30 pm local time. Although he heard nothing, other pupils later shared photos of scenes where blood could be seen, he told CBC News. A police active shooter alert said the suspect was described "as female in a dress with brown hair". Police Superintendent Ken Floyd later confirmed that the suspect described in the alert was the same person found dead in the school. Full story at Reuters (February 2026)
Teen gunman shoots principal dead in school siege in Thailand Suspect wounded and captured after about two hours of hostage drama By Maroosha Muzaffar The female principal of a school in southern Thailand was shot dead and at least two students were injured following a siege by a teen gunman, police said. The suspect, whose age has been stated to be between 17 and 19, entered the Phatong Prathankiriwat School in Hat Yai district “in an agitated state while carrying a gun” on Wednesday shortly before 5pm local time and opened fire, the provincial government said in a statement. He took the female principal of the school, identified as Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, hostage and shot her in the chest and torso, according to Thailand’s ministry of public health. Officials said the suspect used a firearm that had been stolen from a police officer. Police officers and people stand near the gate of Patongprathankiriwat School, following an incident in which a gunman entered the school and held an unknown number of students and teachers hostage, in southern Thailand’s Songkhla, Thailand, 11 February 2026 (REUTERS) Emergency services rushed Sasiphat to the hospital, where she underwent surgery. Thailand’s health ministry said she died at about 2am on Thursday from severe internal injuries and heavy blood loss. A female student was also shot during the incident, according to the ministry, while another student was injured after jumping from a building in panic. Authorities have not released further details about the injured girl’s condition. Police surrounded the campus after reports of gunfire, leaving students and teachers trapped inside classrooms while the building was locked down. The suspect, who Reuters described as a 17 year old with a sister studying at the same school, later surrendered following a standoff lasting about two hours and was taken into custody. He was shot and wounded and then captured, according to the Central Investigation Bureau, The Bangkok Post reported. A motorbike near the gate of the Patongprathankiriwat School, which, according to police, is believed to belong to the gunman, after he entered and held an unknown number of students and teachers hostage, in southern Thailand’s Songkhla, 11 February 2026 (REUTERS) The Nation Thailand, however, reported that the assailant was 19 years old. According to Reuters, he has a history of substance abuse and was discharged from a psychiatric hospital in December. Police said they were first called to reports of a man allegedly under the influence of drugs acting violently and assaulting people in Ban Phru on Wednesday, The Nation reported. When officers tried to control him, he allegedly chased them with an axe, damaged a police vehicle, stole a 9mm handgun and fled on a motorcycle before going to the school. Full story at The Independent (February 2026)
'Vast majority' of parents should be involved if children question their gender, schools told By Branwen Jeffreys and Nathan Standley Parents should be involved in the "vast majority" of cases where a child questions their gender, according to new government guidance for all English schools. The legally-binding advice says schools should not initiate steps towards social transitioning - when pupils change their name, pronoun or clothes to reflect their gender identity - and should instead consider carefully what other support a child might need. In primary schools in particular, full social transitioning should only happen "very rarely", it says. The guidance has been backed by the author of the landmark Cass Review, Dr Hilary Cass, who said the guidance was "a huge step in the right direction". Her review of gender care services for under-18s, published in 2024, was commissioned by NHS England after it saw a sharp rise in referrals for patients questioning their gender. Her report said the evidence around medical interventions in gender care was "remarkably weak", and there was a lack of research available. The guidance also says there are "no exceptions" for single-sex facilities at schools and colleges, including toilets and changing rooms, with single-sex sports also protected. But schools have been given some flexibility over how they deal with issues such as children's names and uniforms. The BBC understands single-sex schools will continue to follow the current admissions code, which allows them to admit pupils only on the basis of their biological sex. Cass said the guidance was "practical and reflects the recommendations of my review, giving schools much-needed clarity on their legal duties so they can support children with confidence". Overall, the new guidance also makes a clear distinction between a child's wishes, and what might be in their best interests. Full story at BBC News (February 2026)