Too much ado over JC's name

There has been much controversy surrounding the name of a new junior college ("What's in a name? Eunoia JC spells it out in a letter"; last Thursday).

Despite the fact that this JC has yet to open its doors, it has already gained much attention because of its name - Eunoia - which has Greek origins.

Netizens have criticised the name of this JC, and even started rhyming it with words like "ammonia", "paranoia" and "euthanasia".

Although I agree that the Ministry of Education (MOE) could have selected a better-sounding name for this JC, I cannot fathom why this has generated so much harsh criticism.

A school, by definition, is an institution for educating children to prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

Hence, things as superficial as school names should not hold any weight over the type of education provided at these institutions.

Moreover, this name was chosen to represent the teachings that the school wishes to impart to its students, such as "aspiring to learn with grace".

Why is it that so many Singaporeans are merely focusing on what they perceive as the "repugnant" name of the school instead of applauding the Government for opening a new JC to help our youngest and brightest reach their fullest potential?

Instead of inventing jokes to mock Eunoia JC, let us focus on more significant issues regarding our education system to show the world that Singaporeans are not facile citizens who base their opinions on language that may not be as vernacular as we are accustomed to.

Ashley Tan Yu Yi, 15, Secondary 4 student

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 13, 2016, with the headline Too much ado over JC's name. Subscribe