历史课本一错7年 家长震惊700教师没发现

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历史课本一错7年　家长震惊700教师没发现

中学历史教科书一错7年，200多所中学约700名历史老师竟无人发现，学者和家长均表震惊，认为“不可思议”！
《联合晚报》昨天独家报道，本地中一英文历史教科书《活着的过去－印度、中国和东南亚古代史》（“The Living Past - History of Ancient India,China and Southeast Asia”）（昨天误写成中二），在介绍中国古代政治制度时，张冠李戴地把“诸侯”当成“士”。
该书是教育部唯一指定的中一历史教科书，2006年开始使用第二版。换句话说，这一个错误已经存在了7年，直到《联合晚报》记者在检查孩子的历史作业时察觉。
据了解，有200多所中学使用这本教材，以平均一所学校有3位历史老师计算，全国应有大约700名中学历史教师，竟无一人发现错误。这一现象令学者和不少家长皆表“不可思议”。
对中华文化认识薄弱；文史学者杜南发：诸侯是领导人，士是服务者。完整报道，请翻阅02.05.2012《联合晚报》。
这本书中竟有24次，错将“诸侯”写成“士”。

'Shi' slip-up in history textbook not spotted for 6 years
MOE working with publisher to amend error in use of Chinese term
Published on May 4, 2012

By Lin Zhaowei

PARENTS expressed concern yesterday after a mistake in a Ministry of Education-approved history textbook - used to teach children across Singapore - went undetected for six years.

Instead of using 'feudal lord' to refer to noblemen who ruled over parcels of land in ancient China, the writer used the Chinese term shi - which refers to a lower-ranked official.

The error was eventually spotted by a Lianhe Wanbao reporter when he was revising history with his daughter. It was reported in the evening newspaper earlier this week.

The ministry is working with the publisher to amend the mistake in The Living Past: History Of Ancient India, China and South-east Asia.

However, parents told The Straits Times they were worried that the slip-up could mean there were errors in other books used by their children.

Mr Wee Y.H., a 40-year-old with two teenagers in secondary school, said he had spotted mistakes in their books and worksheets in the past, and got them to highlight the errors to their teachers.

But most working parents may not have time to check their children's class material, he pointed out. 'If they keep having such mistakes, why don't they get more people to check?' he asked.

Associate Professor Ong Chang Woei, from the National University of Singapore's Chinese Studies Department, said the issue raises eyebrows because no teacher spotted the error. He said the ministry should let a historian of China vet textbooks related to the topic to avoid such mistakes.

One secondary school history teacher, who declined to be named, said he was surprised to hear that the use of shi in the book is wrong. 'I didn't know that term was different in meaning from feudal lord. It's in the textbook and I assumed it's correct,' he said.

Another teacher, who used to take lower secondary classes using the English language textbook, said he was once asked by a student about the Chinese character for shi. But it did not occur to him at the time to check the meaning. He added that not all history teachers have an in-depth knowledge of the subject, as they may have graduated with degrees in other areas, such as political science.

'During our training at the National Institute of Education, we focused more on how to engage and teach students than on content,' he explained.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the ministry confirmed the mistake. It said all secondary schools that offer Secondary 1 history are using the textbook, written by New Zealander Andrew Major.

Historians say shi are members of the learned class who worked for feudal lords during the Zhou dynasty. The lords in turn answered to the king.

A ministry spokesman said: 'We have verified that while the shi may control small parcels of land and the farmers working on them, their lands were not bestowed by the king', unlike feudal lords.

A new revised version of the textbook will be published next year, said the spokesman.

For students currently using the textbook, the ministry will work with the publisher to inform teachers of the mistake and issue printed corrections for sections which need to be amended.

zhaowei@sph.com.sg