“Without geography, you’re nowhere” is a quote by Jimmy Buffett, and it is so true.
Learning geography is not just about memorising places on the map; it encompasses people, culture, economics, politics, and so much more.
Geography is essential for understanding our interconnected world and the wide variety of processes and phenomena within it.
As a retired secondary school Geography teacher, my first lesson every year was always about why we must study the subject. I would make that first encounter as interesting as possible, showing students how geography connects to their everyday lives.
Unfortunately, in many secondary schools today, Geography has slowly become a dying subject. It has taken a back seat, and fewer schools are offering Geography in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations.
I remember when I was in primary school in the 60s, I learnt many fascinating facts about the lives of people and countries around the world. Geography was then known as “Ilmu Alam”.
We explored the Maasai tribe’s practice of collecting and drinking fresh blood from cows, the Inuit people’s survival in the cold Arctic, and the Tsetse fly of Africa, which can cause sleeping sickness.
We also learnt about tsunamis in Japan. Getting to know all the four climatic seasons left us in awe of God’s creation and made me dream of one day experiencing snow.
This curiosity inspired me to study hard so that one day I could see the world for myself.
In secondary school, Goh Cheng Leong’s Physical Geography book was our bible. The syllabus was extensive. We had to understand the formation of various landforms and memorise all their names, from the icy zones of glaciers to the hot arid deserts, the deepest oceans, and even the layers of the atmosphere.
We must be able to calculate local times in different time zones, read and interpret topographic maps, and measure distances and angles on them. The compass, atlas and protractor were the must-haves in our school bags whenever there were Geography lessons.
We could even draw maps of countries such as Japan, India, Malaysia, and regions like South-East Asia and North America, freehand. Sadly, many in the younger generations today cannot even identify the states in our country.
In over 30 years of teaching Geography, students have come up to me to say it was their favourite subject. It was a subject that resonated with their everyday lives. I used to organise field trips, treasure hunts and visits to meteorological stations so that students could get some hands-on experience.
Geography not only covers physical and human knowledge but also includes cultural, social, historical and economic aspects. The vast information students gain can benefit them in their chosen careers.
I once had a science student who took Geography as an elective subject in his International General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations because he wanted to study environmental engineering, and his Science stream class did not offer this subject.
For secondary students who struggle with Mathematics or Science, Geography can open up an alternative career path.
I had a student who, despite performing poorly in her languages and Science subjects, scored an A in Geography in her SPM examinations. She is now thriving in tourism management.
Geography involves data collection, analytical skills, report writing, presentations and teamwork.
Career paths that are related or closely linked to geography include cartography, town planning, landscape architecture, meteorology, astronomy, tourism, and urban morphology.
Learning geography enhances our understanding of climate change, sustainability, natural disasters and renewable energy – topics that are increasingly important today.
It is my hope that Geography will be given a more prominent place in our education system, as the subject complements and enhances other fields of study. Geography is truly everywhere!
CHAN YEE AI
Klang
