Kuala Lampur, Jan. 9 -- Honest question: How many times have you heard your teachers or a lecturer tell you "not to worry"?

I can recall numerous times doctors, mechanics, airline folks, house repairmen, and banking personnel tell me those magical three words in the context of their work for me.

But when I think back to my school days, the primary image seems to be of stern well-intentioned professionals who were very concerned about my learning and yet, somehow (or because of this?), kept piling on academic pressure with practically no end in sight.

When it comes to academic culture within an Asian context, it appears that anxiety and tension go hand in hand with achievement. Our schools are practically the first institutions a child ...