Having been working in the private education sector for 8 years and stepping into my 9th next year, I have to say I am quite concerned about the direction where Malaysia education system is heading to.
I read in the Star newspaper today, a letter from Dr Chris Anthony, which shocked me. He worte that a parent eventually left his kid in school after his kid scored 4A and 1B in UPSR. He was not satisfied with the result, but imagine the trauma inflicted on the kid who sat and wept in the school. 4A and 1B is a brilliant result, but why such inhuman respond from the boy's father?
I totally agree with Dr Chris Anthony that primary school is not only about studying and taking examinations, and this also applies to high schools. In primary school, kids are supposed to learn not only basic reading, writing and calculating knowledge, but also learn social skills, including respecting friends, eating habit, discipline and ethiquette. They should also learn thinking skills.
The target of primary school is to actually instil good values in these early learners so that they will grow up to be educated and civilized.
In secondary schools, students should then be developed towards achieving goals and knowledge and to be active in extra co curricular activities that teach them thinking, management and leadership skills. They should also be prepared to face challenges, be tolerant and understanding.
Instead, after over 50 years of independence, I have to conclude the harmony has grown further and further, especially in schools. I have been actively giving talks in high schools and this is something alarming that I can see. And I am trying my best to assist to educate our future generations in term of studying and understanding each other.
Our secondary education system is too robotic to generate robot students, whom a lot of them are good scorers but lack of thinking and critical thinking skills. They study everyday but when given a task, they wouldn't be able to achieve it. Ask a question outside of the book, they wouldn't be able to answer much.
It is time to revamp our education system if we are to generate more high profile and innovative bucnh of youngsters.
Scholarships by higher education institution should be done through thorough interviewing process (especially in private colleges) rather than simply giving them to any students with particular results. Such publicity of scholarships is also a contributory factor towards making our kids becoming too result-oriented. Emphasizing As and making it look so big will only create a generation of robots.
I have to applaud Sri Cempaka schools, whom I think has successfully produce a lot of quality students as I am the witness to the different teaching culture that targets on Mind Body and Soul.
Let us hope for a better education, and now is the time to do changes.
