Najib meneruskan usahanya menukar MALAYsia kepada CINAsia? – Mementingkan undi cina daripada masa depan agama, bangsa dan negara.

Tidak salah jadi ‘Cina pisang

(Utusan Malaysia 20 Oktober 2012)

• Perdana Menteri (PM) mengatakan baru-baru ini Malaysia adalah satu-satunya negara di luar China yang mengiktiraf pendidikan Cina sebagai sebahagian daripada sistem pendidikan kebangsaan. Perdana Menteri juga  menegaskan, ketika menjadi menteri pelajaran, Akta Pendidikan 1996 diwujudkan menggantikan Akta Pelajaran 1961.
• Akta Pelajaran 1961 amat ditakuti kerana memberi kuasa penuh kepada menteri pelajaran untuk menukar sekolah jenis kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) kepada sekolah kebangsaan. Akta Pelajaran 1996, memberikan signifikan amat besar kepada pendidikan Cina. Kerajaan secara langsung mengiktiraf kewujudan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC), Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SMJKC) dan Sekolah Persendirian Cina (SPC) sebagai sebahagian daripada sistem pendidikan kebangsaan yang bersifat kekal. Belajarlah berterima kasih kepada PM.
• Sekadar makluman, selepas 1996, lebih banyak sumber kewangan diperuntukkan pendidikan Cina. Pada masa itu, terdapat 78 sekolah menengah Cina yang memilih untuk mematuhi silibus dan pengajaran kerajaan dan ia menjadi SMJKC, manakala 60 lagi kekal sebagai SPC. Ini tidak termasuk sejumlah hamper 1,300 SJKC yang diterima masuk sebagai sistem pendidikan kebangsaan. Bilangan SJKC terus bertambah setiap tahun melalui bantuan kerajaan sepenuhnya.
• Akta 1996 yang lunak ini membolehkan kerajaan memberi bantuan kewangan, fiskal dan sumber perancangan kepada sistem pendidikan Cina. Namun, sedarkah kita bahawa akta ini juga ditentang oleh NGO Cina seperti Dong Jiao Zong, kerana mereka tidak mahu langsung sekolah Cina diganggu-gugat. Mereka mahu beroperasi dengan penuh kecinaan.
• PM turut menjelaskan kedudukan terkini permohonan pembinaan sekolah menengah persendirian Cina di Kuantan, Pahang seperti yang dituntut komuniti di kawasan tersebut. Syarat yang dikenakan adalah pelajar-pelajar ini wajib mengambil Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) dan jika pelajar mahu mengambil peperiksaan Sijil Peperiksaan Bersama (UEC), itu terpulang kepada mereka. Kerajaan juga menyediakan peruntukan kira-kira RM100 juta untuk membangunkan SJKC di seluruh negara. Selain itu, kerajaan turut menawarkan biasiswa kepada pelajar-pelajar terbaik UEC selain menyelesaikan segera isu kekurangan guru di SJKC. Itupun masih ditentang kerana mereka mahu UEC diiktiraf sepenuhnya tanpa mengambil SPM.
• Sebagai timbal balas, PM menaruh harapan melihat masyarakat Cina di negara ini fasih berbahasa Melayu. Persoalannya, bolehkah harapan PM ini dipenuhi oleh komuniti Cina, terutama kumpulan ultra kiasu, setelah kerajaan memberi begitu banyak kemudahan dan begitu bertoleransi.
• Tidak ada negara di dunia ini yang begitu bermurah hati dan bertoleransi seperti apa yang negara kita lakukan. Persoalannya, kenapa tidak dihargai? Apa jua cadangan kerajaan untuk penambaikan sekolah Cina adalah ditentang habis-habisan. Toleransi yang tidak ada tolok bandingnya ini masih lagi diterima. Apa yang dimahukan oleh orang Cina? Apakah mereka mahu tinggal di pulau sendiri seperti Singapura dan sasaran mereka hari ini adalah Pulau Pinang.
• Lebih memeranjatkan lagi, Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah menjelaskan isu pendidikan dan kesaksamaan ekonomi, yang disebut sebagai road map, adalah daya penarik bagi menarik undi masyarakat Cina yang kebanyakannya kini beralih menyokong Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Road map yang dimaksudkan mengiktiraf UEC, seperti kerajaan mengiktiraf sijil dikeluarkan Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman. Selain itu, terdapat beberapa tuntutan  utama lain yang mesti dipenuhi dipenuhi iaitu mengatasi masalah kekurangan guru di SJKC; menghalau keluar guru-guru bahasa Melayu dan Inggeris yang tidak mempunyai kredit mandarin dalam SPM, kesukaran permohonan pendaftaran ahli lembaga pengarah pengelola sekolah Cina, mencinakan penubuhan Sekolah Menengah Chong Hwa Kuantan, meluluskan penubuhan sekolah Cina persendirian Segamat, tambahan peruntukan pembangunan SJKC dan menyediakan rizab tanah sekolah Cina dan peruntukan yang diperlukan untuk membina sekolah.
• Kata Saifuddin lagi, sekiranya isu-isu seperti itu berjaya diselesaikan, komuniti masyarakat Cina berkemungkinan besar akan kembali untuk menyokong kerajaan. Persoalan saya, jika semua tuntutan dipenuhi identiti apa yang akan tinggal? Kita membina negara atau membina bangsa? Raikan bangsa majoriti atau minoriti?
• Saya harap kerajaan buat audit akaun-akaun NGO-NGO ini termasuk PIBG dan sumbangan hartawan Cina kepada mereka. Percayalah, jutaan wang telah ditaburkan. Maka tidak hairan jika kemudahan sekolah Cina jauh lebih baik daripada sekolah kerajaan kerana sikap dermawan hartawan mereka. 
• Perkara yang perlu difikirkan adakah pendidikan dan masa depan boleh dijual beli? Sampai bila kita harus tunduk kepada desakan Cina kerana undi. Apakah kita lebih mementing undi Cina daripada masa depan agama, bangsa dan negara? Jika semua tuntutan ini dipenuhi maka berlakulah proses pencinaan 100 peratus. Mereka lebih cina daripada orang Cina di China. Ini tidak termasuk, proses pencinaan IPTS swasta yang hebat berlaku dan IPTS berasaskan parti politik perkauman. Proses pencinaan berlaku daripada sekolah rendah sehingga ke peringkat institusi pengajian tinggi. Jika semua ini terus dibiarkan berlaku, tidak ada ertinya nama Malaysia, kerana identiti Malay (Melayu) sudah tidak wujud lagi. Yang ada, hanya menonjol hanya Chinesesia.
• Hargai toleransi dan sikap murah hati PM. Ini tidak, mereka terus menerus mendesak kerajaan supaya terus mencinakan pendidikan Cina. Mereka langsung tidak memikirkan tentang bangsa majoriti yang semakin hilang identitinya semata-mata meraikan bangsa lain.
• Sudahlah bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan tidak terdaulat. Hari ini sistem pendidikan tidak menyokong ke arah mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan. Peruntukan tahunan sudah menjadi sama rata. Di manakah maksud adil yang sebenarnya? Adil sudah tidak membawa makna meletakkan sesuatu pada tempatnya, tetapi sudah menjadi 1>1. Adilkah namanya?
• Saya amat bimbang, tindakan mengalah ini akan menyimpan atau melahir rasa dendam orang Melayu kepada orang Cina. Inilah sebenarnya antara punca peristiwa 13 Mei 1969. Apabila dendam tidak dapat dikawal maka mengamuklah orang Melayu.
• Percayalah, jika orang Cina terus mengambil pendekatan tertutup yakni terus mencinakan sekolah Cina, lebih cina daripada negeri Cina. Suatu hari ini orang Cina juga yang akan rugi dan menyesal. Mereka akan ketinggalan. Kecinaan yang keterlaluan tidak akan membawa keuntungan kepada orang Cina, kerana orang Cina tidak tinggal dilubuk sendiri.
• Tidak salah menjadi Cina pisang sedikit, sebab kita berada di tempat orang, bukan tempat asal  kita dahulu. Saya tidak langsung membantah, jika orang Cina mahu menjadi secina-cinanya jika mereka berada di negara China.
• Tetapi hari ini kita berada di Malaysia. Negara yang majoritinya adalah Melayu dan bahasa Melayu adalah bahasa kebangsaan, bahasa untuk orang Cina berinteraksi dengan orang Melayu adalah bahasa Melayu. Bahasa perpaduan dan integrasi adalah bahasa Melayu. Mustahil orang Melayu akan berkomunikasi dalam bahasa Cina dengan orang Cina. Itupun orang Melayu sanggup korbankan lengkok dan gaya bahasa Melayu semata-mata meraikan orang Cina. Cakap Melayu, berbunyi Cina (slang dan accent).
• Penegasan yang sama saya buat dalam forum bulan bahasa di Putrajaya baru-baru ini anjuran Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. Tidak ada berlaku dalam sejarah dunia, ada negara mengadakan kempen bukan bahasa kebangsaan. Kenapa perlu ada kempen bulan bahasa kebangsaan sedangkan bahasa melayu sudah termaktub dalam perlembagaan. Kita tidak pernah dengar adalah bulan bahasa Siam di Thailand, atau bulan bahasa di negara Perancis, Jerman, Jepun, China, Indonesia dan sebagainya. Bahasa kebangsaan mereka memang sudah terdaulat dan terdarjat. Kenapa kita masih terhegeh-hegeh untuk mendaulatkan bahasa berdaulat dalam perlembagaan ini? Apa masalah kita sebenarnya jika bukan kerana ramai bukan Melayu tidak boleh berbahasa Melayu disebabkan oleh sistem pendidikan perkauman ini?
• Pada hemat saya, tidak perlu kempen, buang wang dan tenaga. Wajibkan penggunaannya dan kuatkuasakan serta merta, seperti yang dicadangkan oleh Allahyarham Dato Hassan Ahmad (15.2.2010):
• i) Bahasa Melayu adalah bahasa kebangsaan negara, bukan bahasa kebangsaan Melayu. Bahasa Melayu mesti digunakan dalam urusan rasmi kerajaan. Justeru, Jawatankuasa Khas hendak dibentuk disetiap Kementerian dan agensi kerajaan serta sektor swasta supaya mendaulatkan bahasa Melayu dalam urusan rasmi. Menteri yang bertanggungjawab wajib memastikan bahasa Melayu digunakan dalam amalan seharian, ii) Bahasa Melayu mesti digunakan sebagai bahasa pengantar utama sistem pendidikan dari peringkat sekolah rendah hingga pengajian tinggi, iii) Bahasa Melayu mesti diajar sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di semua jenis sekolah dan wajib lulus untuk lulus dalam keseluruhan peperiksaan, iv) Jika bahasa Inggeris itu menjadi keutamaan, maka bahasa Inggeris hendaklah dijadikan sebagai bahasa kedua yang wajib diambil di semua jenis sekolah, tetapi jangan sampai menenggelamkan bahasa Melayu, v) Di sekolah jenis kebangsaan, tambahan masa bahasa Melayu mesti dilakukan dengan tegas tanpa tunduk kepada ugutan persatuan-persatuan yang terlalu sifat kebangsaan atau ultra kiasu, yakni kumpulan yang tidak mahu mengaku kalah, vi) Semua media cetak, elektronik, papan tanda, risalah dan sebagainya mesti mendaulatkan bahasa Melayu berbanding bahasa lain. Tindakan undang-undang dan saman boleh diambil terhadap mereka yang membelakangkan bahasa Melayu, vii) Nama-nama Syarikat, Taman Perumahan, dan sebagainya mesti melambangkan identiti bahasa kebangsaan berbanding bahasa lain, viii) Malaysia perlu banyak belajar daripada negara jiran seperti Thailand dan Indonesia, bagaimana negara-negara ini mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan mereka.
• Cadangan yang cukup minima ini mesti diterima. Janganlah kerana tidak mahu menjadi Cina pisang, kita turut mahu mencinakan negara ini. Sikap seperti ini tidak akan membawa kepada pembinaan negara bangsa yang sihat. Tetapi hanya akan menambah luka yang sedia ada. Mungkin ketika itu pemimpin NGO Cina yang ultra kiasu ini, sudah tidak ada lagi. Tetapi yang akan menjadi mangsa adalah generasi yang akan datang. Apakah sanggup kita mangsakan mereka disebabkan oleh tangan-tangan kita hari ini.
• Saya mohon maaf kepada orang Cina, jika tersinggung dengan tulisan ini. Saya langsung tidak anti Cina, sebab saya juga adalah Cina. Tidak salah jika kita menjadi Cina pisang atau kita tidak rugi sedikitnya jika kurang sedikit kecinaannya, kerana kita sudah dapat yang sepatutnya kita dapat. Kita boleh mengamalkan semua budaya Cina sama seperti Cina di China. Ekonomipun kita sudah kuasai hampir kesemuanya, walaupun tidak sepenuhnya. Apa lagi yang kita mahu? Kita boleh menjadi Cina totok, di bumi orang lain.
• Akhirnya, sudah sampai masanya, seorang menteri khas dilantik untuk menjaga kedudukan bahasa kebangsaan ini dan seterusnya memperkasakan peranan DBP supaya mendapat kuasa sepenuhnya mendaulatkan bahasa kebangsaan. Jika, tidak bahasa Melayu akan merempat di bumi sendiri.
• Hati sayu bercampur gundah
• Bila melihat bahasa diketepi
• Bahasa Melayu bahasa indah
• Sayangnya merempat di bumi sendiri 

Prof Madya Dr. Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah

Ketua Program

Pengajian Kenegaraan dan Ketamadunan

Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia

BA CA JUGA dari DinTurtle:-

Melayu Mungkin Sudah MUAK Dengan Dap TAPI Melayu Belum Puas Bodek Cina !

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Sistem pendidikan yang bercorak perkauman

 

• Transformasi pendidikan perlu tegas dan patriotik

• (Sinar Harian, 17 Sept 2012)
• Saya begitu teruja untuk mengulas pandangan bekas Ketua Polis Negara, Tun Hanif Omar bertajuk  “anak muda kini tidak patriotik langsung!” dalam akhbar ini minggu lalu. Beliau menyalahkan orang tua seperti ibu bapa, kerana tidak menanamkan semangat ini. Saya agak kurang bersetuju dengan pendapat tersebut, kerana kita semuanya dicorakkan oleh sistem pendidikan yang dilalui semasa kecil sehinggalah dewasa dan menjadi tua.
• Sistem pendidikan yang bercorak perkauman adalah punca segala-galanya, kerana sistem inilah melahirkan insan yang bergelar ibu bapa atau orang tua hari ini. Setiap kaum memperjuangkan pendidikan dan cara hidup masing-masing, tidak ada kompromi. Sebarang campurtangan akan ditentang habis-habisan. Sekolah perkauman ini seolah-olah tidak boleh disentuh. Pihak berkuasa  pula gentar dengan mereka, kerana takut kehilangan undi.
• Kita selalu menggunakan alasan, kepelbagaian ini adalah satu kekuatan. Persoalanya, pernahkah kita membuat kajian implikasi kepelbagaian ini, seperti yang pernah ditegaskan oleh Perdana Menteri Britain, David Camerons mengenai multiculturalism? Yakinlah! bahawa kejayaan negara-negara barat hari ini adalah disebabkan oleh mereka begitu tegas melaksanakan agenda negara atau agenda nasional tanpa kompromi. Mereka yang menentang agenda negara akan diberikan pilihan, “setuju tinggal, tak setuju boleh belah!”.
• Negara-negara yang dahulunya dikatakan mundur seperti Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia dan lain-lain, sudah mula meninggalkan kita. Mereka mempunyai rakyat yang mempunyai jati diri yang kental. Sanggup berkorban jiwa raga untuk agama, bangsa dan negara. Kepakaran dan kekuatan digembelingkan sepenuhnya untuk memajukan negara. Tidak berlaku brain drain. Usahlah dibandingkan dengan negara maju. Semuanya bermula dengan memperkasakan sistem pendidikan, tanpa kompromi.
• Negara-negara ini sedar, semangat patriotik adalah tunggak kekuatan negara. Jika semangat ini tidak dipaksakan melalui sistem pendidikan, lambat laun agenda negara tidak ada hala tuju dan menjadi caca merba. Contoh mudah, apabila lagu kebangsaan dinyanyikan, semuanya berdiri tegak, diam dan begitu bersemangat. Bandingkan dengan kita, pergilah ke sekolah-sekolah, lihat gelagat anak-anak kita menyanyikan lagu kebangsaan. Sekolah perkauman usahlah dicerita. Begitu juga tempat-tempat awam. Mereka buat tidak peduli sahaja.
• Kerajaan negara-negara yang disebutkan tadi, sentiasa mengambil iktibar dan merujuk kepada cerdik pandai dalam menentukan arah tuju negara. Kajian-kajian para cerdik pandai diambil kira dan dijadikan dasar negara. Tetapi tidak kita. Kajian yang telah terbukti benar dan jitu, disimpan di bawah karpet, kerana takut kehilangan jawatan dan sokongan pengundi. Misalnya, pemansuhan Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) yang dahulunya mula flip flop apabila ditentang oleh ultra kiasu Melayu dan bukan Melayu. Saya harapkan kita tidak akan goyah lagi dengan ugutan mereka selepas ini.
• Saya ingin menyeru kepada pimpinan negara supaya sensitif dengan kajian sarjana-sarjana sosialisasi politik seperti Hyman (1959), Almond dan Verba (1963), Greenstein (1965), Hess dan Torney (1967), Dawson dan Prewitt (1969), Dowse dan Hughes (1972), Dennis (1973), Jaros (1973), Neena Sharma (1985) dan Kavanagh (1987) meletakkan agen keluarga dan sistem pendidikan adalah yang paling dominan dalam menentukan persepsi, cara hidup dan masa depan negara. Semua perkara yang dilalui ini akan diperturunkan dari satu generasi ke satu generasi. Jika dari awal lagi sudah tidak patriotik, jangan haraplah generasi seterusnya akan patriotik.
• Menurut mereka lagi, dengan mendengar perbualan ibubapa ketika bersarapan, anak-anak mula membentuk corak pemikiran mereka. Pendek kata, jika keluarga dan sistem pendidikan bersifat ultra kiasu, maka akan lahirlah ramai ultra kiasu. Realiti inilah yang sedang berlaku di Malaysia dari dahulu hingga kini. Semakin kita tunduk kepada ultra kiasu, bermakna semakin ramailah ultra kiasu.
• Pendidikan berasaskan kaum, melalui kewujudan sekolah vernakular, sekolah persendirian dan sekolah swasta, yang tidak terkawal, dilihat gagal untuk menanamkan semangat patriotik, tetapi lebih kepada memperkaya individu tertentu dan memperhebatkan bangsa sendiri. Lebih malang lagi, kerajaan terpaksa tunduk kepada tekanan-tekanan puak ultra kiasu ini, agar sekolah sebegini diperbanyakkan dan dibiayai dengan percuma. Malangnya, sebarang penambahbaikan terhadap bahasa Melayu akan ditentang kerana ia akan menjejaskan penguasaan bahasa ibunda.
• Kita sebenarnya sedar betapa besarnya peranan bahasa dalam pendidikan sebagai tunggak kepada pembentukan semangat  patriotisme. Sebab itulah, di negara lain, isu bahasa tidak ada kompromi. Jika bahasa negara ditolak, mereka akan dihalau keluar. Negara tidak memerlukan orang-orang sebegini. Biarlah berlaku brain drain, asalkan rahsia dan keselamatan negara terjamin. Semangat patriotik lebih penting daripada brain drain. Inilah prinsip negara-negara yang telah maju dan sedang mahu maju.
• Bagaimana semangat patriotik boleh disemai jika rakyat Malaysia tidak sayang kepada bahasa kebangsaan atau tidak boleh berbahasa kebangsaan? Dasar-dasar negara tidak dapat difahami. Pendek kata, semua perkara mesti diterjemah ke dalam bahasa ibunda, sedangkan kita sudah ada bahasa rasmi. 
• Sistem pendidikan negara kita telah mengalami transformasi demi transformasi. Saya tidak pasti, berapa banyak wang yang telah dihabis. Jika bertukar menteri pelajaran, maka bertukarlah polisi dan dasar. Transformasi telah berlaku berkali-kali, namun asasnya masih sama. Tembok perkauman masih tidak dapat dipecahkan. Kita tidak bertegas dalam memperkasa agenda negara. Kita akan terus gagal jika masalah asas ini tidak diatasi.  
• Berbanding generasi terdahulu, sanggup bergadai nyawa, bergolok bergadai, demi mempertahankan maruah agama, bangsa dan negara. Saya yakin, jika negara kita berhadapan dengan saat-saat kritikal seperti yang sedang berlaku antara China dengan Jepun hari ini, berapa ramaikah yang sanggup berkorban jiwa raga? Atau mungkin kita jual raga-raganya sekali?

This fractured school system

 

 

Wither The True Bangsa Malaysia

A Kadir Jasin

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IN A MALAYSIA that is becoming more racially polarised and economically dichotomised, the passing of my Chinaman friend, Yap Keng Hock, on Aug. 14 was a sad moment.

We, his Melayu friends, called him China Yap and he loved every bit of it. We could very well be the last Malaysians who could call each other by our “bangsa” and not a bit offended by it.

But in public we would refrain from calling out to each other by our bangsa – Melayu and China – for fear that we might offence the sensibilities of the new Malaysian generation who are not used to the kind of camaraderie that once defined our multiracial and cross cultural relationship.

Our group comprised the late Captain Mahyuddin Ahmad of Kulim, Kedah, Yap, the executive director of Media Prima Berhad, Ahmad A Talib and yours truly.

Mahyuddin and Yap collaborated in business. When Mahyuddin was a manager at Marco Shoes in Klang, Yap supplied moulds and dyes for Nike shoes that the company was then manufacturing under license.

Yap learned mould and dye making in Japan when he was sent there by his early employer, Matsushita.

Mahyuddin went on to set up a mill in Kulim to produce castrating rings for animal husbandry. Mahyuddin’s business was inherited by his children and all of Yap’s four children are working in the family business together with Yap’s younger brother, Gary.

When I was introduced to Yap in the late 1970’s, he was running a makeshift foundry in Klang. I noted in my report in the Business Times newspaper that his foundry looked more like a pigsty than a factory.

He enjoyed every bit of the report and told me later that even American bankers found his story inspiring. When the factory caught fire and was totally destroyed, he built a batter one.

Yap was indeed a kampung boy who made good thanks to his Malay and English education, and the fact that he was born and raised in a mixed rural town in Negeri Sembilan.

Today, there aren’t that many Malays like Mahyuddin and Chinese like Yap, who attended bilingual multi-ethnic schools where the command of the Malay and English languages built bridges and tore down communal fences.

Sadly today, the Malays and other Bumiputeras attend national schools, the Chinese go to Chinese type national schools and Tamil-speaking Indians go to Tamil type national schools.

They all call themselves national, but they are separated by geography, language, culture and quality of education. To add to the confusion we also have private and international schools where the better-off parents are free to send their children.

Little surprise that when products of this fractured school system meet each other in later life, they are already influenced by deep racial, religious and cultural biases that makes the fostering of a true bangsa Malaysia nearly impossible.

As I grow older and many of good friends of those unprejudiced times are either dead or struck down by age-related illnesses, I look back at the past with a mixture of satisfaction and nostalgia that we were once true Malayans (and later Malaysians). Wallahualam.

 

Education & Religion

 

• Bill Nye : Do Not Mix Religion And Education

• Hi folks. This is a You Tube of the famous “Bill Nye the Science Guy”. In the 1990s my young sons would hardly miss an episode of  “Bill Nye The Science Guy” on TV. Here he is again  speaking up in favour of Science. Do listen to the video, it is very short.  This is an Islamic video.
• Bill Nye is worried about the influence of the religious folks on children in the United States. There are still quite a few of them in the US.  The difference (or rather the similarity) is that in the US the religious people are Bible thumpers. There is a ‘christian’ theme park in the US which shows human beings coexisting with the dinosaurs. This is scientifically impossible because dinosaurs lived tens of millions of years before humans.  The human being, homo sapiens, has a history of less than 500,000 years (approx.)
• Bible thumpers say that is a huge error because (according to their Bible) the earth was created 6,666 years before the current date. So the dinosaurs could not be more than 6,666 years old too. Of course this is another ‘tanpa menggunakan akal‘ situation. If we use logic and thinking we cannot accept such beliefs. But if we indulge in ‘tanpa menggunakan akal‘  then we too can accept that dinosaurs were created not more than 6,666 years ago.  Fruitcakes were invented shortly after that.
• But Bill Nye is not going into so much detail about religion. He is not arguing about any specific religious beliefs, including creation versus evolution.
• Bill Nye is simply saying let the kids go through the education system first. Let them learn the physics, the biology and the chemistry and complete their education without being confused by religion. Once they have grown up then they can go and seek their religious knowledge – (on their own time and on their own money – these are my words).
•  
• Bill Nye also makes a prediction – he says in about 200 years religion will die a complete death. I think this will happen much earlier.  The question is how painful will the process be? Looking at Malaysia for example our Government schools are becoming like PAS religious madrassahs.  (Yo doh, it is PAS that is benefiting the most from the “Islamic-cessation” of school learning ok).  Ours could be a more difficult and painful process.
• Government school now starts with a baca doa, kids are thought to enter the toilet with their left leg and exit with their right legs. The guru agama can overrule even the headmaster in decision making in the school. Girls cannot play volleyball, they cannot run, school concerts cannot do this, cannot do that and all sorts of religious crap.
• Sejarah studies are filled with incredible stories about “Islamic history” – which no one can verify whether they really happened in the manner written in the sejarah books. There are only ‘pros’ taught to the kids with no contrarian views or criticism allowed. (Because it is religious lah).
• And much of the information is not relevant to anyone. Much of the information only seeks to highlight differences between the Muslims and the non Muslims. Or they are designed to make the Muslims feel good that a long, long time ago my great heroes threw dirt in the face of your heroes. Its not history, its just a macho thing.
• Since we are a Constitutional Monarchy,  I believe it will be more relevant for us to study the history of Oliver Cromwell, with all the pros and cons – he chopped off the King’s head in merry old England – and expedited the idea of ‘Constitutional Monarchy’.  It will also be useful to study in precise detail the nation building and reformation under Meiji Japan, with all the pros and cons.  And maybe the near miraculous rebirth of industrial Germany under Adolf Hitler – also with all the pros and cons.  Then history will be more relevant to us in the modern age.
• When we were living in the 1960s and 1970s (where api, air tak ada, where emak bapa kita pun tak tahu baca atau menulis, where people still mandi berkemban di tepi sungai) the rest of the world was also not too far advanced. Even the British banks still used huge Ledger Books to record every deposit and withdrawal. There were no computers then.
• At that time, if you believed that dinosaurs were created just 6,666 years ago you were not much different from your neighbours who believed that once a year, after a full moon, trees would magically bend down on one particular night. Those were all illogical “tanpa menggunakan akal” beliefs.  You can only accept such things when you do not use your akal.
• What saved us at that time (1960s, 1970s) was that we did NOT teach too much of these illogical beliefs in the Government schools.  During my time there was very little agama taught in school. Before my time, there was almost none. We learnt agama at home on our own time from our parents and from the ‘kelas mengaji Quran’ as well as from the Masjid.
• School was devoted to learning useful subjects. My fondest recollection was learning at ACS Ipoh (up to Form 1) and Form 4 & 5 Science at the Melaka High School.  At the Melaka High School in 1976/77 Science was taught with military precision. We first had the theory taught in class. Then we would march to the lab and perform Science experiments about what we had learnt in theory. The lab experiments gave us visual confirmation of the theory from the chemistry, biology and physics. It was just so interesting. Those of us who were more inclined would go to the library and read up more about what we were learning.
• We were not confused about masuk tandas angkat kaki kiri, dinosaurs were created 6,666 years ago and stuff like that. That is why in Malaysia today the generation of the 60s and the 70s are still balanced and more reasonable.  Those who went to school in the 80s and 90s onwards have become something else – especially the Muslims.  They have become Taliban.  The younger generation is becoming even more Taliban.
• The big difference between the 1960s/1970s and the present time is that the world has changed at light speed. The Internet, Twitter, satellite TV, You Tube, TED Talks, globalisation are here inside our bedrooms.  We are really living in a super modern age. And people of all shades, colours, cultures meet everyday, mix around, do business together, work and play together. In Perth, Australia, Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong and even Kuala Lumpur the mix of human beings is fantastic.
• Now is the time to teach universal, inclusive values to our kids which will help them mix easily and freely with their fellow human beings of different cultures and races. Not uncommon, ridiculous, backward,  dunggu, false, exclusive and even satanic values that make our kids feel like strange aliens among other human beings.  We are not equipping our kids to survive in the 21st century.  
• Let the kids go through the education system first. Let them learn the physics, the biology and the chemistry and complete their education without being confused by religion. Once they have grown up then they can go and seek their religious knowledge – on their own time and on their own money.
• Yet, sadly what we see is that in the 21st century, some people are just getting to warp speed about angkat kaki kiri, kismis ajaib, air jampi, hantu, polong, who-doed, no who-doed, agama this and agama that.  Bila duit minyak habis nanti, nak gembala unta pun dah tak boleh dah. Lagi ramai dunggu dari unta.

A Merdeka of the mind

Comment
Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi

Our education is too Western-centric, aping Western universities and showing ignorance of Asian and African contributions to knowledge.

AS we celebrate 55 years of political independence, we may note the blessings of peace and prosperity in our beloved land. But we also need to reflect on some unfulfilled dimensions of independence.

If independence is autonomy or freedom from the control of another nation, then we Malaysians are hardly free.

The basic assumptions of our political, economic and educational systems are dictated by Western, especially Anglo-American, hegemony. Politically we are free but enslavement of the mind has hardly ceased.

A slave mentality or Western/Euro-centrism need not be a conscious option. It is rooted in our psychology of dependence on, and blind reverence for, everything Western.

Syed Hussein Alatas calls it “the captive mind”. For Ward Churchill, modern intellectual discourse and higher education are “White Studies”.

Hundreds of years ago, the coloniser seized not only land but minds, monopolising information sources and undermining indigenous know­ledge.

For Frantz Fanon, the colonised was “elevated above his jungle status in proportion to his adoption of the mother country’s cultural standards”.

Ngugi wa Thiong says “it is the final triumph of a system of domination, when the dominated start singing its virtues”.

So 55 years after independence, our public figures are still enamoured with the colonial tune. Their intellectual discourses have three tendencies.

First, the Western worldview and its assumptions are blindly aped. Second, we are ignorant of Asian and African roots of knowledge and Eastern contributions to civilisation. Third, there is hardly any critique of Western theories in the light of our own realities.

Take Western-centrism in our educational institutions. Yusef Progler finds that in whatever field of study, a course in most Asian and African universities follows a similar path.

“It will first identify the great white European or American men of each discipline and then drill their theories and practices as if these were universal”, while ignoring knowledge from other civilisations.

Government recognition of foreign degrees is skewed in favour of Anglo-American awards. Eminent citadels of learning in Asia and Africa are largely ignored.

The favoured destination for JPA-sponsored postgraduate scholars is Europe or the United States. The external examiners and visiting professors are mostly from Britain, the US or Australia. Asian scholars are generally excluded from such honours or offered lesser terms.

Intellectual grovelling before Western experts remains as deeply ingrained as during the British Raj. A few years ago, Cherie Blair was invited to lead the arguments in a case before our courts even when scores of eminent local lawyers were available.

In any prestigious lecture series, the guest of honour is invariably a Westerner, sometimes of dubious credentials. For example, Tony Blair was invited by a local NGO to deliver a lecture.

But when Mugabe and Bashar were scheduled to come, concern was expressed, and rightly so. The crimes of Western leaders may be ignored, but we jump up to take a principled stand against Asian and African miscreants.

Our legal system remains British-oriented. In the English fashion of Austinian positivism, the concept of law is tied to the commands of the political sovereign even though most Asians and Africans regard religion and custom as part of the seamless web of the law.

The Civil Law Act continues its worship of outdated British precedents even though we have greater affinity with many other constitutional systems like India’s.

The Legal Profession Act continues to permit British graduates to be called to the Malaysian Bar without undergoing a bridging course. A key component of the course should be a study of the Malaysian Consti­tution.

In our law faculties, legal education is as much a colonial construct as during the Raj. The course structure and content, the book list and the icons are mostly Western.

A typical course on jurisprudence in Malaysia often begins with Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Bentham, Pound, Weber, Ehrlich, Durkheim, Marx, etc.

The Mahabharata, the Arthashastra, the Book of Mencius, the Analects of Confucius and the treatises of Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Jose Rizal, Benoy Kumar Sarkar, Yanagita Kunio and Naquib al-Attas are not included.

Chinese, Indian and Persian universities predated European ones and provided paradigms for early Western education. Yet our universities ignore centuries of enlightenment in China, India, Japan, Persia and West Asia.

It is as if all things good and wholesome originated with Western civilisation and the East was, and is, an intellectual desert. The truth is other­wise.

In science, Galileo, Newton and Einstein illuminated the firmament but not much is known about Al-hazen and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. Western chemistry was preceded by Eastern alchemy, algebra had African roots.

The philosophy of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Sartre and Goethe can be matched by Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Mulla Sadra, Shenhui, al-Mutanabbi and Kalidasa. Durkheim’s and Weber’s sociology must compete with Ibn Khaldun’s.

Freudian psychology had its corrective in Buddhist wisdom. The Cartesian medical model has its Eastern counterpart in ayurvedic, unani and herbal methods.

Very few know that Arab Muslims were central to the making of medieval Europe.

A slavish mimicking of Western norms of government, law and economics prevents us from tackling our own problems like poverty and unsustainable development.

Our attitude leaves us vulnerable to many predatory policies of Western-dominated institutions and processes. Transnational corporations dominate our economies.

Many Asian and African nations choke under the debt stranglehold. The West can bring down our economies with currency speculation, hedge funds, piracy of indigenous resources and trade boycotts as new forms of tyranny.

Yet we are too scared or ashamed to express our own views. Basing our life on other nations’ opinions is slavery.

As Aug 31 approaches, we must resolve to free our minds from Western intellectual hegemony. A Merdeka of the mind will put us on the path to that.

> The author wishes all readers Salam Lebaran and Salam Kemerdekaan.

Towards Improving Our National Education System

Around circles of readers, many have discussed and asked among themselves the appropriateness and the need for Malaysia to streamline their education system and importantly, the effort to improve the quality of our schools as a whole.

Chief among the concerns is the legality of vernacular schools itself vis-á-vis the Constitution and the Education Act 1996.

This I may add has been discussed rather thoroughly here.

But this issue shall be discussed at another time.

My main interpretation of school’s education system is this:

It must be free from any religious or cultural extremities.

In a way, it should be secular. Secular sounds dirty these days. Mainly because the word had been bastardised to the extent, it meant atheism or a belief system that is devoid of any religious connotations. Worse, it meant anti-Islam. However, the definition of secularism with regards to our children’s education should not be taken to the extreme. Certainly it does not mean that one rejects religion and faith in totality.

What we need is moderation.

These days, the majority of school children in national schools are Malays. Therefore, inadvertently Islamic teachings made their way into the schools’ general rules and education philosophy. I assume, those who are more objective as well as those who are not a fan of Anwar Ibrahim will pin point the cause of this ‘Islamisation’ of our national schools and the reason why non-malays shun these schools stemmed from the period when Anwar Ibrahim was the Education Minister.

That too, is an issue that can be discussed in another place.

But what I imagine is a school system that do not put too much emphasis on skin deep outlook on what is Islamic and what is not. It means, an education philosophy that prioritises worldly skills and knowledge instead of just focussing to permeate an intense Islamic culture within a school’s environment.

Without a doubt, this has made non Muslims felt alienated in their own surroundings. Parents were not happy. Even the less conservative Muslims found it hard to digest some of the do’s and don’ts. The effort to educate the children properly seems lost in the midst of all this. As the result, we cannot develop a well rounded Malaysians who are capable to interact with each other with ease.

In other words, the recent education system is worse than the education set in the 60’s, 70’s and till the mid 80’s. Experts pin pointed it due to the degradation of national schools; both in quality and self respect.

The cliché now is the world is changing at a rate faster than our children’s ability to absorb and comprehend all the knowledge. If we burden them with misguided priorities, then our future generations are trapped in a cycle of ignorance, or being mediocre at best.

Toning down religious and cultural extremities enables the school to produce a much healthier environment where tolerance is paramount and it breaks down the barriers between races, castes and classes. Emphasising too much on the ritual demands will not breed respect in fact, will isolate the children from each other. It will be “it’s us against them” mentality. And this does not happen in malay majority schools only.

How to move forward and take that jump in order to escape the mediocrity of our education system?

It is about time the Ministry of Education take a stronger role in steering our children’s future away from the negative elements that have been plaguing it. Elements that have always been sniping and eating away the very fabric of one’s edification in growing up within our Malaysian universe.

The bigger objective here is always a two edged sword. One that can improve via knowledge, a whole generation of Malaysians and one that also inculcate the spirit of togetherness and racial harmony among the children.

Of course this can be done with a single stream national education system. Preferably at the primary level.

Delving into few discussions on the one school system, there are obviously few doubts being raised among the concerned readers. Among others, questions regarding the quality of education and syllabus, quality of teachers and their approach, learning environment and school’s infrastructure as well as its overall ability to coalesce different ideologies, religions and cultures into one symbiotic and workable system.

Generally, many agreed that the holistic performance of the students is very important for their own future and this can only be done if the MOE is not weak in steering its direction and truly knows how improvements can be implemented.

One of the reasons why national schools could not generate enough interests from all levels of society is due to its inability to churn good students across the board. Yes we do have excellent schools that produce a myriad of high achievers. But these schools are far from between. The MOE should make all national schools at par with their more affluent counterparts.

Fortunately, all the points above are being discussed in the national education dialog which have been running since April 2012. They have 9 priority fields which they ought to improve which are:

1. quality of teachers

2. quality of headmasters

3. quality of school

4. curriculum and its evaluation

5. multilingual proficiency

6. post-school opportunity

7. role of parents and community

8. knowledge resources in school and its effectiveness

9. teaching methods and administrative structure

This could be the biggest project MOE has embarked since Penyata Razak in 1956 and Rahman Talib Report in 1960.

On that note, I do hope the MOE will reinstate the PPSMI after reviewing the youtube video below.

Thank you.

_________________________

An article by:

Jebat Must Die

Our pre-1970 education system

Revamping The Education System

• First the sms. Out of the blue I received this sms yesterday from a Datuk friend of mine. Cannot reveal names but these are not any ordinary folks. These are senior people who headed major institutions in our country. Anyway, he said the following
• “The key to Singapore’s success story is English-based education & zero tolerance on corruption. LKY consistently mentions these 2 factors. How not to believe him? S’pore has zero natural resources, zero drop of oil or water, doesn’t plant a grain of rice. Always coming out tops for all the positive statistics.”
• To which I replied :  Dato can we start talking about reverting to our pre 1970 education system?
• He replied : “Brilliant. We abandoned what is a time-tested & proven success formula that produced so many fine men & women all bcoz of what we believe is political expediency but it doesn’t serve us well in terms of producing First World manpower. U can start the ball rolling. Change the law if necessary, almost 2 generations hv been made to go thru this existing edu system that’s simply not good enuf.”
• My reply : Ok Dato. Will Blog today. I hope we can get good support.  (So folks please do support us.)
• He replied again :  “The bottom line is put more English based learning into the system like the old days. Look at Spore with over 80% Chinese it didn’t adopt Mandarin as medium of instruction. It goes for a language universally accepted as the language of world class knowledge.”
• 
  
• I have had the same conversation with four other people, two Datuks and two Tan Sris – semua Melayu – who said the same thing. They all said “Just bring back the tried and tested education system that we had in the 1970s”. It was English based and the curriculum prepared our students to the same standards  as the Cambridge and London University’s “O” and “A” Levels.  The same system that Singapore followed.
• Yes folks, Singapore and Malaysia followed the same education system. There was no differenece at all between the Singapore and Malaysian schools. Singapore maintained their education system. It is we who went ahead and changed our education system. Kita ingat kita lagi pandai.
• And what happened after we changed our education system? 
• In the 1960s and 1970s,  both our per capita incomes (Malaysia and Singapore) was not too far different.  Now, 30 years later (after we changed our education system) Singapore has the third highest per capita GDP in the world at over USD57,000 or RM171,000 per annum.
• This is according to the IMF and World Bank ranking – using PPP or purchasing power parity.  In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) asks how much money would be needed to purchase the same goods and services in two countries, and uses that to calculate an implicit foreign exchange rate. You can read more here)
• In comparison, Malaysia is ranked No. 58 by both the IMF and World Bank. You can surf this site and see for yourself.  Sedih juga kekawan.
• Folks, here are some other countries whose per capita GDP is higher than Malaysia :  Botswana, Gabon, Chile, Croatia, Trinidad & Tobago.  (Malu lah – Botswana is ahead of us)
• 
  
• Now we want to move to a higher income economy by 2020. Here is our ETP target statement :
• “To lift gross national income (GNI) per capita from USD6,700 or RM23,700 in 2009 to more than USD15,000 or RM48,000 in 2020”
• 
  
• OK folks, there is some gobbledygook involved here aka high fallutin language. Purchasing power parity, per capita GDP, Gross National Income have to be understood.  Other than studying management and engineering (and modern jazz dancing) I did study some economics at University ok (good old liberal arts American education). Not an expert but here goes :
• 
  
• Purchasing power parity is useful. It tells you how many Big Macs you can buy in Malaysia with your Ringgit Malaysia salary compared to say how many Big Macs a Japanese guy can buy in Tokyo with his Japanese Yen salary.
• Per capita GDP is also useful because it takes the total amount of goods and services produced by all Malaysians inside Malaysia and divides that by the total population figure. Here is the Wikipedia :
• 
  
• “Gross domestic product (GDP) refers to the market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country’s standard of living.”
• 
  
• Now Gross National Income or GNI  is slightly different.  GNI includes all goods and services produced by Malaysians inside Malaysia PLUS goods and services produced by Malaysians outside Malaysia.
• 
  
• To me this means only one thing – they want to include Petronas foreign earnings.  
• 
  
• In 2010, Petronas earned about RM240 Billion of which 40%  (RM96 Billion??) was earned  overseas. Now in 2012 (and 2020) these numbers will be much higher.  So Petronas’ foreign earnings will also go into our GNI calculations.   (Plus maybe Tabung Haji’s property play in London plus EPF’s  investment in the Battersea power plant redevelopment but that is peanuts compared to Petronas).
• But despite including Petronas’ foreign earnings, the ETP’s projected per capita GNI by 2020 is  RM48,000.  Presently the per capita GNI is RM23,700.  Considering that there are eight more years before we arrive at 2020, it  means our incomes must  jump 102% in eight years or 12.75% per year. Boleh ke?  Bank Negara says our economy will only grow 4% to 5% this year.
• So folks, if the economy grows 4% or 5% per year, can our incomes grow by 12.75% per year? I did not spend all my time in jazz dancing class but even my basic economics tells me that this is a tad too ambitious.  (For those arithmetic wizards, yes this is a straight line division but even if you use the compounded method, at 5% pa growth in income, you get about RM35,000 pa in eight years).
• 
  
• And if we minus Petronas’ foreign earnings (of between RM100 billion to RM200 billion per year) the ETP may not achieve the targeted ‘high income status’.  Why do we have to minus Petronas foreign earnings?  Because not all of us work for or do business with Petronas – which only employs about 40,000 people across 103 countries.
• How many Malaysians in Teluk Intan are involved in generating the overseas portion of Petronas income? How many Malaysians in Belimbing (near Kuantan) are suppliers to Petronas in Sudan or Kazakhstan? Not very many.  So the growth in Petronas’ huge foreign earnings may push up our total GNI  (Gross National Income)  but the average you and me may not have a  part to play in their growth.
• Yes I agree that the Gomen will use Petronas money to build more universities, roads and almost free hospitals but it is not a direct increase in your wallet.
• But lets get back to Singapore. They will also be aiming to move to an even higher income economy. If high tech, high income Singapore can match our projected 12.75% p.a. income growth between now and 2020, then by 2020 their per capita GDP would have reached over RM340,000.  Some apples and oranges here but still our target per capita GNI for 2020 is only  RM48,000 –  potentially seven times less than Singapore (GDP) !! Alamak !!
• And  dont forget Botswana, Gabon, Chile, Croatia, Trinidad & Tobago.  They will also be ahead of us.
• But we can catch up. Yes even in eight years. I feel that an English based education will make the difference between our success and failure. We need to make drastic changes to our education system. It is not too late. We need to do it now. The quickest and easiest method is to switch back to a strongly English based education system. Just bring back the English education system that we had up to the 1970s.
• And one more thing that I must state is to reduce the amount of religious education in all schools and also remove religious influences on all school, college and university campuses.
• Religion must be made a private matter. Parents who so desire can spend their own money and their own time and educate their children in religion.  Whatever religion.
• Too much religion will make us backward. Remember religion will make you poor. Why? Because in religion “kita tidak perlu menggunakan akal”.  Tak pakai otak pun its still ok.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) to earn a higher income, you must gunakan otak dan akal.

Who REALLY needs to be educated?

 

 

I recently met with a retired teacher and we were engaged in a conversation about teaching. It seems like a simple topic, but there are some perspectives that you normally do not see as a student, or a parent. She spoke with flair, and was reminiscing about her days in a reputable national school for over 20 years. I was taken aback when I was told of how different the education system is compared with the days I was in school back in the ‘90s. It clearly shows the perspectives of a teacher and a naïve student are worlds apart. And all I was concerned about when I was in school was popularity among my peers.

Smart School or Wasteful School?

The school that the retired teacher taught in was (or is?) a highly acclaimed “Sekolah Bestari” or “Smart School” in English. It is one of the identified Malay elite day schools chosen to follow a new system of education called the “Teaching & Learning” concept, which was apparently adopted from Kings College of London after a government officer attended a course there. The irony is that it turned out to be just an empty concept without proper guidelines given to the teachers other than the use of computers in teaching four subjects namely Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics and Science.

Millions of ringgits were spent on establishing the T&L software and books where information in books were extracted and transferred into computer software. Unfortunately, these materials were not used for long as the medium of teaching Mathematics and Science were changed to English. These books and software were kept in the storeroom for years and were eventually sold by school janitors to the recycling centers as side pocket money! I don’t really know the exact amount that was spent, but I would think it was significant enough for the janitor to bring home a larger loaf of bread to his dining table!

Being an exemplary “Sekolah Bestari”, the school was equipped with computers and other modern infrastructures provided by the Education Ministry. The school was then promoted to be the “Premier School” in Malaysia and was the de facto benchmark of other similarly chosen schools. As such, the school was frequently visited by education ministers and officials from many countries to showcase what the ideal smart school should look like.

Besides being blessed with free computers and other modern infrastructures, the school is also given RM 1 million each year, on top of the normal education grant. The responsibility of a sum this big landed on the shoulders the school management board, which then became the responsibilities of the teachers on how to distribute the funds to different needs of the school. Some of the funds were for buying additional books and teaching aids, but eventually, the teachers ran out of ideas on what else to spend the money on.

So, school excursions (lawatan sambil belajar) were organized on a yearly basis. I’m not talking about half day visits to the National Zoo. The students were sent on international trips to countries like New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok and England, chaperoned by their teachers, all expenses paid using this million ringgit pool.

Many teachers who are true believers in justice and fairness feel that it is misappropriation of funds, unjustified and unfair to the less fortunate neighbouring schools who are still to this day struggling to have proper amenities (notice boards, tables and other basic school facilities) while the more affluent schools are splashing tax payers’ money on luxury trips overseas. Many of them have poured out concerns on these issues but their concerns fell on deaf ears.

Teaching Generation-Y

The education ministry has recently introduced a new school assessment method called the Continual Assessment (PBS) in place of public exams (UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM) or mid-year/year end exams. This continual assessment system has recently been implemented this year for all Standard 1 and Form 1 students, designated as the pilot group for initial implementation. Students are assessed on their academic ability as well as soft skills such as mannerism, working habit, moral values, ability to work as a team, tidiness, systematic and discipline in daily work, etc.

It is a formative test, meaning after each lesson, students are tested of their understanding through exercises and quizzes. A teacher will assess the student from his/her exercise books or through questioning and observation. Teachers are to inform students of their weaknesses and if students show improvement in the next exercise or test, the teacher will put them in a higher band for this learning area. Tests can be in the form of daily exercises, quiz, project, laboratory experiment, presentation and so on. Students are given chances after chances to improve themselves.

Initially, schools were told that there would be no examinations for these students. However, the regional education department submitted a contradictory directive to schools stating that mid year exams are compulsory to students. The basic organizational structure of the education ministry is as follows :

Very often, the directive from the state education department and regional education department are different, in fact contradictory, which results in confusion among teachers.

There is no PMR exam for this year’s Form 1 students. However, there is still no news on SPM. Most probably SPM will be retained, with maybe 30 to 50% formative test and 50 to 70% summative test. No matter what the education department decides, Chinese schools have their own way in governing their system by adapting the conventional method, which is examination-based.

Teaching & Learning strategy (T&L) is also changed to be more student-oriented. Teachers are no longer the content provider but more of a facilitator. Teachers are not supposed to teach (chalk & talk or lecture method) with students listening passively (monologue), but they are required to play an active role in learning and acquiring knowledge through discussion, demonstration, hands on experiment, discovery method, problem-based solving method, field trips and so on. Students can learn beyond the limit of the syllabus set by the education ministry.

Teachers are motivators who bring immediate change in their students’ lives from being knowledge receivers to knowledge seekers. They should be able to seek knowledge from books and the Internet. Schools are equipped with computers and Internet services so that students are able to learn and obtain raw information from the Internet. Teachers are also trained to design lessons and put up notes on the Internet, so that students are able to learn at anytime and anywhere (E-learning, something that is popular in today’s Generation Y).

Teachers are instructed to make learning fun and interesting. They are required to provide a conducive learning environment more in-tuned to the current needs of this generation of students. As such, there are many T&L strategies to suit various learning capabilities. According to Howard Gardner (an American developmental psychologist), there are 7 types of learning capabilities: logical-mathematical, linguistic-musical, kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal & intrapersonal.

For example, students who are kinesthetic, unlike linguistic students, will not be able to learn well if the teacher lectures with chalk and talk. The student will need to move about and is able to learn better through hands-on, practical lessons. Musically inclined students learn well by interacting with others as opposed to textbook-based learning.

Teachers are supposed to make these changes in schools but many teachers themselves are not willing to change. They are the main obstacles that hinder the success of the new education system. When the syllabus for Mathematics and Science was changed to English in 2003, teachers were provided with ample opportunities to learn English and fundamental ICT skills. Teachers were also given allowances to improve their skill sets. Sadly, because of a lack of a control system to provide check-and-balance and tracking, the allowances given were unfortunately misused for individual personal benefits by some teachers. This becomes a form of small scale corruption.

Many teachers are also not committed in their work, and many are more into making the extra Ringgit by giving personal tuition. Skipping classes are frequent occurrences in schools among teachers and even the school’s management.

In some urban schools, some teachers including the head of school has never marked examination papers. What is more alarming is that students are told to create and key in their marks online to be sent to the education department. Coursework which are developed by the education department are sent to schools at the last minute together with answers. Some teachers especially those who give tuition will post these papers and answers on the Internet for students to modify the answers before submitting their papers, which are obviously not marked. At this point, you’re probably feeling less respectful of teachers in general, but it’s really the horrible few teachers who give good teachers the bad reputation.

Some science stream students have never been to laboratories, even if they were in Form 4 and 5. Only theories and principles were taught. The reason being is that it is “too dangerous” to have students in the laboratory and after all there seemed to be no real reason since practical examinations have been abolished in SPM.

In summary, although all is not lost, and there are many admirable teachers, the system seems to be flawed. There are some good efforts by the government to provide a more wholesome environment for learning, but unfortunately, the intentions are not followed through to each school and their teachers. Some teachers still have passion to see their students excel, but other teachers just want to pass the day and collect their paycheck. The government needs to provide strict enforcement with accountability along with the funds given so that quality of education is maintained and integrity is preserved. What has been told above are not lies but a way of life for some schools in Petaling Jaya. One will be left to think of what is happening in rural schools. Perhaps there are many other shocks and surprises, which are left untold.

“Robot-Robot” yang dihasilkan dek mengejar “A”

Anda juga mungkin ingin membaca artikel-artikel berikut apabila YM Raja Nazrin menyentuh soal sistem pendidikan kita yang ada pada hari ini:-

• Mengejar Tuhan “A”

• Our Early Education System

• Straight “A”s student ?

 

 

Seterusnya, petikan dari Berita Harian.

Pendidikan terlalu teknikal hasilkan insan berwatak mekanikal: Raja Nazrin

2010/05/20

IPOH: Negara wajib bimbang sekiranya budaya pendidikan hari ini terlalu menumpukan kepada teknikal dan sekadar menyiapkan individu yang berupaya mengendalikan teknologi tetapi menyisihkan tanggungjawab untuk memberi nilai kehidupan kepada insan muda di alam persekolahan, titah Raja Muda Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.

Baginda bertitah matlamat pendidikan tidak sekadar untuk menghasilkan robot industri hingga dunia seolah-olah dijadikan gedung pemprosesan data, berakhir dengan pembinaan masyarakat yang sangat mekanikal karakternya.

“Jika insan-insan muda ini gagal dibangunkan secara seimbang, masa hadapan dunia dan alam semesta akan turut menjadi tempang dan berpotensi mengundang kepada berlaku lebih banyak kerosakan dan bencana.

“Pada masa yang sama, tidaklah adil untuk meletakkan sepenuh tanggungjawab membina generasi muka kepada masyarakat guru. Masa hadapan negara malah masa hadapan dunia sebenarnya ditentukan oleh dua institusi utama, pertama rumah dan keluarga, serta kedua sekolah dan guru,” titah baginda semasa merasmikan sambutan Hari Guru peringkat negeri Perak di Dewan Bankuet di sini hari ini.

Raja Nazrin Shah bertitah, minda dan roh anak-anak yang berada dalam usia formatif tersangat halus, dan jika satu permulaan salah berlaku di dalam keluarga, ia boleh merosakkan orientasi dan berpotensi memesong hala tuju hidup mereka.

“Pembinaan karakter generasi muda akan berakhir dengan ketidakseimbangan apabila sekolah semakin sehari semakin ditambahberatkan dengan tanggungjawab yang sepatutnya dilaksanakan di rumah,” titah baginda.

Raja Nazrin Shah bertitah kebelakangan ini negara sedang menyaksikan fenomena baru yang amat negatif dan sangat merosakkan di mana perilaku kurang beradab dan kurang bersopan dilakukan bukan sahaja oleh orang yang kurang berpelajaran tetapi juga daripada kalangan yang memiliki kelayakan profesional dan kelulusan pengajian di peringkat tinggi.

“Aspek moral dan aspek disiplin adalah komponen penting ketika merangka resipi pendidikan bangsa. Penumpuan semata-mata terhadap pencapaian akademik hingga mengorbankan elemen-elemen adab dan sopan, dibimbangkan akan menghasilkan insan-insan yang tandus berbudi pekerti.

“Kayu ukuran pencapaian institusi bagaikan semakin taksub kepada gred pencapaian pelajar dalam peperiksaan awam. Aspek budi bahasa, sopan santun, adab dan akhlak serta aspek penyemaian nilai-nilai ikhlas, jujur dan amanah semakin sehari semakin kurang diberi perhatian,” titah baginda.

Titah baginda, prinsip asas yang harus dibekalkan dan diperlengkap dalam usaha pembangunan insan adalah elemen disiplin untuk anak-anak membezakan antara yang baik dengan yang buruk, antara amal makruf dan nahi mungkar, nilai dan kebenaran, kejujuran dan keikhlasan.

“Bagaimana nanti rupa bentuk pemimpin negara dan nakhoda institusi di masa hadapan, untuk melaksanakan amanah negara dan tanggungjawab institusi, jika sifat-sifat ikhlas dan jujur tidak lagi berada dalam darah daging mereka.

“Maka janganlah disesalkan di kemudian hari, bila semakin banyak berlakunya kejadian pecah amanah, amalan rasuah dan perilaku salah guna kuasa yang mengakibatkan penderitaan kepada kehidupan warga dan kehancuran kepada sebuah negara bangsa,” titah baginda.

Raja Muda Perak turut mengingatkan bahawa pelajar tidak harus terlalu dijadikan bahan uji dan bahan kaji kepada pelbagai eksperimen hingga akhirnya mereka menjadi mangsa dan terpaksa membayar dengan harga kegagalan yang tinggi.

“Bahawa pepohon yang terlalu kerap diubah-ubah dari tapak ke tapak, dicabut dari taman ke taman, dipindahkan dari ladang ke ladang, akhirnya akan rosak akarnya, lalu pertumbuhan pohon menjadi terbantut. Kearifan dan kebijaksanaan guru adalah penentu untuk memastikan pohon-pohon ini tumbuh subur, berdahan dan bercabang, rendang merimbun, berbunga segar dan berbuah lebat,” titah baginda.

Raja Nazrin Shah bertitah, jika sekolah itu umpama sebuah taman, maka ia adalah taman pendidikan yang sedang disemai dengan 5.4 juta pepohon iaitu jumlah pelajar sekolah rendah dan menengah yang berusia antara enam dan 19 belas tahun dan diamanahkan penjagaan dan pertumbuhannya kepada 386,031 tenaga terlatih bergelar guru.

“Dari kalangan mereka, adalah bakal Perdana Menteri dan ahli jemaah menteri, bakal hakim dan peguam, bakal mufti dan imam, bakal doktor dan jururawat, bakal jurutera dan juruteknik, bakal anggota polis dan anggota tentera, bakal olahragawan dan seniman, bakal guru dan profesor, dan dukacita dinyatakan ada juga nanti kerana tersalah contoh dan tersisir haluan, akan berakhir dalam tahanan dan menghuni sel penjara,” titah baginda.

Pada sambutan itu Raja Nazrin Shah mengumumkan sumbangan berjumlah RM100,000 daripada baginda untuk tabung sambutan Hari Guru negeri Perak.

Baginda turut menyampaikan anugerah Tokoh Guru negeri Perak kepada Datuk Dawa @ Dewa Abdullah, 62, bekas Pengarah Jabatan Pelajaran Pulau Pinang selain anugerah Pingat Penghormatan Guru kepada 15 penerima, anugerah Guru Inovatif kepada lima penerima dan beberapa pemenang pertandingan mengarang. – Bernama

Debat PTPTN

• Siapa menang sebenarnya?

• 

• Orang UMNO : “Teruk Rafizi kena… KO.. KJ berdebat dengan Fakta.. Rafizi penuh dengan auta…”
• Orang PR : “hahahah.. KJ berdebat macam budak-budak… tidak ada isi… lainlah Rafizi… memang hebat..”
• Siapa menang?? Kj Ke Rafizi??
• Yang penting, diorang ni.. yang berdebat ni.. bukan peminjam PTPTN. Nak cerita pasal PTPTN..
• Mahasiswa bukan melayu..
• –  Mereka buat pinjaman PTPTN, kemudian berlumba-lumba mencapai keputusan cemerlang dalam bidang yang diambil untuk membolehkan mereka menukar status pinjaman mereka kepada biasiswa.”
•  
• Mahasiswa melayu..
• – BERSIH… Demo Hapuskan PTPTN… bercintan-cintun…Dadah… Motor… Games.. dan macam macam lagi…
• 
  

“Hari ini, jalan ini pasti semakin berliku

Kerana masa depan belum tentu menjanjikan syurga

Bagi mereka yang lemah dan mudah kecewa

Perjuangan kita belum selesai

Kerana hanya yang cekal dan tabah

Dapat membina mercu tanda

Bangsanya yang berjaya”

• 

Analisis Debat PTPTN – Rafizi Vs Khairy (Another Sat Dee In the Making!!!)

Jujur aku hendak bagitau disini bahawa aku sebenarnya tak tengok langsung ‘debat perdana PTPTN’ diantara boss Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaludin (tukang hantar pasport Anwar) dan Pengarah Strategik PKR, Rafizi Ramli (lembu Anwar) bukan kerana terlepas live telecast (kerana boleh ditonton melalui Youtube) tetapi aku tak ingin langsung kerana aku tidak berapa berkenan (menyampah) dengan kedua-dua pendebat itu (you know what I’m saying?).

Bercakap pasal Khairy, daripada zaman Pak Lah ramai orang tahu dia memang poyo dan syok sendiri. Yelah, masa tu siapa jadi PM kan kalau bukan bapak mertua dia sendiri iaitu Mr Sleepyhead. Seriously, gua cakap lu beb sapa tak pelik anak menantu boleh bajet melebih-lebih mengalahkan yang jadi PM tu bapak sendiri. Sedangkan masa zaman Tun Dr Mahathir tak pernah pulak anak-anak dia bikin kencang ke sana ke mari. Aku yang masa tu masih dibangku sekolah pun pandai menyampah dengan orang politik meskipun hakikatnya aku sendiri sebenarnya kurang nak ambil tahu sangat pasal politik. Malahan pada waktu itulah aku mula berjinak-jinak dengan Malaysia-Today dan blog Kickdefella. Well, I had enough to say about him. Kepada sahabat blogger pro UMNO baik daripada team Nadi Rakyat mahupun Unit Media Baru (UMB). Aku mohon maaf sebab attack boss pemuda korang semua. Anyway, aku pun nampak dia semakin berubah.

Pasal Rafizi pulak, nama mamat Ganu ni mula popular selepas ‘pendedahan kontroversi lembu NFCorp’ milik suami Datuk Shahrizat iaitu Datuk Salleh. Disebabkan kes ini berprofil tinggi dan dikaitkan dengan suami seorang menteri. Habis segala penyelewangan yang dilakukan Datuk Salleh ini dituduhnya sebagai ‘kerja Datuk Shahrizat’ padahalnya senator yang merangkap menteri itu tidak ada kepentingan langsung dalam syarikat penternakan terbabit melainkan suami dan anak-anaknya sajer. Mentang-mentanglah bekas MCKK dan pernah belajar sampai United Kingdom (konfem biasiswa tu beb!) dah ingat bagus sangat ler. Apa punya certified accountant kalau BAFIA dengan AMLA pun lu fail!. Hanya kerana kegilaan mung nak ‘dedahkan penyelewangan NFC’ sampaikan habis segala maklumat peribadi dan simpanan orang lain dalam akaun bank mung nak dedahkan!. Disebabkan mung jugaklah seorang kerani bank sudah hilang pekerjaan maka mung tanggunglah anak bini si Johari tu!.

Anyway, berbalik kepada tajuk entry aku hari ni berkenaan debat analisis mereka berdua. Aku nak siarkan sekarang sebuah analisis hasil garapan seorang sahabat seperjuangan aku masa dalam Anti-PKR Club dulu. Sebenarnya dah lama aku tak mengomen disana sejak ‘peperangan’ di antara puak Nadi Rakyat dan para admin-nya. Hasil tangan seorang anak muda yang aku kira sendiri lebih muda daripada aku. Analisisnya banyak mengingatkan aku akan Sat Dee (Pure Shiite), seorang blogger anti Pakatan yang amat berbisa dan sering mem-butthurt-kan golongan Anwarista dan pro Limguanengisme. Keupayaan beliau untuk melakukan in depth analysis bagi setiap entry blognya amat dikagumi. Nah aku, perkenalkan Helmi Effendy. Aku sarankan kepada aktivis anak muda pro BN, Pro Aspirasi, Aman Kampus dan Geng Kapak please take note analisis ni. Ada bagusnya jugak kupasan beliau demi menghapuskan salah faham yang dicetuskan geng-geng camping dan beromen dalam khemah tepi dataran.

• Oleh Helmi Effendy
• Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera. Sememangnya debat antara Saudara KJ dan Rafizi mengenai topik PTPTN sangat hangat dibualkan. Ada yang mendakwa bahawa KJ memenangi perdebatan itu, ada yang mendakwa Rafizi yang menang, dan sebagainya. Di sini, izinkan saya menulis analisis saya mengenai debat tersebut. InsyaALLAH, saya akan mendedahkan fakta-fakta yang tepat dan benar mengenai debat itu.
• 1. Sikap Rafizi yang cuba mengubah topik yang tidak berkaitan dengan topik perdebatan itu sangat mendukacitakan. Pertanyaan yang tidak berkaitan dengan topik bagi saya tidak usahlah dijawab oleh saudara KJ. Kalau perlu pun, itu mungkin dalam perdebatan yang lain.
• 2. Saudara Rafizi kelihatan memilih perbandingan yang langsung tidak munasabah untuk menyokong pendapatan beliau mengenai  pendidikan percuma.  Malah, beliau memberi fakta yang salah kepada umum dan KJ tidak berkesempatan untuk membidas fakta Rafizi.
• 3.  Maka, tugas saya di sini untuk membidas saudara Rafizi. (Sebenarnya, saya sangat berkobar-kobar untuk duduk di tempat KJ kelmarin, hehehhe…) Pertama, Rafizi mendakwa bahawa negara Finland yang lebih miskin daripada Malaysia dan hanya bersumberkan satu sahaja sumber ekonomi iaitu Nokia yang itu pun sedang mengalami masalah kerana penguasaan Blackberry mampu memberikan pendidikan percuma kepada rakyatnya, mengapa tidak Malaysia. Benarkah dakwaan itu? Sini, Kapten Malaysia (hensem?) mahu menidakkannya. 🙂
• 4. Finland sebenarnya mempunyai banyak sumber ekonomi. Saya sertakan statistik sumber ekonomi Finland untuk tatapan umum:
• RALAT: Statistik yang awal telah dikeluarkan selepas beberapa penemuan dalam sumber dan statistik yang baru disertakan di bawah. Terima kasih pada orang yang sudi menegur dan berkongsi dengan saya. Apa-apa pun, ianya tidak mengubah apa-apa bahawa sumber ekonomi Finland bukan hanya bergantung kepada Nokia sahaja.
• A.) Electronics (21.6 percent)
• B.) Machinery, Vehicles and other engineered metal products (21.1 percent)
• C.)Forest industry (13.1 percent)
• D.)Chemicals (10.9 percent).
• Apa-apa pun, di bawah ialah statistik daripada sumber saya sendiri.
• A) Agriculture and forestry 4.5%,
• B.) Industry 18.3%
• C.) Construction 7.3%
• D.) Commerce 16%
• E.) Finance, Insurance, and Business services 14.5%,
• F.) Transport and communications 7%
• G.) Public services 32.4%
• Sekarang ni, mana datangnya sumber dakwaan Rafizi yang mengatakan bahawa Finland hanya bersumberkan ekonomi daripada Nokia sahaja?
• 5. Benarkah Finland lebih miskin daripada Malaysia? Saya nak tergelak mendengarkan dakwaan saudara Rafizi itu. Hehehehe… (gelak malu). Menurut data daripada Bank Dunia, Malaysia jauh ketinggalan dalam ranking GDP. Finland menduduki tangga ke-17. Malaysia punya kekayaan menduduki ranking ke-68. Apa kejadahnya nak bandingkan Malaysia dengan Finland yang lebih kaya daripada Malaysia. Bahkan dengan kekayaan negara yang ke-17 terkaya di dunia, Finland hanya perlu menangung 5 Juta rakyat Mereka sedangkan Malaysia yang mempunyai kekayaan yang ke 68 dunia, perlu menanggung 30 Juta rakyat Malaysia.
• Sumber saya di sini:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita#cite_note-3
• Perbandingan ini sangat tidak relevan. Anda cuba membandingkan epal dengan rambutan (bak kata saudara KJ).  Saudara Rafizi ni, awak kena adil tau. Jangan nak spin fakta macam ayahanda Anugerah Tuhan kamu itu. Hehehehe.. tak baik tau. Kita ambil epal kalau nak dibandingkan dengan Epal. Erm… nak ambil contoh apa ya ?
• 7. Dah dapat! Apa kata kita ambil Brazil yang menduduki di tangga yang lebih kurang sama dengan kita. Brazil ialah salah satu daripada negara yang mendirikan pendidikan percuma. Ya, pendidikan percuma tetapi tahukah saudara Rafizi bahawa cukai di Negara Brazil ialah antara yang tertinggi di dunia? Tak..tak… saya tak buat spesikulasi saya sendiri tau Pak Fizi ya? Tak percaya? Mari-mari, kita mengembara lagi. Biar celik mata semua.
• 8.  http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/the-16-most-common-brazilian-taxes
• “Brazil is known for charging a high tax burden from its citizens and companies established. We will provide an overview of the most common taxes in Brazil, dividing them into Federal, State and Municipal taxes.”
• Kenyataan itu dipetik daripada orang Brazil sendiri. Lihat betapa tingginya dan banyak cukai di negara mereka untuk menampung pendidikan percuma. Rafizi kena terima hakikat nothing is free  dalam dunia ini. Ada harga yang perlu dibayar sekiranya mahukan pendidikan percuma. Dan harga yang perlu dibayar untuk pendidikan percuma ialah CUKAI YANG TINGGI.
• 9. Tak puas hati lagi? Mari-mari menjelajah negara nombor satu dalam sukan bola sepak ini. Lagi artikel yang merungut mengenai hidup di Brazil yang sangat tinggi dengan cukai. Mereka memberi tajuk kepada artikel ini dengan ayat ini:
• ” Everyday taxes in Brazil: IPVA, IPTU and IPTR!”
• Nak link ke ? Takut saya menipu? Ehh, jangan tuduh tau.
• Saya ni sesuci Anugerah Tuhan dan Pak Rafizi ye? (sarcasm). Nah, ambil ni: 
• http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/everyday-taxes-in-brazil-ipva-iptu-and-iptr
• 10. Saudara Rafizi mengatakan bahawa pendidikan di Turki itu percuma. Heheheh, kaki kelentong betul lah awak ni. Awak fizi yang comel, tak nampak ke apa yang berlaku di Turki? Kalau pengikut-pengikut kamu, bolehlah kamu tipu ye? Tapi, tidak saya.
•  http://www.businessturkeytoday.com/turkey-students-arrested-for-demanding-free-education-during-protests.html
• Eh, apa benda tu? Kata Turkey ni menyediakan pendidikan percuma kepada rakyat, tetapi kenapa sebaliknya?  Sampai kena tangkap tu Mahasiswa Turkey. Hehehehe… Abam Rafizi, udah-udahlah tu ya menjadi penipu ?
• 11. Kalau kita lihat pada permulaan debat, kita dapat melihat statistik dan nombor yang dikeluarkan oleh KJ mengenai perbelanjaan yang sedang ditanggung dan bakal ditanggung oleh kerajaan sekiranya mahukan pendidikan percuma. Kemudian, Rafizi membidas bahawa fakta itu penipuan dan mereka membuat kiraan mereka sendiri lalu menampilkan nombor mereka sendiri.
• 12. Sekarang, saya mahu bertanya kepada semua, anda percayakah fakta daripada Rafizi ini sedangkan dia sudah menipu kita dengan teori Finland dan Turkinya? Sekali menipu, dua kali menipu, tak mustahil dia akan menipu untuk sekian kalinya memandangkan penipuan itu ialah darah dagingnya.
• 13. Perkara lain, saya tak perlu saya ulas pajang lebar. Isu hutang dan sebagainya, saya rasa dah dijawab dengan kemas oleh saudara KJ.
• 14. Oh ya, ada lagi yang saya nak perkatakan. Rafizi suruh sifu kamu tu tunaikan janji bulan bintangnya pada penduduk Selangor. Bukan satu dua ye, berbelas tau. Ini janjinya pada penduduk Selangor pada PRU  yang lepas pun tak habis ditunaikan, ada hati bercakap mengenai topik yang lebih besar.
• 15. Meh, saya senaraikan janji-janji puak anda yang tak tertunaikan sebelum nak menabur janji lain.
• – membuka tabung permulaan RM 100 bagi setiap anak kelahiran selangor.
• -memberi bantaun RM 75.00 sebulan bagi setiap anak yang dihantar ke nuseri.
• -memberi bantuan RM 50 kepada seorang bagi pendidikan pra sekolah.
• -memberi hadiah tawaran RM 1000 kepada setiap anak selangor yang masuk ke universiti.
• Dan belasan lagi janji-janji2 yang terabai.
• Kesimpulannya ialah kebanyakan daripada fakta yang dibentangkan oleh Rafizi sebenarnya lebih kepada puta belit yang dipelajari daripada sifunya Anwar Ibrahim. Dan motif artikel ini ditulis untuk menjawab tuduhan tidak berasas Rafizi. Setakat ini sahaja yang mampu saya nukilkan, InsyaALLAH kalau ada kesempatan, saya akan kembali menyambung artikel ini, mungkin dengan analisis yang lebih padat dengan fakta.
• Akhir kata daripada saya, TAHNIAH SAUDARA KJ KERANA berani berdepan dengan orang seperti Rafizi Ramli yang suka lari daripada tajuk dan kaki spin ini. Hehehehe…. Assalamualaikum.
• Sumber : Facebook

It is easier without Dong Zong

 

Dong Zong’s pullout will not affect committee’s work – Muhyiddin

Posted on 19 May 2012 – 02:34pm
Last updated on 19 May 2012 – 03:11pm

MUAR (May 19, 2012): The United Chinese School Committees Association’s (Dong Zong) decision to pull out from the roundtable meetings of the Education Ministry’s special committee to address the shortage of Chinese school teachers will not affect the committee’s work, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said this was because there were four or five other representatives from Chinese education bodies on the committee.

“It’s okay (the action of Dong Zong in pulling out from the committee). Without Dong Zong, it will be easier to resolve the problem,” he told reporters after visiting the Seri Pekembar complex in Pagoh here today. He said this in commenting on the decision by Dong Zong to pull out from the committee.

Muhyiddin said efforts to overcome the shortage involved long term training of teachers, up to 2018, but the ministry wanted to expedite the process.

Earlier, Muhyiddin had attended Leong Hup Group’s Family Day celebration at the complex.

Asked if the move by Dong Zong was politically motivated, he said this had always been the case with the education body.

However, he said this was not important as the main objective of the ministry was to further improve the country’s education system.

According to Muhyiddin, each year the ministry spent RM2.8 billion for national-type Chinese schools and RM1.09 billion for national-type Tamil schools.

He added that the ministry was not only making efforts to resolve problems faced by Chinese schools but also those plaguing Tamil and national schools. –

Bernama

Multi bahasa?

Kerajaan beri keutamaan tingkat mutu capai bertaraf dunia: Muhyiddin

USAHA meningkatkan kualiti sistem pendidikan supaya bertaraf dunia menjadi keutamaan kerajaan bagi memacu Malaysia ke arah negara berpendapatan tinggi pada 2020, kata Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, sistem pendidikan di sesebuah negara perlu terus berkembang untuk kekal bersaing dalam dunia yang sentiasa berubah selain berupaya memenuhi aspirasi negara.

“Sebagai pemimpin hari ini, menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan dalam memastikan generasi muda hari ini dapat melengkapkan diri untuk menghadapi cabaran pada masa akan datang.

“Oleh itu, setiap kerajaan yang efektif perlu membabitkan semua sektor untuk bersama-sama memikul tanggungjawab dalam membantu menjayakan transformasi sistem pendidikan termasuk mengambil kira pandangan mereka dalam membentuk hala tuju pendidikan, ” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika menyampaikan ucaptama bertajuk Leading Across – How Do Effective Government Leaders Engange Across Sectors? pada Sidang Kemuncak Mentransformasikan Pendidikan (TES) anjuran Majlis Pelajaran Abu Dhabi (ADEC) di sini, semalam.

Persidangan yang julung kali diadakan itu dinaungi Putera Mahkota Abu Dhabi, Jeneral Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan yang juga Pengerusi ADEC merangkap Timbalan Ketua Pemerintah Angkatan Tentera Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE).
Kira-kira 200 pakar dalam bidang masing-masing termasuk pemimpin, ahli akademik dan penggiat dalam sektor swasta dijemput menghadiri sidang kemuncak berkenaan.

Selain Muhyiddin, turut menyampaikan ucaptama pada TES bekas Perdana Menteri Britain, Gordon Brown; bekas Presiden Finland, Tarja Halonen dan bekas Menteri Pelajaran Ireland, Mary Hanafin.

Muhyiddin yang turut berkongsi pengalaman Malaysia dalam membangunkan sistem pendidikan sejak mencapai kemerdekaan berkata, kerajaan perlu menangani pelbagai cabaran bagi melaksanakan program bersesuaian membabitkan semua pihak berkepentingan.

“Ketika ini, ada 400,000 guru, lebih lima juta pelajar di 10,000 sekolah dan 27 juta rakyat merangkumi pelbagai etnik, agama dan latar belakang sosial di Malaysia.

“Oleh itu, cabaran utama dalam menjayakan transformasi untuk mengimbangi dan mencari kesamaan di kalangan setiap pihak ini untuk melaksanakan program serta polisi bersesuaian,” katanya.

Sementara itu, pada majlis berasingan, beliau berkata, kerajaan sedang mengkaji kemampuan penguasaan pelbagai bahasa di kalangan murid bagi membolehkan generasi muda hari ini bersaing di peringkat antarabangsa.

“Kita sudah biasa dengan (pengajaran) dwibahasa di sekolah di negara ini dan kajian sedang dijalankan sama ada kita boleh menggalakkan pengajaran multi bahasa,” katanya kepada wartawan Malaysia sejurus melakukan lawatan ke Sekolah Al Mushrif di sini, kelmarin.

Is “SATU SEKOLAH” likely to happen under Najib?

• Published: Sunday April 29, 2012 MYT 12:46:00 PM
  Updated: Sunday April 29, 2012 MYT 12:57:30 PM
• Source HERE

 

• PUTRAJAYA: The National Education Dialogue series which starts from today until July will allow Malaysians to give their views and suggestions on the education system.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged the public to grab the opportunity to give their opinions on the system.
• “We are inviting you to give us responsible, rationale and constructive feedback to help strengthen our education system,” he said when launching the dialogue here on Sunday.
• The dialogue will be held nationwide until July.
• Muhyiddin said the public could also give their feedback via Facebook, Twitter and a dedicated website.

The biggest mistake we made…What perpaduan are we talking about?

 

Reforming Our Education System.

 

My last post (“DPM: Report on education system review in 3 months“) has attracted some perceptive comments. Thank you folks for all your comments. I am glad that many really clever folks read my Blog and take time to send in your comments. I think we all learn a lot from all your comments. There are plenty of people in our country who seem to have a grip on things. There is much hope for our country.

Till this morning, there were nine comments sent in about my “DPM: Report on education system review in 3 months” blog. I have regrouped those comments with similar content. When the comments are similar, it shows that the people have common fears or concerns. I hope the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education will take note. Finally, I have added my own comments as well (in brackets).

1. Anonymous said…Tuan Syed, Do our education system need any review ? only recently our EM/DPM stated that our education system is better than some of the most advanced countries in the world like UK, US. I think it is better not to waste money la, deficit is going to breach the statutory limit already. Tuesday, April 10, 2012 9:49:00 AM

2. Anonymous said… reportedly our education system ranked 14th place worldwide, beating US, UK and germany.. why sent children to oversea then..?? Tuesday, April 10, 2012 11:06:00 AM

(My comments : These are valid points. Why do we need to review our education system if our education system is better than the US, UK and such. Our education system is reportedly ranked 14^th worldwide, ahead of US, UK and even Germany. If we are so good, then why do we have to review the education system? Obviously then all these rankings are ‘syok sendiri’ and do not serve any useful purpose for us. Why do I say this? Because the Minister of Education cum DPM says we still have to review our education system.

And can the Minister of Education also please answer the following news report from The Star. If our Education System is better than the US, UK or Germany then how come no Malaysian high school graduates have qualified to enter Harvard University for the past two years?

No Malaysian in Harvard for second consecutive year

KUALA LUMPUR: For the second consecutive year, no Malaysian student has gained admission into Harvard University. Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik, who heads the selection panel that interviews students for undergraduate admission into the university, said this was due to the deteriorating quality of applicants from Malaysia.

.

“I called the Harvard College Admissions Office and was told that although they received applications from Malaysian students, no one was shortlisted for interviews as they are not considered competitive enough,” he told The Star. Dr Goh said former SMK Damansara Jaya student Avinaash Subramaniam was the last Malaysian to be accepted into Harvard in 2010.

Not competitive enough? Kononnya kita lebih baik daripada Jerman, Amerika dan Britain, tapi dah dua tahun tak ada siapa pun anak Malaysia layak masuk Harvard. Can anyone explain this? Please don’t say this is a Jewish conspiracy. And please dont say, “So what?” We must measure ourselves against other people. That is what is meant by the word “measure” – we gauge one thing with another thing. If we just ‘syok sendiri’ that is not measuring.

.

The key word is “competitive”. Our education system does not teach kids (especially those who do not know) how to learn to compete with the world.

The following five comments No. 3 – No. 7 all mention the appointment of Malaysia’s Robber Barons to the National Education System Evaluation Panel. No one seems to agree with the appointment of some of these goons and Robber Barons to an education system evaluation panel. I mean what exactly are their qualifications? Either they have ripped off millions and billions or they have closed one eye and allowed millions and billions get ripped off. And these are the folks we want on our National Educational System Evaluation Panel? Lucu juga. Here are the comments about them :

3. Anonymous said…I am concerned by the names from the corporate sector. Tak habis habis muka ni lagi ke? Tony Fernandez and Azman Mokhtar?? Would Education now be another avenue for them to make money? Rob from us poor people? Kalau BN kalah PRU13, don’t say we haven’t warned you. Monday, April 09, 2012 11:52:00 PM

4. Anonymous said…yikes….names in the last para – for role models ke ??????

Monday, April 09, 2012 11:11:00 PM

5. Anonymous said…What a stupid joke la DPM is doing. Sebagai menteri yang bertanggungjawab, biar ada taste la sikit.. carilah panelis sektor korporat dari kalangan tokoh yang takdak isu moral untuk kemaskan lagi sistem pendidikan kita yang pincang. Ada ka letak monyet-monyet yang tengah dok sakau dan kebas duit awam dari GLC yang depa diamanahkan jaga?

Suka sangat la beruk monyet ni dpt pengiktirafan untuk evaluate sistem, dan sistem yang akan disarankan nanti pastinya yang dapat memberi manfaat kewangan dan kekayaan untuk mereka. Itu jam, Tony F buka pula kolej low cost, lima tahun lepas tu dia CCF dgn universiti awam pulak.

 

Tengok apa jadi kat MAS, itu jugak nasib universiti awam esok.

Takkan la depa ni yang akan sumbangkan idea untuk set module dan silibus bagi hala tuju pendidikan. Ditakuti generasi akan datang di bawah sistem pendidikan ini nanti akan jadi genius dan berfikiran kreatif lalu menjadi prodigy depa, perompak dan penyamun yang pakai suit mahal. Bang Din, jangan la buat joke dekat pilihanraya ni, gelak terguling- guling saya dibuatnya.

FMZ Tuesday, April 10, 2012 1:07:00 AM

(My comment : Ouch !!)

6. Anonymous said…Why the heck Azman Mokhtar needs to be involved? Wt heck he knows about education? Business dah tak erti as if he is gonna bring great help and changes to the education system? Tuesday, April 10, 2012 9:25:00 AM

7. Anonymous said…same old story. The education system has gone thru a maze and the politicians found out they can not get out. and so pukul canang/tabla dan lion dance lah to distract the public from seeing who the culprits are LOL. Bodoh koja tapi pandai zapin politik..loncat sana loncat sini.

Why dont they give the public choices for eg. English, Malay medium and keep the vernacular schools intact. Forget this perpaduan thing because when Bolehland opened doors for IPTS and private schools, only the Poor Malays / Chinese / Indians and Indons remain in Government schools.

Why dont they solicit public opinion ? ala election ?

And what’s this nonsense of getting the aeroplane fella, the khazanah guy and others not related to eucation per se into the committee ? Baik panggil orang Jobstreet.com and employers association and the like. They can give eye-opening inputs…sheesh.

Jgn. lama sangat bodoh. Tak penat ke ? Monday, April 09, 2012 11:44:00 PM

8. Anonymous said… Start by bringing back PPSMI. Stop the bullshit that the majority of schools want Science and maths to be taught in BM – you didn’t ask the students or the teachers, you only polled the administrators. Bring back PPSMI, then start from there. Godfather Tuesday, April 10, 2012 10:38:00 AM

(My comments : This is a valid point by Godfather. Why didn’t the Ministry of Education poll the students, the teachers and the parents? Too many parents and also teachers say that they were never asked about the PPSMI. Personally I will not ask students because a 10 year old or 15 year old may not be in a position to know much about a good education system for this complicated, complex, multi racial country ie Malaysia. But I will definitely ask teachers and parents. I believe the book publishing lobby which makes a lot of money from publishing school books has a very big say in deciding the PPSMI issue. At the end of the day, it is politics which has influenced the abolishment of the PPSMI. We have pawned the future of our children for thirty pieces of duit timah. So why hasn’t the Ministry of Education conducted an honest survey among parents and school teachers if we should keep the PPSMI or not?)

Here is the final comment:

9. Moshe said… Alo Sayed, It is very good that the Education Minister is making a review on the education system thus far in this country. Perhaps we shall know the prevailing standard, its weaknesses, its potential in achieving national objectives and so forth.

Remember during our time the education system was more England oriented and that generation were very very proficient in speaking the language – English. Most of that generation is, are, was, were anglophiles irrespective of which creed or race they belonged. Hence mother tongue was left to the nationalist be it the Melayu, Cina( notoriously the dong ngong) or Tamil.

But yet that system integrate and bond us as truly Malaysian with minimal perjudices and we were not polarised nor differentiated by our race or background. As the record stands our education system then was excellent among the commonwealth member nations and we were neck to neck with Sinjapor in term of standard.

I supposed the Razak report and several other reports on Education has in a way led to the state of our education system as today.

But what angered me most is the dong ngong group who until today and since before merdeka, insisted that Chinese language be made at par with Bahasa Melayu and stood stubborn with chauvinistic demands that Chinese language be recognised so. The malaysian contitution as accepted by all races accept that bahasa Melayu as the national language of this country though others can used their respective mother tongues. But this dong ngong group refused vehemently to accept this and a majority of their product cannot nor fluent in the national language. This was made worst by DAP who are keen to incite disrespect with the use of mandarin instead of the official language – bahasa at a police station recently on the breast grappling allegations raised by Teresa Kok.

I believed if the chinese continues to discriminate and disparage the national education system, it would eventually lose support and it would be very difficult to progress in our national integration and development efforts.

Sinjapor banned chinese schools, it was easy for them as theirs is just and Island state but ours has shoreline that make our landmass seems to be a phallic symbol with the Island state shoreline resembling the obvious.

Nevertheless, the steps taken to review the education system is highly commendable. Syabas and after this we shall know where we stand.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012 12:27:00 PM

(My comments : Thank you Moshe. The Dong Zong are another bunch of hungry opportunists. They too represent the Chinese book publishers, just like the Dewan Bahasa goons often speak up for the Malay book publishers. They are all in it for the money – perpaduan all can go to hell.

I learnt something from a young 19 year old student recently. The boy said that in his school (where he is doing his Form 6), the Malays sit in one corner and speak Malay, the Chinese sit in one corner and speak Chinese and the Indians sit in one corner and speak Tamil. All three races cannot speak English. So now they do not communicate with each other at all.

 

Up to the 70s the education system was still very English based. I think the education system at that time produced very good and capable people who could compete and function not just in Malaysia but also internationally. Now in this 21st century, Malaysians are increasingly becoming jaguh kampong – they can only speak Malay, Chinese or Tamil. They cannot speak English much.

There is another point I learnt from the 19 year old student. It is becoming an absolute fact that we are now less united as a nation. We tried to use Bahasa Melayu as a uniting language – and we used the education system as a method to teach Bahasa Melayu. There were a couple of things that went wrong. First we called it Bahasa Malaysia. It is NOT Bahasa Malaysia. It is Bahasa Melayu.

Secondly, while we changed the system to almost completely Malay, we did a half baked job. We still allowed Chinese and Tamil schools to co-exist. Lee Kuan Yew banned Chinese and Tamil schools in Singapore in the 1970s. In Thailand there are no Chinese schools. In Indonesia there are no Chinese schools. But in Malaysia we allowed Chinese and Tamil schools to operate. This meant that the Malay language policy was only effective in the Government schools where the majority of the students were already Malay.

So exactly what perpaduan were we achieving by teaching in Malay to Malays in Government schools, teaching Chinese to Chinese in Chinese schools and teaching in Tamil to Tamils in Tamil schools? Perpaduan apa pula?

 

But the biggest mistake we made was we let the quality of teachers, the quality of teaching and the quality of education in general to really deteriorate in the majority of Government run schools. And that is why hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Indians ran away to Chinese and Tamil schools.

Up to the 1970s, Chinese school enrolment was very low. The huge majority of Chinese students went to Government schools (including the so called Missionary schools). But after the switch to the Malay language in the 1970s and the deterioration in the quality of education at Government schools, enrollment at Chinese and Tamil schools jumped by the hundreds of thousands.

And the Chinese schools also made a paradigm shift. They transformed themselves from being breeding grounds of Chinese secret societies, gangsterism and fertile recruiting grounds for the Communist Party of Malaya to become high performance schools which gave young Chinese strong discipline, exposure to hard work (tons of homework) and very tough standards to achieve.

 

Plus, the Chinese schools also vastly improved the teaching of the English language. Today, the Chinese schools employ some of the best English language teachers and Chinese school students speak very good English as well. And they are very strong in encouraging music, dance and other arts. As a result the Chinese community feels it is worthwhile to invest money in Chinese schools. Almost every Chinese school has airconditioned classrooms and has much resources – thanks to strong support from the Chinese community. If it is beneficial to them, they will support their high quality Chinese school system. It is as simple as that.

So can we blame the Chinese if they want to keep the Chinese schools? They want quality education and they are getting it from the Chinese schools. Kita nak marah pun tak kena target. We will be missing the point entirely. Menteri sendiri sudah cakap bahawa ‘our education system needs review’. Menteri sendiri tak konfiden with our education system.

Coming back to using Malay as a unifying language through the education system – well it has failed. If you want to argue this point, please go to Jalan Kuchai Lama and talk to any Chinese there. Or go to Kuala Lipis and talk to any Chinese or Indian there. Haram sepatah Melayu pun depa tak faham. Tapi dia boleh cari hidup, boleh kaya, ada rumah banglo, kereta besar dan ada duit. People can get along fine in life being whatever they are and speaking whatever language they want to speak. What perpaduan are we talking about?

This is where perhaps the English language can contribute some difference in Malaysia as a uniting factor. Its like this : a Malay will not want to speak broken Chinese to a Chinese. The Chinese will have the advantage because he is a native speaker. Plus the Malay feels that his language is superior to Chinese.

Likewise a Chinese will not want to speak broken Malay to a Malay. The Malay will have the advantage because he is a native speaker. Plus the Chinese feels that his language is superior to Malay. The same applies to the Indian, Iban etc.

But all races Chinese, Malay, Indian, Iban etc will not mind speaking English (especially broken English) because all are non-native speakers of English. English is foreign to all of us. And because English is the language of the world there is an acknowledgement that English is a very useful language. So while Tamils may not like to speak Chinese, or Chinese may not like to speak Malay – most everyone in Malaysia will not mind speaking English. I think we have overlooked this unifying strength of the English language for a diverse country like Malaysia. We must relook this angle as well.

The country should have a dual language system of education – Malay and English. Mathematics, Science and subjects like Economics, Accounting, Management should be taught in English. We have to keep up with the rest of the world.

Getting back to the deteriorating quality of the Government schools, we nailed the coffin shut when we injected an overdose of religion into our Government schools. School assembly started with baca doa, PIBG meetings began with baca Quran – as though our Government schools had become Madrassah Taliban Darul Uloom Haqqaniah aka “Suicide Bomber School”.

I think even the Taliban will be shocked at the amount of religious indoctrination in our Government schools. The guru agama (if they have sekolah pondok background, sijil tinggi agama background or some religious qualification then it is most likely that they are the least educated and the least qualified among the school teachers) can over rule a headmaster with a Master’s degree over many things in school. The guru agama can say that girls cannot play volleyball because it is a jahiliyah sport where girls will have to jump up and down and make the men excited.

The guru agama can organise qiyamul laili where students taking exams are made to believe that praying late into the night will earn them better grades. There are also cases of ‘guru agama’ who sell kismis ajaib to their students. Folks, I am so sorry to break this news to you but air jampi and kismis ajaib cannot make students score even half an A. Plus the Chinese and Indian kids also get 10As without even qiyamul laili.

The religious indoctrination is the final nail in the coffin for the Government education system in Malaysia. I hope that when Tan Sri Muhyuddin Yassin undertakes the review of the Education System, the Government will remove religious indoctrination in our school system.

Plus we cannot even be sure that what the religious teachers teach is 100% correct. Shiah kata lain, Salafi kata lain, Tarekat kata lain, Tableeg kata lain, Wahabi kata lain, Syafiee kata lain, Hanafi kata lain, Maliki kata lain. Semua lain-lain.

It is best to go back to the system used by our fathers and grandfathers – religion should be taught at home by parents to their children. (Kalau parents tak reti pasal agama, boleh hantar anak belajar dengan ustaz or ustazah or go to the surau, guna duit sendiri). And then most important of all, religion should stay at home. There is an overdose of religion in our public sphere.

Finally if we want to fully reform our Education System, we must pay very, very close attention to the quality of our teachers. I think this is another huge factor affecting our education system. The quality of our teachers.

Now, don’t get upset or get excited. I want to speak plainly here. If it hurts some peoples’ feelings I don’t know what to say but I think these are simple observations which I have seen with my own eyes.

Very often also teaching is a last choice option for SPM leavers who could not do anything better in life. So it is not by choice that many young people become teachers. It is by necessity. They have no other options. Even university graduates who become teachers often do so because they don’t have any other choice. After being turned down by JPA, PTD, GLC etc they may just try to get a job as a teacher. Some of the guys would also prefer ‘jadi Polis’ or ‘jadi Askar’ first before becoming cikgu. Its a last choice option.

Actually this should not be a problem at all. Not matter what their background, no matter whether they have a choice or no choice, it is our job to make sure that all our teachers are properly trained. But it is also important to detoxify teachers from any toxic ideas and toxic belief systems they may have with them which can infect their students.

Its like this – besides parents, especially mothers, it is the school teachers who should be the moving force to create a modern, dynamic, progressive and competitive nation. And especially in developing countries, teachers should be the main locomotives to modernise a society which is not yet modernised.

Therefore teachers should not only teach everything that is modern but teachers themselves should be modern, scientific and progressive. Kalau cikgu sekolah sendiri menjadi bejana pemikiran jumud, berbudaya yang ketinggalan zaman then how is the cikgu going to modernise his or her students? This is what is NOT happening in Malaysia.

Because you have teachers who come from all parts of the country, bringing with them whatever indoctrination was put inside their heads in the places where they come from.

If a teacher hails from a Kampong Memali type place, it is most likely that she will still be indoctrinated with the strong religious indoctrination that was or is prevalent there. Tudung mesti labuh, bahasa Inggeris bahasa kafir, musik itu mainan syaitan, perempuan tak boleh main volleyball and all the other backward, un-modern, unscientific indoctrination that you would expect from a place like a Memali. (Yes I know this is not an exactly 100% accurate description but I think you can understand what I mean).

The same goes for teachers who are from parts of the country that are still lagging behind the rest of the country or the rest of the world. People in those parts are still lagging behind (economically and socially) exactly because they are not scientific and not modern enough.

So if we have young teachers coming from these parts of the country we must make sure that these teachers leave behind those belief systems that made their communities lag behind the others in the first place. If we do not modernise the teacher from Memali, Bachok or Selama and we send them to teach in a school in Bangsar, pretty soon we will have a mini-Memali or a mini-Bachok even in Bangsar. I think this is happening already.

I am not saying that folks from Memali cannot become teachers. What I am saying is that if Memali is still Memali, it is because they are not modern, progressive or scientific enough. In conclusion, Memali or no, we have a duty to train our teachers and make sure that our teachers are as modern, progressive and scientific as possible – irrespective of where they came from.

Unfortunately I think our education system (referring especially to the Government schools) has gone quite in the opposite direction. Many of our teachers are not as modern, progressive or scientific.

If there is an overdose of religious, parochial and cultural indoctrination it means that teachers may not be the desired agents of progress and modernisation that we need to keep up with the 21^st century. Considering the huge influence they have on our kids, teachers can become agents of reverse indoctrination. Be careful.

Folks, this is the 21^st century already. Kalau tak percaya, please check your calendar. The Chinese schools are already aiming for the 22^nd century. The private schools and the International schools are also getting to the 22^nd century. The Gomen schools are heading towards the 7^th century. I think the Minister of Education knows the problem. That is why he says we have to review the education system, the 14th best education system in the world – better than US, UK and Germany.

 

 

Malaysia’s educational excellence Part lII

Malaysia’s Educational Excellence Part lll: Outside looking in

• Malaysian blogger in the US, Dr (medical doctor, not Yap-kind of doctor) Bakri Musa, has posted two or his six-parter which I think my friends at the Education Ministry should follow closely. Never mind Dr Bakri prefers the word “reform” to “transform”, his outside-looking-in ideas and wisdom are valuable for the Ministry’s efforts to revamp the education. And his message is clear: We must improve further the education quality that we give our children [notwithstanding the good scores the WEF has given us].
• Read:
• Reforming Education: Fixing Kampung Schools
• Reforming Education Part Two: Fixing Kampung Schools
• Certainly a more constructive approach than the Guanengs’ rantings against the Minister.