‘Recognise UEC and assist Chinese schools’

Posted on April 24, 2012, Tuesday

by Jonathan Chia, reporters@theborneopost.com.

KUCHING: The government is again urged to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and provide financial aid to private Chinese secondary schools as these schools had produced a big pool of quality human resources over the years.

In making this call, Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School Management Board president Temenggong Vincent Lau said although private Chinese secondary schools were not a part of the nation’s mainstream education it is still a part of Malaysian history and played a big role in the country’s development.

He said these schools had produced a lot of UEC graduates over the years, and it was ironical for the country not to recognise UEC when many institutions of higher learning in many parts of the world recognised it.

“Due to our contributions towards nation building we are convinced that the government should not treat private Chinese secondary schools like private colleges or schools which were set up by private initiatives.

“We have been requesting the government to provide financial assistance and other areas of support to private Chinese secondary schools, but, unfortunately until now, we failed to get significant positive response,” Lau said at the Sarawak Timber Association (STA) Financial Contributions, Scholarships and Daiken scholarships presentation here yesterday.

He believed that the government was dragging its feet due to technical and policy matters rather than anything else.

“We hope that the government will take a panoramic view of Chinese education in this country.”

Lau added that the continued growth and survival of private Chinese secondary schools were critical and should not be viewed as destructive or a burden but instead as a valuable asset for the country.

“With the opening up of the economy of China, and as the nation (China) heads towards becoming a great power, Chinese language will definitely become a very important language internationally. It may not replace English as an international language but those who wish to trade with China or invest in the country must have a good standard of Chinese language.”

Malaysia presently has 60 private Chinese secondary schools, out of which 14 are in Sarawak.

“The schools are running on deficit of between RM2 million to RM3 million a year, and in order to make up to the deficit in operating the schools, we had to rely on public support and donations.”

Lau pointed out that private Chinese secondary schools too have many non-Chinese students, and that it was ready to take in more.

“Therefore, it would be wise for the government to support the existence of private Chinese secondary schools instead of imposing many restrictions to impede its growth.

“I think the country will regret it if one day private Chinese secondary schools do not exist anymore.”

During the function, STA, through its wholly-owned company STA Mutual Sdn Bhd, presented financial contributions totalling RM350,000 to representatives of 14 private Chinese secondary schools and the management board of the Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Secondary School.

The function was also attended by STA chairman Pemanca Datuk Wong Kie Yik, company secretary of STA Mutual Sdn Bhd Philip Choo, Forestry Department deputy director Sapuan Ahmad, STA general manager Dr Peter Kho and Daiken Sarawak Sdn Bhd senior manager Anthony Chin.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/24/recognise-uec-and-assist-chinese-schools/#ixzz1sv4F1Ds5

EDUCATION: Teaching creatively shouldn’t be seen as crazy

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By Vemala Thuryrajah, Malacca 0 comments

I REFER to the letter “Inspire student-centred learning, critical thinking” (NST, April 9) by Dr William Lim.

I agree with him that Asian culture subdues the student and it is teacher-centred, while the west values opinions, inquiry and investigation. My lecturers were Americans and British, and they liked me for asking challenging questions and they allowed me to ask questions or say my piece.

I believe that students must be taught to give their opinions and be critical about issues. We should encourage this through debates, newspaper-in-education programmes and problem-based learning.

Over the years, I have noticed that Form 6 students are more critical, independent and creative compared with the rote-learners in Form 5. In my class, a handful of students suggested learning outside the classroom for moral lessons. They suggested football, as it entails team work and moral values. The students enjoyed the game and in class we later discussed their experiences in terms of rules and values. Much to my disappointment, I was labelled crazy by colleagues and other students.

Supervision of students during industrial training is also a professional skill. A trainer at the agency should be highly skilled, motivated and sensitive to a fresh graduate’s anxiety to learn at the new job.

Read more: EDUCATION: Teaching creatively shouldn’t be seen as crazy – Letters to the Editor – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/education-teaching-creatively-shouldn-t-be-seen-as-crazy-1.77111#ixzz1sv2d4xnG

EDUCATION: Have full-time administrators

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By Liong Kam Chong, Seremban, Negri Sembilan 0 comments

THE Education Revamp Committee will deliberate on nine areas of our education system. “Teachers” is one of these areas.

The clarion call of today’s teachers seems to be “Let Teachers Teach”. Teachers lament that they are unable to concentrate on their teaching because too many non-teaching activities or responsibilities are thrust upon them.

There are the numerous analyses to do; reports to write; data to enter online; meetings, functions, seminars and workshops to attend; co-curricular activities to lead or guide; sports and games to coach; students to counsel; parents to engage or collaborate, and others.

Granted that some of these activities do have educational value that may indirectly contribute to classroom teaching effectiveness, teachers are not happy at the seemingly uncoordinated and inordinate manner by which they are called upon to be involved.

The contention is that much of the “paperwork” teachers are required to do served only the purposes of officials higher up.

Teachers do not see any direct or relevant benefits of these to their charges.

With all these distractions, the committed teachers are worried sick that they may labour in vain in their classroom teaching; or they have themselves burnt out. Others may have already insidiously thrown in the towel.

On the other hand, the less-than-responsible ones are enjoying the “outings” and “deviations” and unashamedly claim that teaching is after all an “easy” life. For the newly recruited teachers, this is indeed a confusing scenario.

Assuredly, there is a case for the ministry, state department and district offices of education to better coordinate and reassess the need for the loads of paperwork they are pouring down on schools and for the feedback to be uploaded usually in a maddeningly short time.

On the other hand, teachers must also recognise that some extracurricular activities are essential and, therefore, rightly become part and parcel of their duties.

Yet, with consent, approval and support from the authorities higher up, schools can do better. Here are my thoughts and suggestions.

A normal secondary day school with a student population of around 2,000 and running two sessions, will have a principal, three senior assistants, an afternoon supervisor, four heads of academic departments, five student counsellors and a teaching staff of about 120.

This means that the school has a total of 14 administrator-teachers, that is, about 12 per cent of the staff. Premier and other schools of acclaim are even better endowed in this respect. Smaller schools need no afternoon supervisors, have a proportionate number of counsellors while other positions are all intact.

These school administrators are called administrator-teachers because besides administering and managing their respective “office”, they are required to also teach some (10 to 14) periods a week.

This may seem minimal compared with a normal teacher’s load of 24 to 28 periods.

But consider the minds of these administrator-teachers. Their first concern must be that they administer well the “office” they have been promoted and assigned to. They must also realise that what they do and decide now affects more than their own classes. They are helping to administer the whole school.

Their teaching periods may average two per day. But the timetable could be such that it is one period in the early half of the day and the other period in the latter half of the day. Being conscientious and committed (why else are they promoted?), they are teachers who want to do excellently well in all their given tasks.

So, it is not just about going into classes for those 40 minutes per period. There must also be the necessary preparations to ensure that each lesson is enriching and benefiting to their charges. Even a two-period day has a full-day mental engagement for these committed administrator-teachers.

Usually, they are torn between the demands of their administrative offices and the teaching needs of their classes.

More often than not, our school structures and expectations being such, their administrative duties take precedence. To accommodate, the more experienced administrator-teachers opt to teach “less important” subjects and classes. This has resulted in their teaching becoming, much to their own chagrin, less than exemplary to their colleagues. And, worse, those less-than-responsible ones make comments and use this to justify their own lackadaisical demeanour.

This sad scenario begets the question: why not allow the administrator-teachers to be full-time administrators? They can then just focus and concentrate on the administrative tasks, take over much of the “paperwork” now being assigned to teachers, “represent” the teachers in many of those out-of-school activities and, most importantly, remove those burdens that are not teaching-centric from teachers.

After all, these administrator-teachers have to prove their efficiency and effectiveness in administration rather than teaching for their next career upward move. And, which officials in the district office, state department or Education Ministry are required to teach a few periods per week? They are all former teachers though.

So, we need a transformational change here. Would the ministry allow schools to be administered by full-time administrators who were teachers before?

We do not want to see a scenario as at present, where full-time teachers need to do part-time administrative work and appointed administrators have to be also part-time teachers. The present arrangement is certainly a “lose-lose” situation. Let’s turn it around to be a win-win proposal.

Only then, I believe, would teachers’ aspiration “Let Teachers Teach” be fully realised.

Read more: EDUCATION: Have full-time administrators – Letters to the Editor – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/education-have-full-time-administrators-1.77109#ixzz1sv24zCE5

EDUCATION: Learn from the past for class-based assessments

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By M.G.D., Kuala Lumpur 0 comments

I STUDIED under a school system practised in the post-war period before Merdeka (1946 to 1956), where promotion to the next higher class depended on passing the two-term examinations and the final year-end examination. The two-term examinations contributed to 30 per cent of the marks in the final year-end examination.

Coursework recorded in the science lab logbook of the students also contributed some marks to the final year-end examinations.

The examinations were set and corrected by the class teachers who taught the various subjects. Failing the year-end examination for the first time in one’s school career meant being retained for an extra year in the same class.

Failing for the second year in one’s school career meant being expelled from school. The teachers then wielded much power to make or break a student’s career.

Teachers being humans with normal weaknesses — of prejudices, likes and dislikes, coupled with the power to make or break a student’s career — led, in some cases, to abuse of power.

It was not unusual for teachers giving private tuition to favour such students by coaching them on the answers to the examination questions set by the teacher and/or favourably marking their answer scripts.

A teacher may develop a prejudice against a pupil who asks awkward questions that expose the teacher’s shortcomings in his knowledge, and embarrasses him in front of the class. Or he could have a grudge against the pupil’s father and take it out on the son. Worse still, he could pass on his prejudice to other teachers who he regularly meets in the staff room or outside.

So a prejudice formed by a teacher against a pupil in the lower classes tends to stick with him throughout his school career until he sits the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (OSC) examination, which is an independently conducted public examination.

The results of the OSC examination, in some cases, produces surprising results, with some teachers’ favourites getting disappointing results and some “black sheep” performing spectacularly.

There is also uniformity in grading in centrally conducted public examinations regardless of which school the pupil attended or even if he or she is an independent candidate. But then, there is also the obsession by some schools to produce good results.

So, now that the Education Ministry is working towards class-based assessments, could we learn from the past and could the assessment system be tweaked to produce better results?

Read more: EDUCATION: Learn from the past for class-based assessments – Letters to the Editor – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/education-learn-from-the-past-for-class-based-assessments-1.77110#ixzz1sv1UGfie

‘Let students decide loan amounts’

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

By MASAMI MUSTAZA AND EMILIA GAZALI | news@nst.com.my 0 comments

DIFFERENT NEEDS: PTPTN must fine-tune disbursement system according to requirements

PUTRAJAYA:  STUDENTS should be given the option to decide on the loan amount of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) which they actually need for their studies.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said yesterday that the loan repayment system should be improved.

He said this was something which PTPTN must implement in the future by evaluating the kinds of loans offered and the amount disbursed based on  individual requirements.

Citing an example, Khaled said the cost of education to study in different geographic regions was  something that should be taken into account in addition to students’ socio-economic backgrounds.

“Living expenses in Kuala Lumpur will differ from that in Perak. “For example, PTPTN may not  offer the same amount to students from middle-income backgrounds if they are studying in institutions located in rural areas because their living expenses will  be far lesser,” he said to the New Straits Times, at his ministry.

Khaled said it would be good if PTPTN was able to provide options to students in future.

“At the end of the day,  students are the ones who repay  loans. So they should be given the choice to decide on how much loan they want to take based on their capability to pay back.”

On the possibility of free education in public universities, Khaled said besides having to increase other government expenditure to cover costs, a free education system may cause the quality of education to deteriorate.

“Malaysia needs to develop its people to their maximum level in order to create better human capital.”

On amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA), Khaled said they were in line with the government’s transformation in balancing students’ freedom and rights without jeopardising their education.

He reiterated that students were allowed to participate in political activities, but only outside of campus.

Amendments to Section 15 of UUCA, now allow students to be involved in politics, but all political activities must be kept away from  university grounds.

Khaled acknowledged that students today were mature enough to regard this freedom with a sense of responsibility. However, he said  university grounds must remain neutral territory.

“This means students will be able to develop their own character, thinking and ideologies independently without the influence of any political party. This is in accordance with the initial purpose of establishing universities, their role in education and nation-building.

Khaled said universities were places for students to develop a scholarly and knowledge culture in a stable environment, free from prejudice.

On repeal of Section 15(2)(c) of the Act, which bars students from holding posts in political parties from contesting in campus elections or holding any post in student societies, organisations, bodies or groups, Khaled said there was no basis for the assumption that someone who holds a position in a political party would automatically be given a post in campus.

“They are just undergraduates at the end of the day without any sort of qualification. Even if they were to hold a party position, it will be one of those in the lower rungs. It is impossible for any student to be elected as  Umno Youth chief or as an executive council member in any party for that matter.

“After all, who would want to elect a student as a party leader when they are still at a stage where they need to be led by others? We also felt that to allow for this regulation to remain would be seen as punishing and denying the rights of those with party positions to hold posts on campus.”

Khaled also said while students were free to exercise their rights to be involved in politics, they must be aware that they were fully responsible if their studies were affected in a negative way.

Read more: ‘Let students decide loan amounts’ – General – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/let-students-decide-loan-amounts-1.77153#ixzz1sv0I7YXb

Love is having to say ‘no’ too

Tuesday April 24, 2012

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/24/focus/11164226&sec=focus

AS a Children’s Court Advisor, I read with much sadness “126 kids missing in Johor so far this year” (The Star, April, 23).

I have often advocated that we parents must know where our kids are, and with whom. Also when they will return home. This is basic parenting. Do not abdicate that.

We need parents who are willing to say to their children “I love you so much that I am willing to say no to you”. Yes, you can’t accede to all that the kids of today want.

Sometimes you have to take a firm stand and say no!

And when handling kids of today:

> Be consistent, if not you confuse them;

> Don’t make them feel smaller than they are;

> Don’t do things they can do for themselves;

> Don’t correct them in front of others; talk to them in private;

> Don’t discuss their behaviour in the heat of the moment;

> Do not preach to them or nag;

> Don’t be put off when they ask honest questions; treat them as persons, not things; and

> Use guidance, not force; act, not just words.

Do not consider it beneath your dignity to apologise to them if and when you are wrong.

And don’t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible.

Teach them to always respect authority. Teach children to have good feelings for, as well as respect, their teachers.

And when you teach, do that with love and concern. Balance responsibility with forgiveness and love.

Last, but not least, you can’t teach values if you yourself do not have them!

BULBIR SINGH,

Seremban.

Don with gift of making lessons interesting

Tuesday April 24, 2012

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/24/focus/11164223&sec=focus

IT was with a heavy heart that I read the news of the passing of a great lecturer, Prof Hyacinth Gaudart of Universiti Malaya.

Prof Gaudart was indeed an icon in the English Department of the Faculty of Education.

I was privileged to have her as lecturer when I was doing my Diploma in Education in the late 1970s, and as my supervisor when I read for my PhD in the early 1990s.

I can never forget the passion she showed when teaching, her kind caring heart and her smile that lit up the room.

Prof Gaudart had the gift of making lessons interesting and exciting, and she passed this on to her students.

Rest in peace, dear professor. Your legacy lives on in the hearts of your students who now teach English all over this country.

ASSOC. PROF Dr PETER

J. PEREIRA,

Shah Alam.

Most think education system up to par

Tuesday April 24, 2012

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/24/nation/11160782&sec=nation

By REGINA LEE

PETALING JAYA: About 55% of Malaysian adults believe the education system here is comparable to developed countries, according to a survey by market research agency Introspek Asia.

Another 35% said it was even better than developed nations, said the survey which inter­­viewed 1,800 Malaysians over a one-month period ending Jan 15.

Citing the study, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Malaysian education system had assumed a crucial role in transforming the nation.

Token of appreciation: Muhyiddin receiving a souvenir from Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah after delivering his keynote address at Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s 16th Malaysian Education Summit at Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa in Petaling Jaya yesterday. Looking on are (from left) Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh and Tan Sri Dr Ramon V. Navaratnam.

“Had it not been for our education system, we would not have eradicated poverty, experienced rapid industrialisation, generated robust economic growth, expanded our middle class and emerged as one of the most advanced developing countries in the world.

“It must be because we have put in place a good education system,” he said in his keynote address at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s 16th Ma­­laysian Edu­cation Summit here yesterday.

However, Muhyiddin said the findings must not lull the Government and the public into complacency.

“We have to come to grips with the stark reality that challenges confronting our nation today require us to re-assess the priorities of our education system and realign them with present national goals,” he said.

In the country’s quest to move to a knowledge and innovation-driven high-income economy, he said the Government must ensure that the education system would produce the human capital equipped with necessary skills.

Thus, the blueprint and the plan to transform the education system set to be finalised by the end of this year would include nine “critical levers” for development.

They are the teachers, school leaders, school quality, curriculum and assessment, multilingual proficiency, post-secondary op­­portunities, parents and community, resource efficiency and effectiveness, and ministry delivery capacity and capability.

To be carried out together with a series of dialogues nationwide, Muhyiddin said the exercise was historic because this would be the first time in 30 years that the education system would undergo a thorough review.

The two-day summit themed “Transformation in Motion: Op­­portunities and Challenges for Malaysian Education” will feature talks by leading industry players as well as heads of universities.

Check on unclean canteens

Tuesday April 24, 2012

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/24/nation/11164135&sec=nation

By A. RUBAN
ruban_22@thestar.com.my

SHAH ALAM: The number of school canteens affected by food poisoning may be small but Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai not only wants the problem stopped but has promised stern action against errant operators.

Canteen operators with bad records would have their contracts terminated immediately and be blacklisted from running canteens at other schools, he said.

“My ministry introduced a number of initiatives to curb this issue but it will be pointless if teachers and other parties involved do not play their role,” he said after presenting awards to clean school canteens at the Shah Alam Convention Centre yesterday.

Doing her bit: Nur Annashirah Omar (front) from SMK Assunta registering for The Interactive Food Safety Club after the launch of the e-community website by Liow in Shah Alam yesterday.

“We view this matter seriously because it affects the students’ studies and activities,” Liow said.

Citing last year’s statistics where 146 schools were affected by food poisoning, he said the number may be small but should, nevertheless, be eliminated.

Cash prizes of between RM2,000 and RM3,000 were given to the top three clean school canteens and eating halls nationwide.

They are SMK Jeram in Kelantan in first place, SMK Tombongon, Kota Kinabalu in second place, while SMK Aminuddin Baki in Kuala Lumpur took third place.

Liow also launched an e-community website, called the Interactive Food Safety Club (Kelab Laman Interaktif Keselamatan Makanan), where students can communicate directly with the ministry for food-related information.

Liow said the website also known as MOH KLIK, would be a good platform to increase awareness on food poisoning cases.

“Students can also use this website to provide information to the ministry if their school canteens are unclean,” he added.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, who was also present at the ceremony, said students should apply the three basic senses before eating their food.

“You must always look, smell and taste your food before eating the whole meal. Cleanliness is our responsibility,” he said.

Yuran SRA, KAFA dimansuh

Selasa , 24 April 2012

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/YuranSRA_KAFAdimansuh/Article/index_html

Oleh Norhidayah Che Din

KUALA LUMPUR: Seramai 45,000 pelajar sekolah Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA) dan Kelas al-Quran dan Fardu Ain (KAFA) yang diselia Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) kini menikmati pendidikan percuma berikutan keputusan JAWI memansuhkan yuran bulanan RM10 kepada muridnya.

Pengumuman oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom semalam itu sebagai langkah meringankan beban ibu bapa, sekali gus membuka peluang lebih luas kepada pelajar mendapatkan pendidikan agama.

Beliau berkata, pendidikan percuma itu membabitkan kos RM5.3 juta hasil kutipan zakat dan ditanggung sepenuhnya Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) dengan kerjasama JAWI.

“Ia sudah dikuatkuasakan sejak 1 Januari lalu, cuma pelaksanaannya baru saja diumumkan. Justeru, bagi pelajar yang sudah menjelaskan yuran, wang berkenaan akan dikembalikan.

“Dengan peruntukan besar ini, kita akan lebih berupaya memperbaiki kecemerlangan di kalangan pelajar dan kualiti pendidikan, seterusnya menjayakan misi kerajaan ke arah menjana modal insan yang berkualiti dengan minda kelas pertama,” katanya selepas merasmikan Majlis Apresiasi Kecemerlangan Akademik JAWI 2012, di sini semalam.

Hadir sama, Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim; Ketua Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) Datuk Othman Mustapha dan Pengarah JAWI, Datuk Che Mat Che Ali.

Jamil berkata, pemansuhan yuran membabitkan 66 KAFA dan 84 SRA selaras permintaan tinggi permohonan untuk memasuki sekolah agama termasuk di luar kawasan.
Beliau juga mengumumkan peruntukan RM39 juta bagi membina enam sekolah agama di sekitar Wilayah Persekutuan, antaranya Segambut, Kampung Batu Muda dan Setapak yang dijangka siap pada akhir 2014.

“Enam sekolah ini dibina sebagai persediaan negara menuju status negara maju yang bukan saja mempunyai kemajuan daripada sudut pembangunan semata-mata, malah turut cemerlang dalam aspek agama dan kerohanian.

“Melalui cara inilah kita memulangkan semula wang kutipan zakat setiap tahun kepada golongan asnaf dan fakir miskin,” katanya.