Minda Pengarang: IPT harus tegas saring pelajar asing, bukan kejar untung

Selasa , 20 Disember 2011

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/MindaPengarang_IPTharustegassaringpelajarasing_bukankejaruntung/Article

SETIAP rakyat Malaysia amat menghargai tindakan penguatkuasaan oleh pihak berkuasa ke atas warga asing, khususnya pelajar asing ‘palsu’ dari Afrika yang semakin ketara jumlah mereka sejak kebelakangan ini. Angka rasmi pelajar asing yang ada di Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (KPT) hanya sekitar 89,000 orang. Bagaimanapun, kita percaya kebanjiran mereka di setiap pelosok negara, khususnya di bandar besar memperlihatkan jumlah itu mengatasi angka rasmi yang ada.

Kejadian jenayah membabitkan warga asing semakin banyak dilaporkan di seluruh negara, seiring dengan peningkatan masalah sosial di kawasan yang dihuni mereka.

Bagi mengurangkan risiko keselamatan yang membabitkan unsur asing, sudah sewajarnya kerajaan mengambil langkah membendung kemasukan mereka melalui peraturan yang lebih ketat. Tindakan kerajaan untuk memperkenalkan sistem tapisan bagi menyaring kemasukan pelajar asing ke institusi pengajian tinggi tempatan, ter-utama pelajar ‘palsu’ dari Afrika sememangnya dinanti-nantikan. Sepatutnya sudah lama kita memperketatkan peraturan mengenai kemasukan mereka ke negara ini atas alasan untuk belajar.

Kita tidak seharusnya terlalu memberi kelonggaran bagi menarik kemasukan warga asing, sama ada untuk melancong mahupun belajar.
Institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) kita sama ada awam (IPTA) atau swasta (IPTS) harus mempunyai kriteria tersendiri dalam memilih pelajar berkualiti atau yang benar-benar datang ke sini untuk belajar. IPT tempatan tidak harus memandang ringan soal ini semata-mata kerana ingin menarik pelajar ke institusi mereka. Soal mengaut keuntungan tidak seharusnya mengatasi kepentingan negara.

Justeru, kenyataan Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN), Tan Sri Mahmood Adam, kelmarin bahawa KDN sedang memperhalusi cadangan pelaksanaan sistem tapisan itu adalah satu langkah yang ditunggu-tunggu rakyat negara ini. Kita harus mencontohi pusat pengajian tinggi di beberapa negara maju termasuk Amerika Syarikat, United Kingdom dan Australia yang hanya menerima pelajar yang sudah pun mendapat tempat di institusi masing-masing, selain ditaja kerajaan atau pihak swasta. Malah, negara terbabit juga mengawal kemasukan pelancong dengan teliti sehingga kadangkala dianggap merumitkan pengunjung yang tiba di pintu masuk masuk negara mereka, sama ada di pelabuhan atau lapangan terbang.

Kita berharap langkah yang diumumkan KDN itu dapat memberi isyarat awal kepada kakitangan Imigresen yang menjaga setiap pintu masuk ke negara ini supaya memperketatkan peraturan ke atas rakyat asing, termasuk menghalang mereka yang disyaki pelajar ‘palsu’ memasuki negara ini.

UPSI siasat pelajar ‘biadab’

Selasa , 20 Disember 2011

http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/UPSIsiasatpelajar_biadab_/Article

Oleh Wan Faizal Ismayatim
wfaizal@bharian.com.my

DR ZAKARIA (kiri) berkata sesuatu selepas menerima memorandum bantahan daripada UMNO Bahagian Tanjung Malim bersama parti komponen BN dan NGO serta wakil penduduk di hadapan pintu masuk utama UPSI, Tanjung Malim, semalam.

Jawatankuasa khas kumpul bukti tindakan turun bendera papar gambar PM

TANJUNG MALIM: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa khas bagi menyiasat seorang pelajarnya yang didakwa bersikap biadap menurunkan bendera memaparkan gambar Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam kejadian di Dataran Menara Dato’ Onn, Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di ibu negara, Sabtu lalu.

Naib Canselor UPSI, Prof Datuk Dr Zakaria Kasa berkata, jawatankuasa yang dipengerusikan Dekan Pusat Pengajian Siswazah, Prof Madya Dr Mohamad Suhaily Yusri Che Ngah, sedang mengumpul bukti termasuk gambar yang disiarkan beberapa laman blog berhubung pembabitan pelajar terbabit sebelum sebarang tindakan lanjut diambil.

Katanya, selepas penyiaran berita dan gambar berhubung pembabitan pelajar UPSI terbabit, pihak universiti beberapa kali cuba mencari dan menghubungi pelajar berkenaan untuk mendapatkan penjelasan tetapi tidak berhasil kerana telefon bimbitnya ditutup selain tiada di sekitar kampus.

“Pihak universiti sendiri tidak merestui perbuatan pelajar terbabit apatah lagi bakal menjadi pendidik. UPSI memberi jaminan akan mengambil tindakan sewajarnya kerana jika benar dia bertindak demikian, ia jelas menjatuhkan imej UPSI pada mata masyarakat,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menerima memorandum bantahan dari UMNO Bahagian Tanjung Malim bersama parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) serta wakil penduduk meminta UPSI mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap pelajar itu di depan universiti terbabit, semalam.

Pelajar semester lima Pengajian Pengajaran Bahasa Inggeris Sebagai Bahasa Kedua (TESL) berusia 23 tahun yang juga peserta demonstrasi membantah Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti 1971 (AUKU), didakwa menurunkan bendera tertera gambar Najib serta menggantikannya dengan bendera perhimpunan berkenaan Sabtu lalu.
Kejadian dikatakan berlaku apabila kumpulan mahasiswa membabitkan Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) dan Gerakan Menuntut Kebebasan Akademik (BEBAS) berhimpun bagi menyerahkan memorandum kepada Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM) bagi menuntut pemansuhan AUKU.

Sementara itu, Ketua UMNO Bahagian Tanjung Malim, Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib, yang mengetuai penyerahan memorandum berkenaan berkata, kejadian itu jelas menunjukkan sikap biadap pelajar terbabit sekali gus menjejaskan nama baik institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) khususnya UPSI.

IPTS punca masalah warga Afrika

2o Disember 2011, Selasa

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1220&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_09.htm

 

Oleh ZAINAL AZHAR MOHAMED
pengarang@utusan.com.my

 

KUALA LUMPUR 19 Dis. – Masalah lambakan warga asing tidak mempunyai pasport dan hanya memegang kad pelajar ketika ditahan dalam kebanyakan operasi dipercayai berpunca daripada tindakan institusi pengajian tinggi swasta (IPTS) yang menyimpan dokumen tersebut.

Langkah itu dipercayai bertujuan untuk memastikan golongan tersebut dapat menjelaskan kos atau tunggakan pengajian.

Perkara itu dedahkan pihak berkuasa selepas terpaksa berdepan dengan pelbagai kesulitan ketika melakukan pemeriksaan terhadap pelajar warga asing.

Sumber berkata, sebahagian besar warga asing khususnya warga Afrika apabila diperiksa sering menunjukkan kad pelajar kerana mendakwa pasport disimpan oleh pusat pengajian.

Menurutnya, selain kad pelajar, mereka juga akan diberikan beberapa helai surat yang terdapat di antaranya tidak dapat dilihat dengan jelas kerana terlalu lama.

“Pusat pengajian bertindak demikian untuk memastikan pelajar terbabit menjelaskan tunggakan selepas tamat tempoh belajar tetapi mereka tidak tahu tindakan tersebut telah menimbulkan pelbagai masalah kepada masyarakat.

“Ia juga menyumbangkan kepada jenayah kerana warga asing lain telah memalsukan kad pelajar dan surat untuk memperdayakan pihak berkuasa sekali gus memperbodohkan rakyat Malaysia dengan pelbagai penipuan,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Menurut sumber itu, pusat pengajian sepatutnya menggunakan cara lain untuk memastikan mahasiswa menjelaskan tunggakan termasuk menyekat sijil.

“Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi sepatutnya mengambil tindakan terhadap pusat pengajian yang terlibat dan bukan hanya memberi amaran kerana ia tidak cukup untuk mengurangkan jenayah melibatkan warga asing.

“Tindakan itu perlu disertakan dengan statistik terbaru supaya ia jelas menunjukkan tindakan yang dilakukan oleh kementerian berkenaan,” ujarnya.

Great learning tool

Sunday December 18, 2011

http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2011/12/18/education/10108504&sec=education

WANTING to create a fun way to teach his daughter Maths, Jimmy Yeoh, 65, began putting number dots on building blocks in 1978, and hasn’t looked back since.

“I remember my daughter playing with building blocks which she enjoyed very much, so I decided to put dots on them to teach her how to count. She was then about three years old.”

That first step lead to another, and today, Yeoh is known as the creator of “Math Magic,” a maths-based board game that has been played in schools throughout the country and overseas.

“I realised that when you turn numbers into a game, it generates a lot of interest. Within a year-and-a-half after I started using building blocks to teach basic calculation, my daughter became very good with her numbers, and I decided to do the same with my younger son.”

Both his children are now in their 30s, and work in science-related fields.

Yeoh said that after he saw the results of his games, he decided to commercialise his ideas.

Travelling the world to introduce his games, Yeoh says that his purpose has always been to share his ideas for the enjoyment of others.

“It was tough. Many people shunned me for my ideas, but I kept going because I believed in it and knew that if I did not commercialise it, my game would die a natural death. I wanted to leave something good behind for the future generation.”

“Even though it has not been an easy journey, I am happy when I see children play my game. They have fun with it while practising their number skills at the same time.”

Math Magic is a puzzle-like board game similar to the more popularly known word board-game Scrabble, where number tiles are matched at each turn to score the highest points.

“I started by making my first prototype using manila cards. It was nothing fancy. But it worked, and I realised that people who played the game really had fun.”

He adds that players have to work out about 300 to 500 different calculations to finish one game.

“How many teachers or parents can get their child to work on 50 Maths questions in one sitting without making a fuss? With my game, they will be be doing triple the number of calculations without even knowing it!”

Kit to assess reading ability

Sunday December 18, 2011

http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2011/12/18/education/10072849&sec=education

By JOSEPHINE JALLEH
educate@thestar.com.my

USM lecturers come up with a system to evaluate students’ skills.

AFTER three years of tedious research, three lecturers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) have successfully produced a “complete” reading assessment kit to evaluate the reading proficiency of secondary school students.

The lecturers from USM’s School of Educational Studies have come up with the Reading Evaluation and Decoding System (READS), believed to be the first “complete” reading assessment kit in the country, to help students from Form One to Form Five identify specific weaknesses in their ability to read in English.

Easy read: Prof Abdul Rashid, Dr Shaik Abdul Malik and Dr Lin going through the assessment kit.

The research was carried out by the school’s dean Prof Dr Abdul Rashid Mohamed and its senior lecturers Dr Lin Siew Eng and Dr Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed Ismail.

Prof Abdul Rashid said READS could provide specific information on the students’ reading proficiency where teachers could use it as a tool to help students improve their reading in English.

“The system has three components, which are the encoder, analyser and decoder,” he said in an interview at the school’s USM Minden campus in Penang recently.

He explained that the encoder was the reading comprehension test instrument used to measure the students’ reading abilities while the analyser was the reading matrix which would place the students in appropriate standardised reading bands (Band 1 to Band 6).

“The decoder is to provide descriptors of the students’ reading abilities according to the literal, reorganisation and inferential

sub-skills.

“The test consists of 60 questions with 70 minutes allocated time given for the student to answer them.

“Also, with the decoder, the teacher, parent and student will know the skills the student has and hasn’t achieved in reading English,” said Prof Abdul Rashid.

Performance

The 60 comprehension questions in the test are carefully selected where 15 questions are at Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) level while 30 questions are at Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) level and 15 questions at Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level.

On how the system works, he said that the student first takes the test, followed by the scoring and charting of the student’s reading performance.

“READS can be used at a micro (personal) level and on a macro level, which is at school, district, state and national levels.

“This ‘innovation’ is important as we want to move away from public examinations where students get an ‘A’ in English but cannot speak or write properly in the language.

“Here, we can help to show their real ability and help them to move up,” he added.

Prof Dr Abdul Rashid also said that READS was in line with the Education Ministry’s school-based assessment system. The ministry’s system, he said had two problems.

“First, it is the acceptance levels by the parents who might not come to terms with their children’s grades.

“Secondly, the teachers may be unsure of the next line of action when the students in class have not performed.

“A programme like READS can help teachers check their students’ performances. This is a formative test where it helps the student.

“For example, if the student was weak in certain areas when reading English, the teacher can help them to concentrate on the weaknesses instead of repeating the same lessons in class,” he said.

He added that students with good reading performances should be given enrichment while those under the “academic warning” category should be given remedial work.

The Education Ministry should look into the system and implement it in schools, he added.

“We hope the Examination Board will take this as part of the school-based assessment.

“The test can be done manually or online. If schools want to buy the test in book form, they can reuse it.

“The kit is ready and can be implemented immediately.

“We want the ministry to look this up and we don’t mind rectifying any weaknesses in READS,” he said, adding that the kit was easy for teachers to use.

He added that READS could be used to determine the “reading age” of the students, which will be their next project.

“We are moving on to look at struggling readers and the ‘reading age’ which refers to the level of reading ability that someone has, compared with an average student of a particular age.

“For example, a Form Four or 16-year-old student may have a reading age of 18 or 12.

“If his reading age is that of an 18-year-old, it is good but it will be a matter of concern if his reading ability is that a 12-year-old,” he said.

Dr Lin said that students could take the test three times a year in January, May and August.

“They can print out a certificate and a detailed analysis of their reading ability after they take the test,” she said, adding that the certificate could be submitted when applying for jobs.

Dr Shaik Abdul Malik said READS was somewhat similar to what other developed countries were doing in measuring one’s reading ability.

“This is what we can do for students in Malaysia in the years to come,” he said, adding that they were looking for more funding to come up with similar tests for primary school pupils as well as students at pre-university and tertiary levels.

He said READS funded by a grant of RM97,000 from the university saw the participation of 8,500 students from 120 specially selected schools in Penang, Perak and Kedah.

For more information on the kit, call Prof Dr Abdul Rashid at            04-6533231      , Dr Lin at             04-6535415       or Dr Shaik Abdul Malik at             04-6533751      .

Varsity students march against UUCA

Sunday December 18, 2011

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/12/18/nation/10120977&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: A large group of university students took part in a march and handed over two memoranda to Suhakam and the Government, demanding, among others, the abolition of the controversial University and University Colleges Act (UUCA).

Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) chairman Ahmad Syukri Abdul Razab, who led the procession yesterday, said the students wanted to send a message to the Government that they would not put up with restrictions to academic freedom that had been “worsening of late”.

Seeking change: Students marching towards PWTC to hand over the memoranda

“Lecturers have even been restricted from voicing out academic views. This Act also restricts students from involving themselves in the country’s democratic system,” he claimed, adding that around 500 students from all over the country had participated in the rally.

They marched from Suhakam’s office at Jalan Sultan Ismail to the Umno headquarters at Menara Datuk Onn where they handed over the second memorandum to Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah at about 4pm.

Police aided the movement by helping to direct traffic and clear the way for the march.

Ahmad Syukri praised the actions of the police, saying it showed Malaysians were mature enough to hold peaceful street demonstrations.

The students also lowered a flag bearing the Prime Minister’s image at Menara Datuk Onn and raised the SMM flag during the afternoon protest.

Ahmad Syukri said the memoranda contained six demands, including abolishing the UUCA, Educational Institutions (Discipline) Act 1976 (Act 174) and Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555); allowing university students the freedom to speak out and manage campus elections, societies and activities; and to participate in politics.

Degil, tidak berdisiplin akhirnya ke penjara

19 Disember 2011, Isnin

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1219&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Pendidikan&pg=pe_02.htm

 

Oleh DR. YUNOS PIPET

 

FAZEL kurang pasti siapa ibu bapanya. Kini dia tinggal di rumah sewa di hujung Jalan Jurutera, Puchong, dia hanya mengenali paman dan bibik yang mengasuhnya. Pernah juga Fazel mendengar paman dan bibiknya mengeluh kerana terpaksa menyara Fazel. Malah Fazel pernah bertanyakan mengenai siapakah ibu dan bapanya, paman hanya mengeleng-gelengkan kepalanya. Bibik penah memberitahu janganlah mencari mereka di Seberang, mereka susah dan mungkin sudah mati.

Fazel bersekolah setelah dia mendapat taraf kewarganegaraan kerana paman bertaraf penduduk tetap, bibik masih warganegara Indonesia. Kini Fazel di tingkatan 5 Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Puchong. Semua cerita sedih itu mengguris hatinya. Fazel kecewa tetapi siapa akan mendengar keluhan itu, buntu dengan keadaan dirinya dia melawan, mencabar sesiapa sahaja akhirnya Fazel telah tiga kali dibuang sekolah kerana pelbagai kesalahan yang melibatkan ponteng, peras ugut, merosakkan kereta guru, memukul murid lain dan merokok dalam kelas.

Fazel beberapa kali dikenakan hukuman rotan tetapi dia tidak serik sebaliknya telah bertindak lebih ganas, Fazel bertindak merosakkan kereta guru disiplin, membaling rumah guru menyebabkan kecederaan anak guru dan pintu cermin rumah guru berkenaan pecah. Malah Fazel juga mengedar ganja di sekolah semasa waktu rehat. Bapanya pendatang tanpa izin dan pernah ditangkap dalam Ops Pasir. Kini dia tinggal dengan ibunya juga pendatang tanpa izin.

Kegiatan ganas Fazel berterusan di dalam dan di luar sekolah, siapa sahaja yang melawan akan dipukul dan dicederakan. Fazel menjadi buruan polis kerana meragut murid sekolah lain dan terbabit dalam kes curi motorsikal di Puchong. Sedang Fazel dalam perjalanan pulang daripada mencuri motosikal dia ditahan polis dalam satu sekatan. Fazel ditahan motorsikal curi, menunggang tanpa lesen memandu dan memiliki beberapa bungkusan disyaki dadah. Fazel dibuang sekolah buat kali ketiga.

Tindakan:

Jabatan hanya mampu menasihati Fazel supaya bersabar menanti hukuman yang akan diputuskan oleh mahkamah. Agak sukar untuk jabatan meluluskan peluang belajar semula di sekolah walaupun selepas selesai hukuman. Bukanlah kerana Fazel telah beberapa kali dibuang sekolah, faktor umur dan taraf kewarganegaraan tetapi tingkah laku Fazel boleh mengancam keselamatan serta mengganggu pembelajaran murid lain.

Pengajaran:

Persekitaran dan pengalaman hidup yang sukar telah memberikan pengalaman hitam di minda Fazel. Fazel tidak diterima oleh rakan sebaya, masyarakat dan keluarganya. Fazel kecewa dengan hakikat dirinya dan tiada sokongan keluarga terdekat. Paman dan bibik sekadar melihat dan membiarkan dia tanpa memberikan pengiktirafan atau teguran.

Jika ibu bapa Fazel masih hidup dan mengambil berat mengenai dirinya mungkin keadaan berbeza. Paman dan bibiknya seperti merestui kenakalan dan membela kesalahan anak meeka sehingga menimbulkan keresahan jiran-jiran sekitar.

Persoalan:

i. Apa yang Fazel marahkan sangat kepada guru-gurunya sampai sanggup membaling rumah, merosakkan kereta dan mencederakan anak guru?

ii. Mungkinkan Fazel mengetahui sejarah kehidupan dirinya sangat memalukan dan tidak mahu sesiapa mengingatinya?

iii. Fazel terbukti menjadi punca masalah di sekolah yang sukar dikawal.

iv. Fazel mengancam ketenteraman dan keselamatan murid lain.

v. Ibu bapanya enggan menerima hakikat Fazel seorang murid yang jahat dan terlibat dalam pelbagai jenayah.

vi. Fazel bercita-cita menjadi samseng paling ganas di Malaysia dan mula merekrut ahli sejak di tingkatan 3.

Akhirnya:

Fazel akan menghadapi peperiksaan SPM dalam tahanan. Semasa di sekolah dengan bimbingan guru Fazel gagal melengkapkan kerja kursus yang berkaitan untuk persediaan SPM. Kini Fazel merengkok dalam penjara. Fazel kesal dan baru insaf kesilapan yang dilakukan dahulu walaupun diingatkan berulang-kali oleh gurunya.

Sebaliknya Fazel mengugut guru berkenaan, mencederakan anak guru, merosakkan kereta guru dan membaling rumah guru sehingga menyebabkan pintu kaca rumah guru berkenaan pecah. Fazel sekadar menitiskan air mata melahirkan kekesalan. Kini Fazel benar-benar bersendirian sebagai insan paling malang. Dia akan berdepan hukuman tanpa sesiapa yang melawati atau bertanya khabar. Hari ini Fazel benar-benar merasa dirinya tidak dikehendaki sesiapa, dia akan menjadi penghuni penjara.

Nasihat:

Walaupun kita tahu siapa diri kita, perlu mengawal diri sebelum undang-undang mengawal kebebasan kita. Kita perlu faham “nilai kebebasan” hanya dapat dihayati dengan sebaiknya, apabila kita telah menyerahkan sepenuhnya kebebasan anda sendiri dengan ikhlas, untuk proses suai diri demi berkhidmat dan mempertahankan serta menegakkan kebebasan orang lain, menurut acuan yang diamalkan sejak turun-temurun di bumi berdaulat yang anda berpijak”.

Kenakalan begini sukar dikawal kerana murid ini tiada dorongan keluarga. Mereka merasakan dirinya terbuang, tidak diperlukan sesiapa menjadikan diri nekad mahu terkenal tetapi dengan cara tersendiri walaupun membahayakan diri sendiri. Kalaulah selama ini mereka hidup secara semula jadi. Apa apun yang terjadi kepada mereka tiada memberikan apa-apa makna kepada persekitaran dan kehidupan masyarakat. Tiada siapa akan menangisi kematiannya, tiada siapa akan merindui dia dikejauhan dan mengingatinya biar sesaat.