Education, the Foundation of a Nation

Education, the Foundation of a Nation

by MURUGESAN SINNANDAVAR

With all the political circus that is going on around us, I doubt if many would be interested in talking about the ‘mundane’ issue of education. However, it is a subject close to my heart and I would like to jot down some views here.(more)

CONSULTATION ON EDUCATIONAL UNDERACHIEVERS

YSS , social wing of MIC in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development organized a programme called “Consultation On Educational Underachievers” on 3th May 2008 at Air Keroh D’ Village Resort, Melaka. This was a full day programme and 33 teachers especially student counselors from 26 secondary schools participated in the consultation. 12 YSS officers and volunteers also took part in this programme.

The objective of the programme was to discuss and chart out strategies to address the issues and concerns of academically underachieving students.

Consultation on Educational Underachievers was a focus group analysis to Project PLUS 8 which is being carried out by YSS for under achieving students at 74 secondary schools throughout the country.

Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Executive Director of YSS moderated the consultation and he was assisted by Dr Logeswary Doraisamy from Ministry of Education. There were two sessions, one in the morning that provided an opportunity to the teachers to highlight the issues and concerns pertinent to underachievers and the afternoon session paved a way for the teachers to discuss and present their thoughts and views in addressing the issues and concerns of under achieving students.

FINDINGS (ISSUES AND SUGGESTIONS)

1. Poor Performance in Bahasa Melayu and English

40 percent of students from Tamil schools fail in Bahasa Melayu and English in the UPSR examination every year. They are sent to Remove Classes in secondary schools. They fail in both languages due to lack of exposure in the languages. Moreover, there is a lack of specially trained teachers to teach students in Tamil schools.

Despite their weakness in Bahasa Malaysia and English, they record good performance in other subjects like Science and Mathematics. For example, 80 per cent of Tamil school students who sit for the UPSR examination breeze through in Science and Mathematics. It clearly shows that they have high potentials to be educational top achievers.

It is proposed that Ministry of Education sets aside adequate allocation to Tamil schools so that the schools would be able to conduct extra classes to teach Bahasa Melayu and English to weak students. Teachers need to be provided with some special training to teach weak students as well.

2. Remove Class

Teachers cited that there were weaknesses in the remove class system. Teachers who teach remove class students are less motivated and they often do not enter the class.

In addition to that, students in the remove class often do not pay attention to their studies, teachers are unable to control the behaviour of the students and the students always converse in their mother tongues in the classroom. Teaching Aid Materials are also limited.

Besides, the size of the class is big where there are between 40-45 students in each classroom. It affects the effectiveness of teaching and learning process in the remove class.

It is proposed that teachers are provided with special training to teach students in remove class. The school administrator must ensure that the teachers always enter the class according to the time table. There should be only 20-25 students per classroom and the Ministry of Education must provide attractive and sufficient Teaching Aid Materials to remove class teachers.

3. Pre School

Teachers said that students who have not attended pre school face difficulties in effectively following their studies in Standard One when we compare them with students who have been to pre school. This has been one of the factors contributing to the underachievement among the students.

It is proposed that the Ministry of Education set up pre school classes in the rural and urban areas especially at the squatters and low cost housing areas so that children there would have an opportunity to attend pre school classes. It would also would encourage parents from poor and low income groups to send their children to pre school classes.

4. Emphasize on UPSR/PMR Examinations

Education system in this country provides emphasis on examinations. It forces teachers to concentrate on improving achievement and excellence among their students. As a result, teachers do not pay due attention to weak students and they are placed in the last class.
Furthermore, some students would not take pressure from their teachers who want their students to be excellent in their studies. It has resulted in these students to be left out in education.

It is proposed that School Based Assessment be introduced to assess students’ performance at school level. Teachers need to give priority to education rather than to examination. The group also proposed that only important subjects like Bahasa Melayu, English, Tamil, Science and Mathematics be taught to academically weak students so that they would devout more time and pay due attention towards their studies.

5. Parental Role

Teachers lamented that many parents do not pay attention to their children’s education. They have low awareness on the importance of education. Moreover, parents have not acquired skills to teach or guide their children in education.

Parents also are unable to control their children’s movement and do not know their children’s association with their peers.

It is proposed that the Ministry of Education and the schools along with the Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) organize Educational Awareness seminars for the parents. The Ministry of Education needs to provide adequate monetary aid to PTAs to run such programs for parents.

6. Special Syllabus

There is no special syllabus to teach academically weak students since the early age of their schooling.

It is proposed that the Ministry of Education to come out with a special syllabus
for academically weak students. The special syllabus should contain attractive elements and it must be presented in graphic and multimedia forms.

7. Lack of Skills Training Opportunity

Academically weak students are less exposed to skills training or living skills. Students who have failed in the UPSR examination are allowed to pursue their studies up to Form Three and Form Five, although they are not academically inclined.

It is proposed that the Ministry of Education provides skill trainings or living skills to academically weak students from Form One onwards. This would instill interest in the students to continue within the school system and they would be able to acquire some sorts of skills. In addition to that they would become skillful human capitals and would shy away from getting into anti social activities.


Note: This paper has been forwarded to the Director General of Education,
Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

SOURCE : www.YSS98.com

Skills Course for Minimum SPM Scorers

Opportunity has knocked again at the doors of Indian youths who have just passed with minimum scores in SPM. This time around Ministry of Finance has allocated another RM3million to train young Indians. Through this allocation nearly 500 Indian youths can go through various industrial courses and will surely have a bright future ahead of them.

On 21 June 2008, the first round of registration of new students took place at Evertronics Ipoh. 25 students have registered for Mechatronics and multimedia courses. A total of 50 places have been allocated. The next level of registration will be held from 22 – 27 June 2008. Ever since the budget has been approved by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF), YSS has been recruiting youths to various skills training Institutes run by government and private institutions.

At Evertronics alone a total of 215 students have been enrolled under the government sponsorship scheme with the help of dedicated volunteers, we run regular and systematic programs for the students. At Evertronics we conduct weekly meetings with the student leaders, regular religious and character development classes. To add on we also provide one to one counselling session for those in need of moral support and close supervision.

On a monthly basis the team also conducts home visits to meet the students’ parents. Through this interaction we are working hard to unlock the inner abilities and help these students to discover their potentials for them to succeed in live.

Our hard labour is not in vain as we have planted the seed of good values, confidence, positive mind set and positive character. The first batch of 65 students who came in last year has shown tremendous changes in their behaviour and character. All of them have indicated their interest to further their training to diploma level and want to make their family members proud of them.

These groups of students have been marginalized due to their poor result and their ‘tidak apa’ (couldn’t care less) attitude prior to their enrollment into this sponsorship programme. The YSS method of identifying these students and providing the necessary training and counselling has helped them to be out of their strongholds in order to plan towards a bright future.

YSS is impressed with the changes and the enthusiasm shown. This group of youths needs just a little push and encouragement. This is something I’ve read in a book, which says that the door of opportunity is always marked PUSH.

Source : www.YSS98.com

Admissions To Public Varsities

Intake of Indian students into public universities for academic year 2008/2009 shows an increase when compared to previous intakes. YSS analysis reveals that the intake of Indian students into public universities has been on rise since 2002, when meritocracy system was introduced. Only 4.7 per cent of the total places were offered to Indian students in 2002.

This year 2,749 (6.84%) Indians from the total intake of 40,184 students have been offered places to pursue their studies in various courses. In 2007, 6.1 per cent Indian students were admitted into public universities. Although it is just an increase of 0.7 per cent this year, it is hoped that it would certainly pave a way for further increase in intake in the coming years.

On the other hand the intake of Indian students in the critical or competitive courses has declined compared to previous year. In 2006, 6.12 per cent of the 4,635 places in the competitive courses were offered to Indian students. It has declined to 5.56 per cent this year.

The places offered for Indians in all 7 competitive courses except Medicine and Electronic Engineering have seen a decline. This year 8.6 per cent of the 930 medical seats have been secured by Indians compared to 8.0 per cent in 2006. The number of Indians accepted into electronic engineering has risen to 5.24 per cent compared to 4.62 per cent in 2006. Other competitive courses are Dentistry, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, Law and Accountancy.

Some quarters were not satisfied with the ratio of admission of Indians into public universities in the previous years. But this year’s admission seems to be positive for the Indian community. It is important to note that MIC has always been requesting the government to increase the intake of Indian students into the public universities to a satisfactory level. On the other hand Indian students need to study hard in order to get at least 8 to 10 per cent of the total places offered every year.

MIC President, Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu has requested those with good results but not secured places to immediately make an appeal to the Higher Education Ministry and send a copy of the application to MIC. He said that MIC will do the needful to help them.

MIC Education Committee

Tingkat 1, Menara Manickavasagam

No 1, Jalan Rahmat

50350 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-40422885

Fax: 03-40456377

source : www.YSS98.com

PSD Scholarship year 2000-2008