Saturday, September 16, 2006

Education: Shifting the Goalpost Again?

The way students are assessed will undergo a seismic shift. They would be tested on fewer subjects in public examinations and the new system will focus on skills and general ability. The other changes to be expected under the new assessment system include having tests that stress on character building.

For a start, the plan is to introduce the new assessment system in 300 schools in the cluster of excellence. The new method of assessing students will be fleshed out in the Roadmap of Assessment being worked on by the Education Ministry. Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the blueprint would set standards and criteria to assess students’ performance. "Apart from evaluating students’ academic performances, we want an assessment system that stimulates efforts to improve their learning. "The roadmap will encourage continuous and a better learning culture," said Hishamuddin.

Don't give your lame excuse, Hishamuddin. Even your daughter is studying in Australia. What's the problem? Your daughter got 8As in her SPM? Is it rote learning?

Did your daughter fail to believe in continuous learning? I believe she works hard to score in the exam and that you didn't need to spent too much money for her tuition, isn't it?

So, what's the problem? Is it because we have moronic lecturers and teachers? Is it because teachers spent too much time "Cari Makan" with private tuitions and multi-level marketing?

Did you go to schools to check and find out the truth, nothing, but the truth?

You won't find out even if you did go because when the schools know you are coming, they would have it decorated to your taste and pleasing to your eyes. But you fail to understand that, since the SPM results and after 5 months into Form 6, the students still do not have teachers for some subjects. I talk to those students and that's the fact. Some teachers were busy promoting products via multi-level marketing business and students were "encourage" to support their business. My children had to buy them too. Many other teachers were so sleepy in school because they work too hard, burned out, because they conduct 4-5 sessions of tuition after school hours. Apart from these, try interview some of the universities lecturers and speak to them in English. You then can guage the level of proficiency and competency.

Hishamuddin said:"You have students studying and teachers teaching not according to the curriculum but according to examinations."

For this, you are absolutely right. But what have you done so far? What effective actions were taken? Did you measure the success factors? You are so busy defending Khairy and formulating events of attack on your fella members within the BN to garner votes necessary for your desire to contest the Vice-Presidency of UMNO. You have to find an enemy within ... what better scapegoats then the weak and frail MCA and Gerakan. You daren't attack Samy Vellu? Why? Because he isn't going to allow you to attack him hands down. MCA? Oh, the leadership are so chicken; they will be wipe out in the next election to satisfy your ego, unless they stand behind OTK and received an apology from you and your deputy.

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