Degree setback upsets grad teachersGraduates teachers who studied overseas claimed that the Education Ministry has short-changed them in terms of salary and recognition of their qualification. Their honours degrees have been downgraded to the level of a general degree.
One teacher, who declined to be named, said she had an honours degree from an American university, and was surprised that her degree was treated as a general degree. “Even my salary is the same as that of a general degree holder.
"What is the purpose of sending Malaysians overseas for studies when local degree holders get better treatment? I cannot understand why this is happening,” she said.
Another teacher in Selangor, who also declined to be named, said she was also in the same predicament. She, too, graduated from an American university, with an honours degree in computer science.
“I was told that the ministry would only recognise overseas honours degrees if the holder had more than a 2.75 cumulative grade points average (CGPA). “I only obtained a 2.6,” she said.
She also said that her colleagues, who graduated with honours degrees from Australia and New Zealand sponsored by the Public Services Department, were forced to settle their study loans.
“I feel this is unfair and is discriminatory.” she added.
Is this an empirical evidence of discrimination?
The American or British universities are stringent with CGPA gradings. They don't usually give high marks and grades unless the assignments or examination answers meet their standards which, is usually high. Ask Khairy and he can tell you what is his CGPA for his bachelor degree.
In local universities, the lecturers are "cultured to assist" students. We gave them "reasonable" high marks if they can write something, something we believe is relevant and related to the question and of which we feel is, "boleh lah". Afterall, most students produces the exact answers given in the lecturers' notes. There is hardly any critical analysis and inadequate literature research over the subject matter. In fact, before the exam, we gave them tips on what "are" the questions and how to answer them (sample answers provided "as guide"). Not surprisingly, the answers from most of the students is almost "cut-and-paste" type. Of course there are a few, only a few, students who really work hard and have the pride to want to score high.
Another problem facing the lecturers is that if they fail too many of the students, then the university gets a bad name (for low passes and high failure rate). The lecturers will then be sanctioned and may be penalised.
Markings are not systematic over all the local public universities. There is no benchmark system as a whole to be denoted as a "marking system", and lecturers are discretionary and ultimately arbitrary in the way they mark the assignments and essays.
For those who aspires to be school teachers or lecturers, the advice is, do a local degree as it is easier to score.
Read Citer Seorang Golfer in his article entitled Comment From Om..
Abstract:
[Quote]
Truth of the matter is that, we (The Chairman, the President of the University and 2 VPs), gave up on the government machinery when we were given the task to set this University up. We did not give up on the government or its specific leaders - Mahathir was PM then- we gave up on the system. I was the first to give up, tak tahan, not getting anywhere.
If there is one disappointment of the Malay Administrators (I do not want to use the Govt, for then people would straight away point to the PM) that I'd like to pinpoint and highlight, it is THIS failure to build upon an opportunity that was served on a platter to help propel Malays, and Malaysia, in the area of scientific reasearch and breakthroughs. This failure should rank high as a major failure of the Malays who have been trusted to manage the development process, higher than the failure of the Bahasa Baku and.....
Maaf, Om nak cakap kasar sikit..... budak Melayu tak de telor, hanya nak senang...."Buat Masters and PhD kat UPM kan senang, nak pass pun senang, tak payah buat research susah susah..." this is an exact quote from a Malay UKM graduate! Malu, it was told in front of my Chinese Professor!
Akhirnya, yang rugi orang Melayu sendiri. Jangan salahkan orang Cina, India, Bangla, Indonesia, Filipina, orang kita sendiri yang melemahkan bangsa kita. Kita, nampak gayanya, lebih senang bercakap, tapi bila suruh buat, tak nak, kerja kita, kita suruh orang lain buat, lepas tu komen.....
Masya'Allah.....insaflah, jangan asyik marahkan orang.... Dollah Badawi lembab lah, Najib tak betul lah, orang tu tak betul lah, tapi ambil langkah nak bantu, nak tolong....haram!
Having said all that, jangan terlalu senang mengutuk bangsa kita sendiri, meludah kelangit nanti........ tampar air dalam dulang kena..........
Bikin mesti serupa cakap ye....diam ubi berisi, tak nampak megah, tapi masih bolih berbakti.
[Unquote]
One teacher, who declined to be named, said she had an honours degree from an American university, and was surprised that her degree was treated as a general degree. “Even my salary is the same as that of a general degree holder.
"What is the purpose of sending Malaysians overseas for studies when local degree holders get better treatment? I cannot understand why this is happening,” she said.
Another teacher in Selangor, who also declined to be named, said she was also in the same predicament. She, too, graduated from an American university, with an honours degree in computer science.
“I was told that the ministry would only recognise overseas honours degrees if the holder had more than a 2.75 cumulative grade points average (CGPA). “I only obtained a 2.6,” she said.
She also said that her colleagues, who graduated with honours degrees from Australia and New Zealand sponsored by the Public Services Department, were forced to settle their study loans.
“I feel this is unfair and is discriminatory.” she added.
Is this an empirical evidence of discrimination?
The American or British universities are stringent with CGPA gradings. They don't usually give high marks and grades unless the assignments or examination answers meet their standards which, is usually high. Ask Khairy and he can tell you what is his CGPA for his bachelor degree.
In local universities, the lecturers are "cultured to assist" students. We gave them "reasonable" high marks if they can write something, something we believe is relevant and related to the question and of which we feel is, "boleh lah". Afterall, most students produces the exact answers given in the lecturers' notes. There is hardly any critical analysis and inadequate literature research over the subject matter. In fact, before the exam, we gave them tips on what "are" the questions and how to answer them (sample answers provided "as guide"). Not surprisingly, the answers from most of the students is almost "cut-and-paste" type. Of course there are a few, only a few, students who really work hard and have the pride to want to score high.
Another problem facing the lecturers is that if they fail too many of the students, then the university gets a bad name (for low passes and high failure rate). The lecturers will then be sanctioned and may be penalised.
Markings are not systematic over all the local public universities. There is no benchmark system as a whole to be denoted as a "marking system", and lecturers are discretionary and ultimately arbitrary in the way they mark the assignments and essays.
For those who aspires to be school teachers or lecturers, the advice is, do a local degree as it is easier to score.
Read Citer Seorang Golfer in his article entitled Comment From Om..
Abstract:
[Quote]
Truth of the matter is that, we (The Chairman, the President of the University and 2 VPs), gave up on the government machinery when we were given the task to set this University up. We did not give up on the government or its specific leaders - Mahathir was PM then- we gave up on the system. I was the first to give up, tak tahan, not getting anywhere.
If there is one disappointment of the Malay Administrators (I do not want to use the Govt, for then people would straight away point to the PM) that I'd like to pinpoint and highlight, it is THIS failure to build upon an opportunity that was served on a platter to help propel Malays, and Malaysia, in the area of scientific reasearch and breakthroughs. This failure should rank high as a major failure of the Malays who have been trusted to manage the development process, higher than the failure of the Bahasa Baku and.....
Maaf, Om nak cakap kasar sikit..... budak Melayu tak de telor, hanya nak senang...."Buat Masters and PhD kat UPM kan senang, nak pass pun senang, tak payah buat research susah susah..." this is an exact quote from a Malay UKM graduate! Malu, it was told in front of my Chinese Professor!
Akhirnya, yang rugi orang Melayu sendiri. Jangan salahkan orang Cina, India, Bangla, Indonesia, Filipina, orang kita sendiri yang melemahkan bangsa kita. Kita, nampak gayanya, lebih senang bercakap, tapi bila suruh buat, tak nak, kerja kita, kita suruh orang lain buat, lepas tu komen.....
Masya'Allah.....insaflah, jangan asyik marahkan orang.... Dollah Badawi lembab lah, Najib tak betul lah, orang tu tak betul lah, tapi ambil langkah nak bantu, nak tolong....haram!
Having said all that, jangan terlalu senang mengutuk bangsa kita sendiri, meludah kelangit nanti........ tampar air dalam dulang kena..........
Bikin mesti serupa cakap ye....diam ubi berisi, tak nampak megah, tapi masih bolih berbakti.
[Unquote]
3 comments:
In downgrading overseas honours degrees to the level of general degrees, the government is implying that degrees from local universities are superior to those from the US of A, Australia, Britain and so on. Next, a pass in a qualifying test similar to the infamous CLP (Certificate in Legal Practice for overseas trained lawyers) will be made compulsory for all overseas degree holders. In order to pass the above test, they will be required to study Islamic Civilisation, Malaysian Ethnic Relations like who started May13, Moral Values and all the rest you experience in your worst nightmares. Good Luck!(Whatever happened to the 2 lawyers who were absent for the CLP test but passed by the examiner?)
A 2.6 out of 4.00 is a B- in the American system and doesn't warrant an honors degree.
Few of my friends' siblings graduated from UPSI (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris) 1 and 2 years ago. They are yet to get any offer from the Education Ministry.
Even local graduates are screwed. Don't know when they will ever buck up.
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