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The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Does one size fit all? Not for secondary school education
IT cannot be denied that Malaysians are constantly fixated on education. It remains a hotly debated topic in coffee shops and boardrooms, back and forth in heated emotional arguments, as many parents see quality education as a pathway for success. Today the government has expanded the definition of 'compulsory education' to include secondary school education as mandatory for all Malaysian children residing in the country. Parents who fail to do so may face a fine of up to RM5,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both upon conviction. Should secondary education be made compulsory? While many welcomed the move, there were an equal number who expressed the view that one should not have to force parents to send their children to school. A radio station that ran a survey asking parents to call in and express their views on compulsory secondary school education was on the receiving end of many irate listeners. Many said the government should find out why parents chose not to send their children to government secondary schools, if it was due to poverty, transport issues, family problems, the need for children to help out at home or that schools were not delivering and students chose to stay away. Fouzi Singon, secretary-general of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Malaysia feels the issue of attendance at secondary school continues to take centre stage for the Ministry of Education (MOE). 'They do not want parents to ignore their responsibility to ensure their children attend school. Even if one student is absent for a day in one school, the total number is 10,220 students, based on the number of schools,' he said. Fouzi believes MOE must pay attention to what happens in primary schools and have a programme to make sure all levels of students can cover literacy and numeracy at the end of each year. He also suggests a debriefing session annually with teachers and parents from year one to year six to work towards literacy and numeracy skills for each child. He feels primary students will go on to government secondary schools and their parents would encourage them, if they see their children achieve literacy and numeracy skills and therefore feel confident at secondary school level. Fouzi stressed that if necessary, the government must identify the weaker students as previously the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah(UPSR) exams did that. But since it has now been abolished, teachers need to use their own assessments to test the ability of primary school students to be ready for secondary school. Malaysia stands out as one of those countries which have allowed a diverse ecosystem in education to thrive, with national schools, also known as government schools, where Bahasa Malaysia is the main medium of instruction, Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, private international schools, as well as a system of Islamic schools. Challenges facing government secondary school education Deputy Minister of Education Wong Kah Woh said that at primary level the dropout rate had decreased from 0.10% in 2020 to 0.06% in 2024, while at secondary level the dropout rate has also decreased from 1.33% in 2020 to 0.64% in 2024. But the bigger issue, which is often overlooked, remains the large number of private international schools, which have mushroomed. It cannot be denied that many parents have taken their children out of government secondary schools and enrolled them in private international schools. From 2019 to 2024, the number of Malaysian students enrolled in private international schools surged by 34%, as reported by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. Currently there are approximately 2.05 million students enrolled in government and government-aided secondary schools in 2022. In July 2024, enrollment numbers at Malaysia's private international schools stood at 111,185, up by 11% over five years. Malaysian students made up 67.1%(59,726) with Bumiputera student enrolment increased by 50%. While secondary school education is being made compulsory, the government should explore whether government secondary school education remains top choice. Are parents switching to other streams such as private education and home-schooling? Also, whether secondary students are choosing early employment due to boredom and outdated curriculums. Nallini Letchmanan, who recently retired from a secondary school in Petaling Jaya, has been teaching English for 36 years in both primary and secondary schools. She said that while she agrees secondary school education should be made compulsory, there are many other challenges facing students at government secondary schools. 'The internet has opened up new possibilities, and secondary school students are attracted to new ways to earn money on the internet full-time. Not all would aspire to become lawyers and managers and take on white collar jobs. 'Attitude towards the English language poses a challenge sometimes. Many are not able to grasp it as they come with a poor foundation. 'Teachers have to persevere and find new ways to motivate students, maybe through debates as I did in my school,' said Nallini, who introduced debate in her secondary school, which won many competitions. Professor Dr Kumaranvelu Ramasamy, Tamil educationist said vernacular Tamil primary schools are feeders to government secondary schools and poverty, poor academic readiness and lack of motivation are the main culprits contributing to poor attendance or an increase in dropout rates at secondary schools. 'Making secondary school education compulsory may help improve enrolment in secondary schools but will it help under performing children reach their academic goals?,' he said.
Daily Express
18-05-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Bringing back exams which Ministry abolished; emphasis on English, Maths and Science. S'wak knows what education is about
Published on: Sunday, May 18, 2025 Published on: Sun, May 18, 2025 Text Size: The challenge lies not in the exam itself, but in how educators, parents, and institutions interpret and act on its outcomes. IN October this year, Sarawak will roll out a standardised Year 6 assessment under its Dual Language Programme (DLP), a development that may initially appear local or technical, but in fact signals a deeper philosophical divergence within Malaysian education. More than three years after the abolition of the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), Sarawak is not turning back the clock, but rather asking a crucial question: in a post-exam era – how do we know what our children are really learning? Advertisement It is a question that deserves serious reflection, especially in a system that has, since the end of UPSR, leaned heavily on school-based and teacher-led assessments. While continuous assessment rightly shifts emphasis away from rote memorisation and academic stress, it has also raised concerns about consistency, objectivity, and benchmarking. When every classroom becomes its own examiner, how do we ensure coherence in learning outcomes across schools, districts, or entire states? Sarawak's approach to this dilemma is notably measured. The new Year 6 assessment is not a replica of UPSR, but rather narrower in focus, covering core competencies in English, Mathematics, and Science. Advertisement It is also designed and vetted by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and administered by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, indicating an explicit commitment to international standards, institutional transparency, and academic credibility. More importantly, the decision to reintroduce a standardised checkpoint at the end of primary education reflects an understanding that not all forms of testing are created equal. Exams, when badly designed, can reduce learning to mechanical recall. But when thoughtfully implemented, they can serve as powerful instruments for diagnosis, equity, and accountability. Diagnosis is perhaps the most immediate value-add. At the age of 12, students are making the critical transition from primary to secondary education, a phase that typically demands higher cognitive rigour, language proficiency, and mathematical reasoning. Without a standardised benchmark, it becomes significantly harder for educators to identify those who are struggling early enough to intervene. Continuous assessments, while pedagogically progressive, are often inconsistent in format and expectations across schools, especially in resource-strapped or rural contexts. Equity, too, is at stake. In the absence of centralised assessments, students' academic progress becomes increasingly dependent on the quality of their school environment, particularly the capacity and training of teachers to assess meaningfully and fairly. In more privileged schools, this may be a manageable proposition. But in underserved communities, where teachers may be overwhelmed or under-supported, the risk of under-assessment or inflated grading grows. A standardised tool provides a baseline, giving every student, regardless of postcode, a shot at being evaluated on equal footing. Then comes accountability. Education is not merely a relationship between students and their textbooks; it is also a public good. For ministries, curriculum planners, and stakeholders, the absence of aggregated performance data makes it harder to monitor systemic health. Which areas are falling behind in maths reasoning? Are literacy rates improving with the current curriculum? What intervention is working? Without structured assessments, such questions remain largely anecdotal. Sarawak's new exam offers a way to reconnect policy with evidence. It is also worth noting that this move by Sarawak is not a contradiction of educational progress – it is an evolution. While the national discourse in recent years has leaned heavily on holistic learning and assessment, there is now growing global consensus that the pendulum must not swing too far from structure. In many instances, the importance of 'low-stakes, high-quality assessments' is highlighted to support both teachers and students, especially at transitional stages of schooling. Sarawak's Year 6 assessment fits neatly into this category: it is not a high- stakes gateway to selective schools, but a tool to gauge preparedness and calibrate support. The partnership with Cambridge adds a further dimension. By aligning with international standards, Sarawak signals its intent to ensure that its students are not only locally competent, but globally competitive. This is especially important in a world where Malaysia's future workforce must be agile, literate across domains, and fluent in the languages of both culture and innovation. While the assessment will cover English under the DLP, the broader impact lies in instilling a culture of learning measurement that looks outward while staying rooted in local needs. Critics may argue that any return to standardised testing risks reintroducing exam stress and a teaching-to-the-test mentality. This is a fair concern, but one that ultimately depends on implementation. A well-communicated, transparently designed assessment, paired with formative reporting and targeted follow-up interventions, can mitigate such risks. The challenge lies not in the exam itself, but in how educators, parents, and institutions interpret and act on its outcomes. In the end, Sarawak is not resurrecting UPSR, it is redefining what meaningful assessment can look like in a 21st century education system. By doing so, it reopens a national conversation that has, for too long, been framed as binary: exams or no exams. The real issue is far more nuanced. How do we know that our children are learning? How do we ensure no one is left behind? How do we create a system that values both growth and standards? Sarawak's Year 6 assessment may not answer all these questions. But it is, at the very least, asking them in the right way – and at the right time. Galcin Lee Kuan Sian MBA Mktg. (UK), BA Econ. (UK), BBus Fin. & Econ. (Malaysia) School of Diploma & Professional Studies, Taylor's College The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]
