FROM the statements that have been emanating from Education Ministry officials, it appears that History will be making a comeback in primary schools. And very soon too, when the new school year starts in January.
While an interesting development, it is hardly one expected to create waves. It is not exactly a subject that tugs at the collective heartstrings of the populace like the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English.It will unlikely stir up unending debates; back-and-forth tit-for-tat statements from interested parties, and those with political and personal agendas; or bring scores of raucous protesters to the streets to march the length and breadth of the city. Why should it? Learning History is beneficial; a good thing. Young children need to know the origins of the nation in which they reside and the contribution of every community to the country's development.But is it prudent to introduce yet another subject in primary school? Pupils are already inundated with far too many subjects as it is. Another one will just prove to be too much of a good thing.
Coupled with the difficulty level of the primary school curriculum and the frequency in which subjects are introduced, abolished, and re-introduced, teachers have remarked that our schoolboys and girls are confused. And they -- the venerable members of our teaching fraternity -- frustrated and exhausted. Several new subjects have been introduced in the last few decades. While they are non-examinable, it remains that primary schoolchildren now have a formidable number of subjects on their hands.To introduce more would make the learning process more onerous, and prove an unacceptable strain on their slight shoulders. It has been wryly remarked that the only people who will stand to benefit from such exercises are chiropractors and textbook publishers.Besides the compulsory subjects of Bahasa Melayu Pemahaman (comprehension), Bahasa Melayu Penu-lisan (writing), English, Science and Mathematics, pupils in upper primary -- from Year Four onwards -- have three more to grapple with.Previously, there was Geography and History, but both were done away with. Alam dan Manusia (Nature and Man) came into the picture for a while but was repudiated almost as swiftly as it was introduced.Other inclusions have been Kajian Tempatan, Living Skills and most recently, Civics and Nationhood.If and when History is introduced, it will overlap with Kajian Tempatan, which is basically History, Geography and Civics rolled into one. It will also cover some of the same areas already included in Civics and Nationhood, which was introduced, or rather re-introduced, in 2005. Civics, first taught in 1972, was scrapped in 1982 following a revamp. In its new, improved guise, it deals with various themes relating to family relationships, life in school and society, multiculturalism, Malaysia as a sovereign state, and the future challenges facing the nation.What should then be in the primary school History syllabus? When many elements of the country's historical mosaic has fallen through the cracks in the secondary school History textbooks, it is imperative that the same does not occur at the primary school level. Before any new subject is thrust upon pupils, this tangled, confused, and complicated mass needs to be unravelled.The last thing pupils need when they are struggling with an increasingly tough syllabus is a surplus of subjects.Parents have noticed how difficult some of the subjects, especially Bahasa Melayu and English, have become compared with when they were in primary school.When the focus then was on mastering the three Rs of reading, writing and arithmetic, pupils now must be able to form complete sentences in Year One, write short essays in Year Two, and memorise a mind-boggling array of proverbs and penjodoh bilangan (numerical coefficient or classifier) from their very first year of compulsory education.Helping a child with his homework these days requires extensive research (Googling) on the part of hapless parents. It is difficult to explain to a 7-year-old that kera sumbang has nothing to do with a banana-loving denizen of the zoo, for instance.Teachers have claimed that the number of pupils unable to read by Year Six is increasing through the years, as is the number of dropouts.They are incensed when education authorities accuse them of not executing their tasks effectively when the real problem, they say, lies with the ever-changing curriculum.A new subject would also mean attending familiarisation courses. A teacher said: "We attend a course and a few years later, the subject is scrapped. "Things are always in a state of flux, but education officials say we are the ones that are berdosa (sinful) for not teaching our charges properly." It is a sentiment echoed by most of her colleagues.They agree that the education system was at its best when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was minister from 1995 to 1999, when policies were followed through and given time to mature. Overhaul, review and re-introduce subjects if that is what is needed to keep the curriculum up with the times, but it must not be done with haste as coherence and some sense of permanence are requisites in any education system.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
PSD SCHOLARSHIPS: Give grads space to develop
EVERY year, the Public Service Department (PSD) sponsors about 2,000 overseas scholars and thousands of local scholars.
These scholarship holders are contract-bound to serve in the civil service for three to five years after graduation. It is considered fair and right that they serve the public after having used public funds. Now, let's do a little thinking out of the box. What if scholarships are given out solely as reward for scholastic achievements and not as binding contracts? Or, what if scholars are not bound but are free to choose the civil service? Before we cry "foul", let's examine the practice now. A PSD scholar normally has 10 or more 1As in his SPM. Having secured the scholarship, he will be put through a 11/2 to two-year A-level, matriculation or foundation course before going on to a local or foreign university. It will be another three to four years before he graduates. So, it is five or six years after that scholarship interview that a PSD scholar comes knocking at the PSD door again. This time, it is for an "interview" for a job.
Six years is not a short period. A person may change, more so when he is away from home and exposed to a different environment and culture. What about his scholastic performance in the university? Has his attitude and demeanour changed? Is he the same person the PSD selected and sent off earlier for further studies? Now, since he is under contract, the so-called interview is an eyewash. He thus begins his career in government service. If he is an average performer, chances are that he will stay on after the contractual period. So, our scholar will plod on, doing all duties required of him, may even gain one or two time-based promotions before he retires in his golden years. And the PSD has to continue to support him, paying him his pension until his or his spouse's last days. Now, what about the true top scholars who continue to excel in universities? Doesn't the government deserve their services? Yes. But, it may be just for the short contractual period before they leave for greener pastures. The first three to five years in any service is more of a preparatory phase. It cannot be likened to the valued-contribution phase which comes later in the career path. So, it is an exaggeration to say that a young graduate has contributed or made a difference to the civil service by serving his contractual time. For a truly valued contribution that makes a difference, the PSD has to devise schemes that would attract professionals in mid-career, giving preference to ex-PSD scholarship holders in the process. But what damage can be done to the career path of true top scholars if they are contracted to serve? They may on graduation be offered a chance to do postgraduate research by universities overseas. These universities may be where the Nobel laureates are working. If Malaysia ever hopes to produce its own Nobel Prize winners, our scholars have to attach themselves to where it counts. I know of PSD scholars who do subjects like Pure Physics and Theoretical Economics at Cambridge and Oxford University. They can better focus on achieving academic excellence and single-mindedly aim for postgraduate attachments if they are relieved of the pressure of having to come home to serve upon graduation. Even if they remain overseas and become entrepreneurs in their professions, why can't we wish them well and success? Let them succeed and eventually establish corporations that are of international repute. When their firms seek workers, they will remember their Malaysian roots and chances are they will recruit Malaysians first. Isn't this one way to spread our Malaysian wings and brands? Other nationals are successful and have established global businesses and world-class professional entities. It is time we Malaysians did the same. We need well disciplined, qualified, globally-connected professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve this. Bring these achievers home at the start of their careers and we are making them into jaguh kampung. The other negative impact of PSD contracts is that they edge out other applicants for the civil service. They are those who do not score that many As in their Sijil Pelajaran Ma-laysia examination but nevertheless enrol in a university, perform well and have good attitude. They are not enlisted because the vacancies left are few. The thousands of PSD contract scholars are given precedence in recruitment.They not only enjoy their scholarships, but they are also guaranteed life-long employment just because they had scored 10 or more 1As in their SPM years ago. In conclusion, PSD undergraduate scholarships should be given as rewards, not as contracts. A contract binds a scholar to serve; it also binds the government to employ. There should be no automatic appointments. Let our true scholars be free to roam the world to find their own bearings. They will have their chance to contribute to the nation and make a difference when they acquire maturity in their careers. Clipping their wings early will not be fair or right.
These scholarship holders are contract-bound to serve in the civil service for three to five years after graduation. It is considered fair and right that they serve the public after having used public funds. Now, let's do a little thinking out of the box. What if scholarships are given out solely as reward for scholastic achievements and not as binding contracts? Or, what if scholars are not bound but are free to choose the civil service? Before we cry "foul", let's examine the practice now. A PSD scholar normally has 10 or more 1As in his SPM. Having secured the scholarship, he will be put through a 11/2 to two-year A-level, matriculation or foundation course before going on to a local or foreign university. It will be another three to four years before he graduates. So, it is five or six years after that scholarship interview that a PSD scholar comes knocking at the PSD door again. This time, it is for an "interview" for a job.
Six years is not a short period. A person may change, more so when he is away from home and exposed to a different environment and culture. What about his scholastic performance in the university? Has his attitude and demeanour changed? Is he the same person the PSD selected and sent off earlier for further studies? Now, since he is under contract, the so-called interview is an eyewash. He thus begins his career in government service. If he is an average performer, chances are that he will stay on after the contractual period. So, our scholar will plod on, doing all duties required of him, may even gain one or two time-based promotions before he retires in his golden years. And the PSD has to continue to support him, paying him his pension until his or his spouse's last days. Now, what about the true top scholars who continue to excel in universities? Doesn't the government deserve their services? Yes. But, it may be just for the short contractual period before they leave for greener pastures. The first three to five years in any service is more of a preparatory phase. It cannot be likened to the valued-contribution phase which comes later in the career path. So, it is an exaggeration to say that a young graduate has contributed or made a difference to the civil service by serving his contractual time. For a truly valued contribution that makes a difference, the PSD has to devise schemes that would attract professionals in mid-career, giving preference to ex-PSD scholarship holders in the process. But what damage can be done to the career path of true top scholars if they are contracted to serve? They may on graduation be offered a chance to do postgraduate research by universities overseas. These universities may be where the Nobel laureates are working. If Malaysia ever hopes to produce its own Nobel Prize winners, our scholars have to attach themselves to where it counts. I know of PSD scholars who do subjects like Pure Physics and Theoretical Economics at Cambridge and Oxford University. They can better focus on achieving academic excellence and single-mindedly aim for postgraduate attachments if they are relieved of the pressure of having to come home to serve upon graduation. Even if they remain overseas and become entrepreneurs in their professions, why can't we wish them well and success? Let them succeed and eventually establish corporations that are of international repute. When their firms seek workers, they will remember their Malaysian roots and chances are they will recruit Malaysians first. Isn't this one way to spread our Malaysian wings and brands? Other nationals are successful and have established global businesses and world-class professional entities. It is time we Malaysians did the same. We need well disciplined, qualified, globally-connected professionals and entrepreneurs to achieve this. Bring these achievers home at the start of their careers and we are making them into jaguh kampung. The other negative impact of PSD contracts is that they edge out other applicants for the civil service. They are those who do not score that many As in their Sijil Pelajaran Ma-laysia examination but nevertheless enrol in a university, perform well and have good attitude. They are not enlisted because the vacancies left are few. The thousands of PSD contract scholars are given precedence in recruitment.They not only enjoy their scholarships, but they are also guaranteed life-long employment just because they had scored 10 or more 1As in their SPM years ago. In conclusion, PSD undergraduate scholarships should be given as rewards, not as contracts. A contract binds a scholar to serve; it also binds the government to employ. There should be no automatic appointments. Let our true scholars be free to roam the world to find their own bearings. They will have their chance to contribute to the nation and make a difference when they acquire maturity in their careers. Clipping their wings early will not be fair or right.
NUMed ambil pelajar perubatan September
Newcastle University Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia akan memulakan pengambilan pelajar pertama untuk program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perubatan dan Sarjana Muda Pembedahan (MBBS), September depan. Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif NUMed Malaysia, Profesor Reg Jordon, berkata pelajar terbabit akan mengikuti pengajian selama dua tahun pertama di kampus Newcastle University, United Kingdom dan selepas itu mereka akan kembali ke Malaysia untuk meneruskan pengajian di kampus NUMed Malaysia yang dijangka beroperasi mulai 2011, katanya. Newcastle University mengumumkan penubuhan kampus cawangannya yang pertama di luar negara pada November lalu membabitkan pembukaan fakulti perubatan di Iskandar Malaysia.
"NUMed Malaysia menawarkan program ijazah MBBS yang diiktiraf Majlis Perubatan Am (GMC) United Kingdom yang mana program itu bersamaan dengan program lima tahun yang ditawarkan University Newcastle di United Kingdom," katanya di sini, semalam. Jordon berkata, pembukaan NUMed di EduCity@Iskandar akan membolehkan pelajar Malaysia dan serantau untuk meraih ijazah perubatan United Kingdom pada kos yang jauh lebih rendah berbanding mengikuti pengajian di kampus induk Newcastle University. Beliau berkata, kampus cawangan itu akan dilengkapi kemudahan moden dan berteknologi terkini dengan keupayaan untuk menampung kemasukan kira-kira 900 pelajar perubatan.
"Ada perancangan menawarkan pengajian pascasiswazah di kampus ini pada masa depan untuk doktor dari hospital kerajaan dan swasta di rantau ini meneruskan pembangunan profesional mereka," katanya.
"NUMed Malaysia menawarkan program ijazah MBBS yang diiktiraf Majlis Perubatan Am (GMC) United Kingdom yang mana program itu bersamaan dengan program lima tahun yang ditawarkan University Newcastle di United Kingdom," katanya di sini, semalam. Jordon berkata, pembukaan NUMed di EduCity@Iskandar akan membolehkan pelajar Malaysia dan serantau untuk meraih ijazah perubatan United Kingdom pada kos yang jauh lebih rendah berbanding mengikuti pengajian di kampus induk Newcastle University. Beliau berkata, kampus cawangan itu akan dilengkapi kemudahan moden dan berteknologi terkini dengan keupayaan untuk menampung kemasukan kira-kira 900 pelajar perubatan.
"Ada perancangan menawarkan pengajian pascasiswazah di kampus ini pada masa depan untuk doktor dari hospital kerajaan dan swasta di rantau ini meneruskan pembangunan profesional mereka," katanya.
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