HOLY SMOKE!!! UPSR AND PMR TO BE ABOLISHED?

Posted by Unknown On Sunday, June 20, 2010 31 comments
After enjoying a slice of cappucino cheese cake and a piping hot cup of white coffee, I nearly fell off my seat when I came across THIS REPORT in NST where Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examinations may be abolished.

The report said:

He said this was part of government efforts to restructure the learning system which was seen as too examination oriented and failed to provide a holistic education.

"We are mulling whether to retain the examinations or abolish them leaving only the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)," he said after opening the Pagoh Umno division delegates meeting here on Sunday.

Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister said UPSR and PMR might be retained but only as school based assessments and not as public examinations.

However, the ministry would not act in haste and wanted the public to give feedback to help improve the public examiantion* system.

He felt that only one public examination was needed as only the SPM was needed when seeking employment.

As such, the UPSR and PMR could be used to pick students for residential schools or streaming.

"With only one public examination, the teachers and students can focus on improving creativity, interactive and co-curricular activities and sports. - BERNAMA

* Note the spelling error in the original report!

It seems that some quarters do not know the real purpose of examinations and choose to be blind to the pathetic state of education standards in our country. Golly! I am fuming mad!

While he is right to say that the learning system is too examination oriented and has failed to provide a holistic education, restructuring it this way is definitely OUT OF THE QUESTION!!!

Whilst it is true that only SPM is needed for employment, a schooling system which has NO public exams for 10 years means that there is no proper system to sieve students so that they know what are the occupations that best fit their abilities and inclinations.

Examinations (not the way the way it is being planned, tested or graded at the moment) have a few functions. In my Sociology classes, we used to discuss the function of formal and informal curriculum in society and lamented how the latter is not regarded as important while there is an over-emphasis of the former.

The basic functions of an examination include:

1. The measurement of the effectiveness of learning and whether students have succeeded in applying what they have learnt in clear ways
2. The inter-relation of abilities measured
3. The standardization of teaching standards/learning in a country/area or school
4. The process of instilling discipline in students whereby they are taught to focus on a goal and to work towards achievement of the goal
5. The development of motivation and the process of self-development
6. The way to measure the standard of teaching/administration in a school and also effectiveness of classroom management

...... and many other reasons!!!

If exams were to be abolished, how can education standards be guaranteed? As it is, even with all these exams, the standards are absolutely disgraceful!! Can you imagine how a student would sail through NINE years of education without learning to work against the clock in a public exam and to learn how to cope with stress and all the benefits of examinations?

I taught for NINE years in an international school where they DO NOT have public examinations until they are in Year 11. While it is not a fair comparison in that the teaching methods and curriculum differ greatly from what we have in local schools, I can safely attest to the fact that the whole attitude to learning is completely different in many ways. The UPSR and PMR allows students to be graded at different levels and to be challenged to improve themselves to make the mark for whatever field they wish to pursue. For instance, the PMR would show whether a student is more inclined towards the sciences or the humanities. Without the PMR, how will one know? Would school-based exams alone be sufficient? Of course not! It is completely different when one is preparing for a public exam.

Take a look at Singapore. While I do not appreciate the 'kiasu' attitude of some of the parents/teachers or students, we have to acknowledge that the education standards there are HIGHER because of the curriculum, teaching methods, the public examination system and of course meritocracy which has encouraged many to excel and to stay behind to contribute to the country's development.

Without a public examination, it would be difficult to standardize teaching standards which would differ from area to area or state to state. It would largely depend on the staff, the students and the type of socio-economic background of the school.

With the current system, students are spoonfed and molly-coddled to the extent that distinctions are QUITE MEANINGLESS because many lack the ability to question, to think and to apply what they have learnt.

Can you imagine what would happen without public examinations?

If the government is TRULY SINCERE about arresting the decline in standards of education and improving the learning experience, RAISE THE BAR, RAISE STANDARDS, REVAMP THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM and for heaven's sake stop watering down the standard of English or Mathematics or any other subject JUST TO ENSURE THAT MAJORITY PASS THE EXAM!!!

We have in some places, teachers who cannot teach, teachers who READ FROM THE TEXTBOOKS, teachers who ask students to mark their work and many other problems. Of course, there are the dedicated teachers who give their all to the students, God bless them, BUT they are working against the system!!!

I really take exception to the claim that with only one public examination, the teachers and students can focus on improving creativity, interactive and co-curricular activities and sports. Please get real.

I can foresee what will happen in the future.

Revamp the system to improve creativity? Please lah - we were not born yesterday. THEY WILL PROBABLY SPEND $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to draft a new syllabus, appoint new personnel, print new textbooks (someone will make money), print new material etc etc....

Make the system INTERACTIVE??? Why not? SPEND MORE MONEY!!! I can see it in the horizon.

Improve co-curricular activities and sports? I want to scream you know as I write this. I am so enraged!!! Are they trying to fool us? We are not STUPID or neuron-challenged!!! What an insult to our intelligence.

What is wrong with the current system of co-curricular activities? Just a few months ago, he made some suggestions about this and a few weeks ago, they suggested implementing teaching licenses for teachers and now this this this INCORRIGIBLE ABSURD STOOOOOOOOPID suggestion? HAIYOOOOOO!!!!!

We have seen the nation spending soooooooo much $ on sports. Sporting schools, special smart schools etc but do we see the results of the expenditure? Is the country getting more medals in the Olympics, SEA Games? Do you see our students receiving accolades?

For heaven's sake, *vomit puke* GET REAL!!!

It is all BALDERDASH!!!

Pure community sanitary output.

Who will benefit from such a move???????

People, THINK.

People, PLEASE VOICE YOUR DISCONTENT.

Every other day now, we hear news of so and so intending to implement this, build that, buy this, revamp this, propose that...

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY???

$

That is why!!!!

I am normally very restrained, civil, cordial etc. but today, I have hit the roof.

ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

How much lower can they go???? Will they only be happy if Malaysia starts exporting maids and foreign labour? Will they be happy if literacy level goes down, mastery of 3Rs go down and education standards are so low that no one wants to come here to study?????

Why must the student population be the victims or the guinea pigs of such schemes? Why do they have to change policies every now and then??? What is the real purpose of such a scheme? Is it too much to ask to INVEST THE BEST in education that our country can IMPROVE our human capital?

Can you imagine? Even my 11+ year old son laughed when he read the news after I screamed my head off!

Fie fie foe fum!! I smell an attempt to mendungukan the student population!

WHAT A PREPOSTROUS SUGGESTION!!! CLUELESS & NEURONLESS!!!

BL***DY H**L!!!

31 comments to HOLY SMOKE!!! UPSR AND PMR TO BE ABOLISHED?

  1. says:

    nick Sis,

    This is what we get when we have total idiots and morons running the government. It came to my mind that what Hishamuddin Rais (TT) said about Muhyiddin was right all along (he said that that guy has too much meat and not enough brain on his head!). Big head but a non existent brain! How ironic since that is what the MOE is too. Too many "stuff" but the "stuff" are "kekabu" as in the stuffing in a toys head. Can't find a brain in a stuff toy's head, can we?

    Well, that about confirms it! We are going down the path of "idiocracy" when the top guy and his second in command are both idiot. A "Gohead-gostan" Pink M and his "Mr Potato-head" Deputy Pinggan mangkuk! Greaaattt!!!! I'm gonna cover my head with a paper bag and wait until the next GE so that I can get rid of these two idiots and all of their equally "intellectually challenged" (I bet you sis that they don't know I'm calling them idiots!)minion and not forgetting the senile as well!

    May GOD bless our children and may HE gives them intelligence and integrity as well so that we can make up for the disaster of these 2 decades or so.

    Nick.

  1. says:

    Monyet King You sound angry. Yoda said "anger will lead you to the dark side". But then, when dealing with morons, you have the right to be angry

  1. says:

    Anonymous Thw whole "edu sys" was politicize by emasculation to win votes for umno from the rural melayus right from the beginning. Everything goes and went!

    This cannot change, like all things bumno.

    ~wits0~

  1. says:

    Boleh Man Muhyiddin Yassin is trying to be a Tokoh Reformasi!

  1. says:

    Anonymous Can you imagine how a student would sail through NINE years of education without learning to work against the clock in a public exam and to learn how to cope with stress and all the benefits of examinations?

    A six-million dollar question!

    I wonder if Muhyiddin knows his duties and responsibilities as the Minister Of Education....

  1. says:

    LC Teh The guy just doesn't engage brain before opening mouth... (i.e. if there's a brain).

  1. says:

    Anonymous Mooohydin multi-purpose move to keep people poor and stupid....forever.

    ~wits0~

  1. says:

    mamasita Paula..I'm with you!!Muhyiddin must be mad to even toy over the idea..somehow it reflects his brain content! Not that clever as a Minister of Education.

  1. says:

    daffodils Standardized tests like PMR enables school to stream students according to different disciplines. Even then many students with undeserved grades end up as misfits doing the pure sciences. A large number of students just squeaked by and the brighter students have been turned off by an education system that is focused on getting the lowest achievers through the test. Yes we are talking about the inflation of the grading system. In the 70’s the number of those with all distinctions in a school can still be counted with our fingers!

    How much lower can they go???? Will they only be happy if Malaysia starts exporting maids and foreign labour? Will they be happy if literacy level goes down, mastery of 3Rs go down and education standards are so low that no one wants to come here to study?????

    When literacy level goes down that’s when exploitation of the masses and manipulation of the mind begins. The dumb becomes dumber.

    Every profession has its fair percentage of members who are ineffective, substandard, and incompetent. While there are bad teachers (the same as bad doctors, lawyers), there are teachers out there who are bright points of light, teaching effectively in the most dysfunctional school systems.

    Every other day now, we hear news of so and so intending to implement this, build that, buy this, revamp this, propose that...

    WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY???

    $

    At the end of the day, it is more about the Almighty Dollar and less about education.

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Nick

    Brilliant comment, dear Nick!! Filled with wit, sarcasm and yet much pathos for the pathetic situation before us.

    Truly, may the Almighty work a miracle in our country and deliver us from morons and idiots!

    Take care and have a blessed week ahead!

    HAPPY FATHERS' DAY!

    Salam

  1. says:

    Ting 1 Minister 1 Policy!

    Malaysia Boleh!

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Dr. Bala

    Many thanks for empathizing with me. Hope you had a great Fathers' Day today! Take care and have a blessed week ahead!

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear ~wits0~

    The whole system was programmed for one purpose - to make dungus...

    Indeed anything goes and everything went with it...

    Sighs

    This has to change and only if bums go!

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Boleh Man

    Yup - a reformasi of a different sort! Saddening indeed! Take care and have a blessed week ahead.

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Anon @ 6.06 pm

    I am not sure ...The Minister of Education must have a heart for the education system of the country and the standard of our human resources. He or She must have the political will and moral courage to put in place policies that will for sure develop the quality of our human resources that our country can be taken to the next level of development.

    But now...????

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear LC Teh

    He has proved to us many times that he is neuron-challenged indeed! Thanks for swinging by to share your views. Take care and Happy Fathers' Day again!

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear ~wits0~

    That is why I said the hidden agenda could be a dungu transformation project!

    Sickening indeed!

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Datin

    Lovely to hear from you again. Hope you and your family had a wonderful celebration with Dato' for Fathers' Day.

    Indeed such a proposition is ludicrous to say the least. Talk about being neuron-challenged. Thanks for standing with me in this. Take care and have a lovely week ahead!

    Salam

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear daffodils

    Thank you so much for the long awaited response :-). I knew you would share a deep and thought provoking response :-). You are a true blue educator, daffodils! I hope to meet you in person one day and have a long tete-a-tete with you about education and other topics.

    The dilution of grades and the abominable insidious agenda to weaken the thinking skills of students to make them dumber that they may become more docile and subservient to the status quo is gross manipulation of the vilest sort! It is sickening and disgusting to see how blatantly devious and well-planned is the scheme. All the more we have to vocalize our outrage lest they step up efforts to suppress our creative thinking skills, especially that of youth today.

    Like what we have discussed in previous postings, indeed, far too many went through the system and emerged with 'undeserved grades' in a 'shiok sendiri' process which only serves to undermine our competitiveness and potential.

    The brighter ones are snuffed out in many ways while mediocrity seems to be glorified!

    It must be very disheartening for those who are still in the teaching sector, especially the older and more experienced ones who saw what it was, what it has become and where it is heading....

    Sighs..

    Why is the $ so powerful in its hold over the greedy?

    Those in the MOE must study the history and development of education from the 19th century to the present - not just of our nation but other countries too that they can be fine tuned to the intricacies of education.

    Perhaps there is selective hearing hear so it would be a total waste of time then.

    Take care and thanks for sharing your views. Have a blessed week ahead.

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Ting

    Perhaps that is why they want only 1 EXAM!!!

    Sighs...

  1. says:

    Ting Najib : BN’s priority is equality.

    ~~ Malaysian Insider

    Hidup Najib !!!!!!

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Ting

    Let's hope he puts it into action and gets the support of his subordinates. What will happen if people lik IA object to his proposals and projects? What will he do to reign them in to meet his objective?

  1. says:

    Anonymous Dear MWS and Ting, no way possible ler. The guy's too devious and hollow to be taken at his word.

    Even if he could be sincere, he has no guts to follow through.

    ~wits0~

  1. says:

    Anonymous Take it easy ! ...now pls give a nice name to pm's NEW pussy , ok ?

  1. says:

    Anonymous Be angry by all means but please do not insult this great "Mint-ster" of the dumbo party. He is taking a joyride in his ministry without knowing exactly what is needed to uplift the standard of education.

    There are definitely many high achievers (educators) out there who are more than willing to contribute their knowledge and ideas to the betterment of the educational systems in Malaysia, but will the ministry's concern care? We need the right candidate for the right job.

    It can no longer be tolerated in the modern world to have politicians who are not qualified in that specific field to implement policies that will be disastrous. How can he even proposed to do away with exams? Without proper streaming how do we differentiate " the sheep and the goats?" How do we correct those weaker students who may need special classes or even extra lessons to tide them over their low learning curve?

    There is no need to crack one's head in coming out with a holistic learning for the young ones. Just take a trip down south and learn from the top schools there. I am sure there is no secret nor is there rocket science to be learned.

    In order to have a high class educational systems, we need to look at the standards of the teachers right up to the professors. There cannot be any compromise in these areas. If there is no will to do it right, all other processes are just righting the many wrongs. More programmes will be put forward but mediocre results are expected.

    Just do the right thing instead of doing things right! The future of this nation lies in the hands of the young ones and let us rise up to demand that people who have no knowledge in education do not police the policies of the schools in Malaysia.
    ~ahoo~

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear ~wits0~

    Ah - but I deliberately said it to see the time frame in which he will execute his plan if ever!!

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Anon @ 1.23am

    I believe many of the names put forward have been rejected because of the connections to certain *clears throat* people/situations/issue. LOL!!

    Could it then be an exercise to develop our creativity or a pun for 'pussy'?

    *winks*

    Cheers

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear ahoo

    Many thanks for your knowledgeable response to the post. I appreciate your effort to discuss the issue at a deeper level and hope that others can also contribute their opinions...

    Frankly, I always believe that the MOE must be headed by someone with the experience, competence, commitment, neurons and the political will not forgetting the moral courage to develop the human capital of the nation.

    The MOE has to see that the education sector is the KEY to developing the nation. If standards are low, it simply means that our international competitiveness and USP are being eroded slowly but surely. In the long run, we would be falling behind our neighbours as trends already indicate so clearly. However, some choose to be blind to this reality and weave a magical make-believe world for their insidious objectives to wipe out or to reduce an intelligent populace that there can be a more subservient, ignorant, incompetent population that will be docile and can do their bidding with the snap of their finger.

    What we really need to do, like what you have rightly suggested, is to rise up - not just in blogs but in petitions and press statements/press conferences.

    Why are PTAs and the NUTP keeping quiet? Why are NGOs keeping quiet? What about MPs? They MUST speak up and debate about this.

    But why is there silence?

    Simply because there are so many damning issues we face daily that in our midst, some could have become:
    * ambivalent
    * indifferent
    * without hope to change the status quo
    * weary for fighting the battle for so long

    It is very frustrating and saddening to see all this happening but the minute we keep silent and docile and conform blindly, that will be the beginning of the end...

    May God help and deliver us!

    Take care and thanks for sharing.

    Have a blessed week!

    Shalom

  1. says:

    home schooling FTW if the current ministers believes that a change of govt equals to frogs jumping all over the place, do you really think they "understand" what we mean by 'revamping the education system'?

    i guess this is why some parents prefer home schooling rather than sending their children with schoolbags twice their size to school where they learn stuff that are as old as their grandparents.

  1. says:

    Unknown Dear Home Schooling FTW

    Many thanks for your comment..More and more people in Penang are opting for home schooling because of the current scenario. Yet, in both types of schooling, there are pros and cons. Parents have a vital role to play in creating and maintaining a conducive learning environment for their children. Take care and may God bless you. Have a pleasant evening.

    Cheers

  1. says:

    WC UPSR and PMR to be abolished???? NO WAY !!! It is the major motivation for all students. If this nightmare comes true, I wouldn't be optimistic anymore about the future of mankind. Well, the future is unpredictable. Either we open or put aside the Pandora's box. But bear in mind that the decisions made will be the key to the future.

    *May our wish come true o(^w^)o
    *My apology for any mistake made ^w^

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