Bring education forward

WHEN schools were closed due to Covid-19, the Education Ministry had to make some decisions which were unprecedented.

Drastic and courageous moves by the ministry included the postponement of SPM and STPM examinations and cancellation of the UPSR and PT3 examinations.

This is something unimaginable as the abolition of UPSR has been on the drawing board for many years without any firm decision.

It took a pandemic for the Examination Syndicate to make that bold move.

Previously the talk of abolition of the UPSR was met with parental opposition.

Covid-19 did bring about some rethinking and the jolting to reason.

The question that begs rational assessment is whether children would suffer if UPSR was done away with.

Why can’t the school-based assessment achieve the same objective if at all there is an overwhelming objective to fulfill? How does public examination at the primary level value-add to education in Malaysia?

It is in times like these that the authorities and policy makers have the time to reassess situations and make bold corrective measures. Education has always been singled out for courageous reforms.

So what did we learn from the movement control order? Innovation and creativity rose to the occasion! Calamity is a time for strength building.

School principals and teachers got creative and innovative, especially those in the private schools because they had to navigate the stormy situation to stay alive.

Technology came to the fore. Many young school children learnt to handle technology as they went on to master devices and use online platforms to continue learning.

Let’s not make this an issue of urban and rural divide. It is the technology divide that needs the authorities’ attention. No one should be left behind.

If the rural disadvantaged group requires help, this is the time to empower the group.

The advanced should not be curtailed from further advancement, while the marginalised must be given affirmative help.

It is about raising the bar and closing the gap.

We should adopt this progressive approach, failing which we will still be debating on issues which require decisive actions for centuries to come.

Take the use of the English language in our education system for example.

We must rise above politics when dealing with educational issues.

Policy makers must accept the fact that English is the mother tongue of the learning of Science and Mathematics. The way forward is to allow the use of a language that will raise our mastery of knowledge and skills associated with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Although there are issues to overcome, let’s make that courageous move based on empirical data rather than on emotions and imagined problems.

We must not lose sight of the long-term objectives.

TENG

Batu Pahat