Keep centralised Form 3 exam

The Bukit Mertajam High School candidates going through their papers during the PT3 examination which start today at the school in Bukit Mertajam yesterday, - Starpic Mustafa Ahmad (12/10/2015).

I READ with interest the support for decentralising the PT3 exam. It is true that some American parents prefer the idea of a decentralised education system. These parents are typically upper middle class parents who can afford to live in wealthy neighbourhoods or move to good districts where “good” schools are located. I have witnessed firsthand my fellow co-workers in America who live one hour away in wealthy districts so that their children can attend good schools. This is because inner city schools near one of the best universities in America are failing disastrously to provide good education to their students.

The decentralisation of an education system like that in America has produced huge disparities between schools. Where one goes to school matters a lot in a decentralised education system like in America. This is a contradiction to what parents in Malaysia would tell their kids – it should not matter where you study, at the end of day, you’ll be sitting for the same national exams.