Disclaimer: This article is only an opinion piece and the opinion solely belongs to Edison Nwl who first shared it on Quora.
As a Form 5 student this year, I would strongly say that the Malaysia education system is ultimately flawed. I do have one thing or two to say about it, though.
It is quite sad that to my observation, SPM (Malaysia Education Certificate/GCSE) is no far different from the ancient Chinese level one general exam.
Moral Studies is outdated. It has been decades since students are needed to memorise the 36 moral values. Even a single word misspelled or left out leave students with zero marks. If one doesn’t memorise, don’t even expect a B+. Basically, it’s rote learning (in China!) where we don’t have to understand the content as long as the right moral values and definitions are matched to the questions.
The History textbook is poorly written. The arrangements of facts are in total snafus. Trying to locate a fact takes quite me sometime since it is flooded with fillers and ‘propagandas’. Absurd, yes. As the speed-reader I am, I find it hard to retain the facts I read through since they’re all around the place! I suppose I’ll never see a refined textbook since it’s my last year (or it’s never going to happen?)
Biology Physics Chemistry – why do we even have a Paper 3 that promotes rote learning, again? Memorizing answering techniques, again. Section B is all about writing the experimental procedures you have memorised. There’s no emphasis on application and practicality of knowledge.
I wouldn’t say I like memorizing but pure science is pretty much about that in secondary schools other than problem solving. So, here comes the high order thinking skills (HOTS or also known as KBAT). Phew, I see more of ‘Let’s predict what’s in the marking scheme.’
The marking scheme for everything seems to be changing every year (for quality assurance sake? God knows). When is it going to be consistent like SAT?
Some students did excel in their studies but ended up being rewarded with nothing other than a Sixth Form offer. Certain students aren’t getting the privilege despite having the potential to change the world. Read this article: Straight A’s Student Shares Disappointing Experience of Applying for Pre-U.
Again, another Malaysian girl who was rejected for a JPA scholarship made headlines when she was one the researchers who found a potential solution to superbugs.
Education may be the silver bullet to many problems but Malaysia’s proves me otherwise. Off par.
Those are my two cents about our education system. Let’s hope for the best! God bless me for SPM 17′.
Edison Nwl
Also read: Broke Malaysian Student Shares How a Mixed Rice Vendor Offered to Buy Her Lunch
