The case for more private national schools
Dr ManaPublished: May 9, 2005 1:02 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
To create world-class schools in the country, the Education Ministry should look into the prospect of making schools a place for pupils to have an all-inclusive education with strong emphasis on language, mathematical and computational competence at the primary level.
As it is now, education has become too exam-oriented with students having too many subjects to study. The tendency is for parents to send their children for tuition classes to keep up with the progress in school.
Children learn just to pass the examinations. They do not grow up to think for themselves and many have failed to understand what logical and critical thinking is all about. Many are reluctant to explore new dimensions of knowledge.
When pupils are not able to read, speak and write with confidence - as the situation is in many schools now - they will not be able to explore other domains of knowledge effectively. Mathematical and computational skills are important to help pupils to be analytical in thought.
Teachers, too, have to be trained to be verbally competent in at least English and the national language. Schools should have the optimum number of pupils to a class. The government should do away with schools with large number of pupils. It is suggested that every housing estate or locality should have a school to reduce congestion at existing government schools.
Many present-day schools unfortunately, are too ill-equipped to afford the kind of environment that can stimulate self-learning. When schools are cramped with more than 40 pupils to a class and the core curriculum is too extensive that it cannot be adequately covered within a short period of time, the quality of education deteriorates.
On the other hand, many private and international schools in the country have excelled with fewer pupils to a class and with more teaching hours for their pupils.
When teaching in schools becomes effective, pupils do not have to resort to tuition classes or parents sending their children across the southern straits to get world-class education. Parents in developed countries such as the US, Britain, Australia and some European countries do not have a proclivity for tuition classes. Yet, their people have excelled in many ways in life and education.
Instead of harping on national schools versus vernacular schools, the government should encourage and allow more private national schools to be established to help create better and more competitive school environments.
These private national schools should get community support and have their curriculum designed in such a way that the whole education approach is progressive, goes well with the aspiration of all Malaysians and, most of all, not tainted by racial or religious overtones.
As it is now, education has become too exam-oriented with students having too many subjects to study. The tendency is for parents to send their children for tuition classes to keep up with the progress in school.
Children learn just to pass the examinations. They do not grow up to think for themselves and many have failed to understand what logical and critical thinking is all about. Many are reluctant to explore new dimensions of knowledge.
When pupils are not able to read, speak and write with confidence - as the situation is in many schools now - they will not be able to explore other domains of knowledge effectively. Mathematical and computational skills are important to help pupils to be analytical in thought.
Teachers, too, have to be trained to be verbally competent in at least English and the national language. Schools should have the optimum number of pupils to a class. The government should do away with schools with large number of pupils. It is suggested that every housing estate or locality should have a school to reduce congestion at existing government schools.
Many present-day schools unfortunately, are too ill-equipped to afford the kind of environment that can stimulate self-learning. When schools are cramped with more than 40 pupils to a class and the core curriculum is too extensive that it cannot be adequately covered within a short period of time, the quality of education deteriorates.
On the other hand, many private and international schools in the country have excelled with fewer pupils to a class and with more teaching hours for their pupils.
When teaching in schools becomes effective, pupils do not have to resort to tuition classes or parents sending their children across the southern straits to get world-class education. Parents in developed countries such as the US, Britain, Australia and some European countries do not have a proclivity for tuition classes. Yet, their people have excelled in many ways in life and education.
Instead of harping on national schools versus vernacular schools, the government should encourage and allow more private national schools to be established to help create better and more competitive school environments.
These private national schools should get community support and have their curriculum designed in such a way that the whole education approach is progressive, goes well with the aspiration of all Malaysians and, most of all, not tainted by racial or religious overtones.
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