What I would do as the Minister of Education?
There are times when I feel like I should just study Law and become the Minister of Education in Malaysia. Yeah, I know, I dream big. Really, really big. You also don’t have to study Law to actually become a Minister. You join a political party, you do well, if the leader wins the Election, he might just appoint you as a Minister. Correct me if I’m wrong, because high school taught me much about the past historic elections in Sejarah (History) and nothing about how the political scene is like in the present day. But, why Law to become a Minister? I believe a lawyer knows well about the rules and regulations of politics. And so, when he voices out his opinions in Parliament, he’ll have facts to back him up.
Some people might wonder : Why now, Tamil? Haven’t you changed your future plans enough times already? Get a grip, mate.
Answer : Yeah, I have. I’ve also been wanting to be a Nobel Prize-winning Chemist lately. But, this is just a hypothetical scenario. Here’s the story, simple and short. I met a Malay guy last week in MPH 1 Utama. We had a conversation and it somehow led us to talk about his life. He then told me that he got a place in Matriculation even after getting only 2 As. What really set me off was that he got GPA below 3.0 and is now studying Engineering in USM. But, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard someone with not-so-satisfying SPM results getting places in Matriculation. Weird thing : All those people were Malays. Another thing : Certain public universities in Malaysia only offer places for Bumiputera students in their Foundation Programs. Now, I know I shouldn’t get angry about this. Because it is a certified Law that Bumiputera people have special privileges. The real reason why I’m writing this is because, why take in people with such unsatisfying results when there are Indian and Chinese students who perform well in their SPM examinations every single year? Hence, this post.
It is a fact that 51 % of unemployed graduates are from public universities in Malaysia. I think the problem lies within the Ministry of Education. So, what would I do as the Minister of Education of Malaysia? ( Hint : There are many changes that I would make. )
Malaysian students will be taught as to give strong foundation in Mathematics and Chemical Sciences. Science is really crucial for a nation to succeed in the area of technology. And Mathematics is a science. In case, mathematics is the only dependable science. All conclusions of any scientific research should and must only be certified by calculations. So, students should be given great exposure of mathematics—both theorems and calculations—since young. This will make them bright students. Mathematics doesn’t come naturally to most, but that doesn’t mean they stop trying. So, the teachers shouldn’t too. As for chemical sciences, chemistry is the most important of sciences. As much as it represents the messy part of Physics, it also makes it easy to comprehend the complex parts of Biology. Chemistry, being a very broad science, should be taught since Form 1 to students. This will ensure that by the time that they enter Pre-University, they’ll be smarter than their peers and will have a greater understanding about how the world works.
Additional Mathematics will be taught to student from both Science and Arts streams. Like I said, mathematics is important and add-maths is what we actually study once we enter college. Instead of struggling in Maths in college, all students should be taught Additional Mathematics in high school for their own benefit.
Teachers will be allowed to talk to their students about what is happening around the world. Malaysian Education focuses so much on theoretical knowledge that once the students leave high school, they are totally clueless about how to survive in the outer world. Nothing will be taboo. And students will start to be closer with their teachers.
Students don’t have to memorize all the moral values and their meanings for Pendidikan Moral. A student’s discipline should really be taught through practical exercises and not through memorizing a bunch of sentences.
Medium of language in both primary and secondary schools should and will be English. Teachers also must be welcomed to teach in Bahasa Melayu for those who prefer it. When you go to overseas, you can’t talk with them about medicines or chemicals or natural phenomena in Bahasa Melayu. So, it is better to study in English. This will ensure that students won’t have a language barrier when they progress from primary to secondary school.
Malaysian Education will stress the importance of after-school activities and sports further. For a nation to succeed, progression in sports and arts is just as important as successes in science and technology. More students should be given the opportunity to be a part of the students exchange programs. In case, I have a friend who is in Texas right now taking part in an exchange program. (Proud friend here). But, more students should be given this opportunity. This will broaden their experiences. Thus, making them a well-balanced individual.
This is a sensitive one. And I would like to say that I am not against a certain racial group’s rights whatsoever. If anything, I’m just talking for those who weren’t given the opportunities that they deserve. All students will be given fair share of chances—no matter it’s for a scholarship or a placement in a public university. Many people might know about this : A certain racial group is given more chances than the minorities to continue their education in public universities after SPM. Malaysia is an amazing country. We have cheap Pre-Uni programs like Malaysian Matriculation and ASASI for students to further their studies after SPM. Although it is said that all races are given equal opportunity to be a part of this, the statistics show otherwise. I’ve heard of Indian and Chinese students with great results get rejected from Matriculation and people with unsatisfying results getting in. So, who is making the mistake? Why are those who deserve a spot, almost never get accepted? Special privileges for a certain racial group? Yeah. That is fine. But, I would increase the number of seats in Matriculation so that more people of all races can get in. What really angers some is that people of certain racial group with unsatisfactory results get in these programs easily while some of us have to take STPM, waste almost a year after examination to actually get into an undergraduate program. What’s much worse but those who were given a chance waste it as if it was nothing? So, as a Minister of Education, I would set the standard to get into these programs real high and be strict about it. This will ensure that only those who deserve it get accepted. Equal rights are important. All students should be given fair amount of chances to further their education.
Entrance into competitive degree programs will be set in a way that those who deserve it are given a shot at it. Most will say that STPM should be one’s last choice for a Pre-Uni program. You know why? Every single year, STPM churns out top scorers with amazing results. Most of these hopeful youngsters worked hard to get the results. But, their dreams shatter when they are not given a place in the Degree program they desired. So, if one is considered worthy of a place, but there’s no capacity to let them in, they should at least get a placing in the next intake. I know what some people would think : ‘I did STPM and I got a placing in a good university. What are you complaining about?’
Answer : Well, that’s just you. What about those who were given placing in a program that they never wanted to study? I would also like to take this time to congratulate all those who went to private universities after having their dreams broken, but still worked to get what they wanted. A big shout out to you, guys. Y’all are amazing.
Last but not the least, the quality of teachers. Teachers are the most integral part in setting up a country in motion towards success. So, these teachers will be trained under the Ministry of Education in a way that they become great educators that change people’s lives. Anyone in the teaching programs will have to repeat their last semester if their GPA is lower than 3.0. This is to ensure that this graduates are really good in what they will be doing for the rest of their lives : Helping a nation to succeed. Shout out to all the phenomenal teachers that shaped me up : My mum who is an UPSI-trained teacher. Pn Sabrina, Pn Zaida, Mrs S. Thevi, Mrs Tan Lee Lee, Pn Neoh, Pn Sumathi, Pn Samanthi, Mr Phang, Pn Salawati and many more.
That is all, folks. Thanks to all those who read this post until here. I want to repeat that this post is not meant to hurt anyone from any racial groups. If I had, I am sorry. I just wanted to let out my feelings. While I was writing this, my Dad said ‘Maybe, you might become the next Minister of Education’. I wanted to say, ‘Dad, I’m an Indian. I don’t entertain the impossibility’, but then I remembered the three black women that helped NASA go out into space. Anything is possible. Civil rights ain’t always civil. But that doesn’t mean we should not try to change the stigma for a better future.
To all those who are offended by this post : I’m not against other people’s rights. Instead, I’m just saying that all should be given equal right, when it comes to education at least.
Just remember, you are not being OPPRESSED when another group is given the rights that you’ve always had. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back. So, people, let us all come together and support equal rights. Achievement has no color. Courage has no gender. Genius has no race. Or as Sonia Sotomayor puts it, ‘Until we get equality in education, we won't have an equal society.’ Thanks so much for reading.
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