Present education system too burdensome for students, says Bukit Assek assemblywoman
THE national education syllabus, which is 100 per cent examinationbased, has placed excessive and unnecessary pressure on young students.
Irene Chang ( DAP-Bukit Assek), in her debate speech on the state budget, said the syllabus is affecting the mental health of students, exposing them to the risks of having mental breakdowns.
“There may have been efforts to address the mental health of our people, including the young ones. I am aware that the causes of mental breakdown are many but I would dare to say (that) one of the major causes of mental breakdown among our students is our education system,” she said yesterday.
According to her, examinations, assignments, peer pressure and family breakdowns are several factors that may lead to self-harming and suicidal tendencies.
“Particularly heartbreaking are stories of young overachievers, who decided to end their lives because of matters which could be as trivial as being dissatisfied with what they had written on their examination papers,” she stressed.
Chang added that although students are encouraged to participate in co- curricular activities at school, their applications for tertiary studies in local universities only place focus on how many As they have achieved.
The education system, she further said, has ingrained into students that they would achieve far in life only through good academic result slips.
“Our education system needs an urgent revamp. Instead of having 100 per cent exam- based evaluations, our state government should propose to the Ministry of Education (for the implementation of) a 60-per cent academics and 40- per cent extra- curricular achievements,” she pointed out.
She added with the 60/40 evaluations, this would more likely help ensure that the students would grow up to be a well-rounded, healthy-minded and emotionally- capable individuals.
The federal government, Chang said, had ‘ failed Sarawakians miserably’ on the matter of education as well as the lack of funding towards improving the condition of dilapidated schools in the state.
“If all these are still not a sufficient reason enough to demand for the return of our education autonomy, then please let the mental health and well-being of our students be the catalyst for the handover of full autonomy in education to Sarawak. I am sure we can do better.
“This issue has to be in the agenda of the special task force, which this House had unanimously agreed to set up a few days ago,” she said.
Chang also mentioned the need to improve the condition of Sibu Hospital as one of the major specialist hospitals under the Ministry of Health, and the second largest hospital in Sarawak.
It serves as the referral centre for hospitals covering five divisions namely Sibu, Kapit, Mukah, Sarikei and Betong; and eight district hospitals – Kanowit, Kapit, Mukah, Dalat, Daro, Sarikei, Saratok and Betong.
“Sibu is in urgent need of at least one cardiologist and an oncologist ( branch of medicine that deals with tumours). The incidences of these two diseases causing fatalities are on an obvious rise. Everywhere we turn, we hear of someone being afflicted by either one, with some causing instant death without any warning at all.
“And yet, Sibu Hospital – being the second largest hospital in our state and serving so many divisions and districts – is not equipped with either specialist,” she added.
The other topic that Chang spoke about was her request for the granting of automatic citizenship to legally adopted children, as a way to resolve the issue of stateless children in the country.