Years of mismanaged change in education must end

MY children have been in Malaysian public schools for 16 years, during which they experienced the following changes.

1. Change in syllabus from KBSR/ KBSM to KSSR/KSSM to KSSR Semakan/KSSM Semakan. My children could not share their books because one was under KBSR and the other was the first batch doing the KSSR syllabus.

2. End of PPSMI or teaching of Maths and Science in English. Initially, our older child started learning Maths and Science in English AND Chinese as was practised in SJKCs when PPSMI was introduced. When PPSMI was ended, it meant that our child had to do Maths and Science in Chinese only, so the English books were kept away.

3. Introduction of DLP (Dual Language Programme). By this time, our children were in secondary school with DLP so they, instead of switching from Maths and Science in Chinese to Math and Science in BM, switched to Maths and Science in English. Note that some schools do not have DLP for the entire school (only for some classes) and some do not have DLP.

4. Introduction of KBAT (HOTS) and the new format for UPSR: This was a big problem as the time frame for the change was too limited. Students and parents also feel that many of the HOTS questions were set for the sake of calling them HOTS questions. Some of the questions were so baffling that even adults could not answer them, and they took to discussing these in Facebook groups.

Yes, we support HOTS but you must make sure the basics are covered first. All of a sudden, children were supposed to swim or run before they could even walk. Surely one would drown under such circumstances.

5. Introduction of PBS (Schoolbased assessment): PBS was introduced when our children were in primary school. To assess them regularly, teachers opened up files for each student and categorised them according to different abilities from Band 1 to Band 6. We never quite understood the bands or how the assessments were carried out and everyone continued to rely on the school report card to check on the student’s progress.

When it was introduced, there was mention that UPSR would be 60% exam based and 40% PBS. That never happened. It went back to UPSR 100% exam based and at the end of primary school we were handed an almost empty file for the PBS.

6. Goodbye PMR, hello PT3: My children were not the first batch to say hello to PT3. I understand the first batch was struggling to find workbooks and figure out how to do the projects because, for the first time, History and Geography became 100% project based. The change was too sudden and not properly communicated, causing panic among the first batch of parents and students.

7. Introduction of PPSR (Pelaporan Pentaksiran Sekolah Rendah) in UPSR: By then, our children were out of primary school so we weren’t affected by this change. But it was quite sudden too, making teachers, parents and students panic at the last minute. I think it was nothing more than a different reporting style with a different focus for UPSR.

8. Introduction of FrogVLE (Virtual Learning Environment): In primary school, we were given passwords for the FrogVLE login. We were supposed to be able to check our children’s homework using the system. There were some schools which used this effectively but in others, many parents did not know about it or did not know how to use it. In our case, the children would come home once in a while and say they had to log in to the website and leave it on for a few hours. I suspect that was to meet some sort of KPI.

On one occasion, I remember my child telling me that the teacher cried because she said it was so difficult and she felt so frustrated.

There have been so many changes that have not been properly communicated and carried out. Some of these were printed on the pages of a glossy book called the Malaysia Education Blueprint.

To us as parents, the words in the glossy book mean little. They are just big plans that are being poorly implemented.

Not all of the changes are bad, however. Some are even good and forward looking but then the manner in which change is done leaves much to be desired.

Take the UPSR for example. First it was supposed to be abolished, then it was decided to retain it but make the assessment 60% exam based and 40% school based. Later, it was switched back to 100% exam based.

Then HOTS questions were added to UPSR, not gradually but suddenly. Finally, it was decided that UPSR would now be PPSR, which still meant 100% exams but with exam results displayed in a different format to focus on other things besides the academic.

These changes are happening too frequently, confusing and often done at the last minute without proper dissemination of information to teachers and parents.

For secondary school, there was talk of abolishing PMR, followed by changing it to PT3, and then the last minute change to 100% project based for History and Geography, and so on.

Every year before the major exams, parents are filled with anxiety, wondering what will be changed next and whether this change would be communicated just two months before the exams.

Despite the many changes, one thing remained the same – the heavy school bag.

My eldest child has scoliosis and though there is no documented proof linking this condition to heavy school bags, I don’t think it is a good idea to have those young and still developing backs and spines lug heavy school bags up and down the stairs daily.

I used to tease my boy that he looked like he was going for a trip rather than to school, and he answered: “Mum, when I go on a trip, I carry less than this.”

There are also so many classifications of school, from high performance school, cluster school and smart school to premier school, vision school, control school and fully residential school and more, that it’s very confusing.

Parents are hoping for change, not the flipflop, printed on glossy pages, poorly communicated and executed kind of change but real change. We are desperate to have things change for the better from years of neglect.

However, we must manage hope with realistic expectations. I hope there will be fewer accusations and less name calling.

Recently, words like “Islamophobia”, “racist” and “selfish” have been uttered carelessly without caring about the feeling of other parents who had expressed their own expectations, hopes and fears.

A yet to be sworn in education minister is now under the microscope and being studied intensely with his every video, comment and biodata dissected and scrutinised.

We want change but not like this. Overexpectations lead to disappointment and anxiety. Let’s manage our expectations and hope for the best.

EXASPERATED MOM Kuala Lumpur