More than everyday education
THE switch to school- based assessments in national schools reflects the Education Ministry’s move towards adopting a more holistic system, which is quite a feat considering the previous system greatly focused on national examination grades to gauge educational excellence.
One of the components assessed under this new system is physical, sports and co- curricular activities.
Outside classroom learning, extracurricular activities have been a fixture of Malaysian schools for a long time – but not always with sufficient emphasis.
In a recent newspaper opinion piece, PT3 needs to reflect learning,
not grading, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Prof Dr Mohd Sallehudin Abd Aziz says the school- based assessment system cannot yet make a significant impact as the national school system remains traditional in perspective and practice.
He argues that even with the revamped system, the focus has barely changed as “teachers, parents, students and school administrators still place much emphasis on the central assessment, in which the questions and marking schemes are provided by the Examinations Syndicate”.
This means that we may not be able to see the fruits of a more holistic education from the national education system for some time despite having these changes implemented.
However, there are systems that have been in place for some time in other schools that prove that education thrives in an environment of extracurricular participation.
Options aplenty
International schools provide variety to the local education landscape and are fast becoming a favourite choice among city folks.
Many schools with British, American or Canadian curricula are offering what has proven to be a solid alternative to the traditional score- based system, along with global reach and prospects.
Seeing the benefits of extracurricular involvement worldwide, many of these schools have expanded their range of activities to include more current, relevant interests and skills.
For instance, elc International School offers various opportunities in science and arts ( Science Werkz, Jewelry Making), language and current affairs ( Model United Nations, Word Search) and physical activity ( aerobics, golf ).
“Students who are involved in extracurricular pursuits tend to improve their academic grades as well as demonstrate increased self- esteem, motivation and time management,” says Margaret Kaloo, chief executive officer and founder of elc International School.
“On top of that, many universities are more interested in recruiting students who have something to offer in addition to academic qualifications. They seek out students who can make a contribution in other areas to the university and society at large.”
Embracing change
Even traditional schools have evolved with the times, as can be seen with British boarding school Epsom College in Malaysia.
The change is reflected in its stand on extracurricular involvement.
Headmaster Martin George says, “These activities teach children to test themselves without worrying about failure and allows them to discover talents they didn’t know they had”.
He opines that school should be a place of laughter, imagination, curiosity and experimentation, especially since many of the best and most lasting memories children take from school are not from the classroom, but from the challenging and enjoyable activities in which they participate with friends.
It seems, then, that public schools could model extracurricular involvement around a more solid concept that promotes a more advanced understanding of learning.
Not only is this the first step in encouraging all- rounded development, but it also teaches students that there are ways to meld interest, passion and purpose in fulfilling their role as members of a society.
Children must be presented with the opportunity to explore as many things as they can to find their interests and passions, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, expose them to the world of possibilities ahead.
That is what extracurricular involvement is about, and is also the essence of an all- encompassing education.
Children must be presented with the opportunity to explore as many things as they can to nd their interests and passions, and most importantly, expose them to the world of possibilities ahead.