Changes To Primary School

Interestingly, both Singapore and Malaysia chose to announce changes to the primary school education system on the same day.

But what I find incomprehensible is that Malaysia opted to re-format their UPSR, the primary school leaving exam, to include school-based assessments, while Singapore did not. Singapore instead chose to re-focus and re-balance its curriculum to incorporate more life skills, to aim for single-session schools and to have an all-graduate primary teaching force by 2015. But there is no mention of any changes to the PSLE.

Why I find this incongruous is that Singapore is infinitely more capable to implement changes to the examination format. They have the skilled teachers, the relative homogeneity of students and a culture that champions systematic approach, transparency and objectivity. Malaysia does not have any of these - but it has the derring-do (some may call it foolhardiness).

I have been advocating changes to the Singapore's PSLE for years. To reduce a student's total ability to a single score which will determine the child's progress into the next stage of life is draconian. This is the reason why the school system in Singapore is examination-oriented. Parents have little choice if they want their children to survive the school system here.

At this stage when Singapore's MOE recognises the shortcomings of its education system as being too examination-oriented, I am surprised that nothing is done to the PSLE format. Incorporating all the other changes is good, but it is not enough. Parents will not be convinced to support the new programme if the PSLE remains a Damocles sword hanging over their heads. I can only see more tuition centers fluorishing as schools aim to provide that well-rounded education which is not appreciated by most parents. There will be more complaints from parents about schools not doing enough while the teachers are already tearing their hair out and walking the tight rope to meet the demands of MOE. It's a classic case of mismatched expectations. Ultimately, it's the students who will end up more stressed than ever.

For once, Singapore should take a leaf out of Malaysia's books and, as they say, just do it. Slaughter the sacred cow once and for all.

As for Malaysia, I do not think I need to comment on anything right now. I dare not think how many U-turns this new policy will have before we see anything happening. However, if you were to ask me, I would say, don't do anything to the UPSR format. Malaysia is just not ready to do anything fancy with the education system. It cannot think it can leapfrog ahead of others. Things are not so simple. Get the basics right first. Err.. by the way, are they going ahead with the teaching of Math and Science in English or are they reverting to Bahasa Malaysia?