Transforming Education or Just Talk? (updated)

Caught the news in The Star, "Less exam-oriented education under new UPSR curriculum" and the video of the interview here. In a nutshell, YB Datuk Dr Wee stressed that the MOE is embarking on a "transformation" of the education system with the introduction of a new curriculum that is more holistic and less examination based will be introduced for Year 1 students from 2010.

Have we heard this before somewhere? I have come to the conclusion that each minister or deputy minister, wants to leave its mark immediately upon taking over the ministry. Remember the time we had "Smart Schools?" Yet there are still the same schools do not even have electricity. The we had "Vision Schools" to bring different schools together in one same location with the aim of social and racial integration. Today, it seems that we are more divided. Sadly, initiative remains only a vision, the division is still here.

Of course, not to be out-done by his predecessors, then came along the "Cluster schools". The bigger the better. Accompanied the cluster schools, was of course the grand launch of the "Master Plan" with all the fanfare and what not. What's happening now - no updates anywhere. If something is happening, show it!

Now comes the over-used, at times, abused, buzzword of "transformation". Grand plans of curriculum revamp and examination redefinition, and whatever the speech writer put in for the minister.

Firstly, the speech writer is so engrossed in the system that he/she and the deputy minister did not realize this. There are NO examinations until Form 5. Anything before that are assessments (penilaian). If there are no examinations in the first place, why put the need "reweight" them. I am sure they are smart enough to look into a dictionary to understand the difference between examinations and assessments. By the way, transforming education system in Malaysia is not just about changing the curriculum. Needless to say, it involves much, much more than that. As the Deputy Minister, YB should know better what ills our education system and our schools. The problem is after each grand speech there are usually NO PLANS articulated, no clear STEPS for action, and no MILESTONES. No clear engagement strategy with stakeholders. Nothing of this is mentioned (at the time of this posting) on MOE website.

Next, curriculum "transformation" (I hate this word already) cannot be done in a vacum. There are many issues regarding schools, teachers, discipline, you name it... still unresolved. Theses issues unaddressed will kill the whatever transformation initiatives (real or unreal). I suppose this is not the speech writer's scope of work to see this through.

I personally feel, whoever the minister or deputy minister is, they need to stop taking the MOE as a playground to show off grand plans while waiting to the promoted or even be prime minister. The world has moved on , changed and transformed. Much new innovation and (true) transformations in education and learning have taken place. We urgently need to keep up and move forward.

For the sake of our children and their future and the future of our country, don't take the easy way and send your children overseas and leave us here. So, wake up dear ministers! Do your job, and show us. Don't just talk! We have heard too much, seen little.