Posts Tagged ‘Education’

New grading system for SPM for 2010

October 30th, 2009
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Hmm…and I thought they will retain the “1A”, you know, with everything being “1”ed now! 🙂

Whatever it is, with the virtual split after SPM (matriculation and STPM), it doesn’t make much of a difference in the public’s perception of fairness.

from Malaysiakini:

Starting next year, a new system will be used to calculate the merit points for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2009 school-leavers and the exam’s equivalent, for admission into public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs).

Higher Education Department director-general Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the change was in line with the Education Ministry’s new A+ pass level for SPM 2009 leavers next year.

“The system is introduced to accept the best into the IPTAs and to distinguish the difference between A+, A and A-,” he said at a news conference here today.

Using this new system, a student scoring A will be categorised as A+, A or A- with merit points of 18, 16 and 14 respectively, compared to the previous 1A and 2A.

He said grade 3B would be changed to B+ and have a value of 12 merit points, 4B changed to B (10), 5C to C+ (eight), 6C to C (six), 7D to D (four), 8E to E (two), and 9G to G with no merit points.

However, Radin Umar said the new method would also take into account the special entrance requirement to ensure that earlier students who obtained grade 6C (credit) were not moved to a lower grade.

“The processing, calculation of merit points, university entrance requirement, programme entrance requirement and candidate selection will be carried out in two ways, which are the current method for SPM 2008 leavers and those before that, and the latest method for SPM 2009 leavers.

“This way, chances of earlier SPM leavers to further their studies at the IPTAs are not affected.”

He said the implementation of the new merit calculation method would be made known to students, teachers and parents during the Higher Education Carnival 2010 with the cooperation of the Education Ministry, from January to March next year in 10 selected zones nationwide.

“The ministry will also hold briefing roadshows for guidance counsellors and update information in the brochures and Education Ministry’s website,” he said.

800ha land allocated for Indian education fund in Perak

October 17th, 2009
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This article came out on Star few days ago. The BN state government also allocated 2000ha for Islamic religious schools aid and 1000ha for private Chinese school aid. The aim is to use the proceeds from the cultivation of the land via an education fund to help the poor students.

It is indeed a good news. We can only hope that capable people are given the trust to manage the land, and all the three lands receive similar returns.

In what is seen as a Deepavali gift, the Perak government has announced the allocation of 800ha of land to generate funds for an Indian education fund in the state.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said earnings from the land, to be cultivated with oil palm by the Perak Foundation, would be channelled into the fund (Tabung Pendidikan dan Pengupayaan Pendidikan Kaum India) for distribution to poor students.

“I hope this will come as good news for the Indians who will be celebrating Deepavali tomorrow.

This is the state government’s commitment to ensure that all races facing problems related to education are given aid,” he told reporters after attending the 2009 Umno General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

He said the state government had also allocated 2,000ha for the benefit of more than 700 Islamic religious schools and 1,000ha to aid private Chinese schools.

Puteri UMNO calls for closure of vernacular schools

October 15th, 2009
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Isn’t this seditious? 🙂

Reported by Star:

Another motion adopted by the meeting called on the Government to review the education system and the abolition of vernacular schools.

Under the motion proposed by the Pulai division, the movement wanted the dual school system to be changed and replaced by a more suitable system that was acceptable to all races and with Bahasa Malaysia as its medium of instruction.

Anyway, this idea has been bandied about for ages now. The problem would be “replaced by a more suitable system” as mentioned above. It will be hard to compromise – for example, would there be Saraswathy Pooja prayers in national schools? Can organise Kabadi contest? Can the Chinese students bring non-halal food to school? Can celebrate Mooncake Festival? Guaranteed vernacular language class during normal hours regardless of the number of students? The staff of current vernacular schools given similar positions in new schools? No discrimination in the use of resources in school? A lot of the “freedom” would dissappear when the schools are abolished.

I think an independent team should be set up to interview and research on the Wawasan schools to see the issues that occur there. From use of common facilities to bringing food to school.

UNITAR intercollege singing and dancing competition

October 6th, 2009
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audition

“Night of Champions 2” is an inter college dancing & singing Competition for Indian students from IPTA or IPTS. More than RM9000 prize’s to be won in this dancing & singing Competition. This competition will be held on 30 OCT 2009 and the audition date is as above. Those interested can contact the number given in the poster above.

uncle, please help me to deposit cash

September 25th, 2009
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I was at a Maybank branch during lunch time, and a girl aged about early twenties approached me (called me uncle!!!), asking help to use the cash deposit machine. She did not know how to follow the instructions and worried will deposit the money into wrong account. I silently wondered why she didn’t approach the staff at the bank.

Anyway, I helped her to deposit the cash. And realised that the CDM did not have Tamil language version. Maybe that’s one of the reasons, others being illiterate or perhaps she’s just technology-phobia. Sad to see younger generation having this kind of problem.