GEORGE TOWN, December 15 – Malaysia’s education discourse has shifted from examinations to a critical examination of policies and competence within the realms of educationists and politicians. The core issue revolves around understanding and respecting the natural learning process of young children, emphasizing observation, listening, and imitation. Recent policies, however, appear to disrupt this process, particularly during the crucial early childhood phase, where play and happiness are foundational before the age of understanding around 10.
The critique of examinations in Malaysian education reflects concerns raised by officials, including the education minister, about exams hindering rather than fostering development, without providing a clear rationale. The widening educational gap between students who can follow lessons and those who struggle has become apparent, leading to students advancing to higher grades without foundational skills. This, in turn, results in a significant number of failures in later stages, disproportionately affecting the lower working class and underscoring systemic issues in Malaysian education.
While reflecting on the current state of education, the article also reminisces about the colonial-era education system, highlighting its dual-language stream and the merits of the pre-Merdeka schools’ approach to double promotions and class retentions. The piece contends that the failure to comprehend how children learn during their formative years has led to unsuccessful experiments, impacting the quality of teachers, headteachers, and policymakers. It urges the Ministry of Education to conduct a comprehensive study to understand these failures and advocates for addressing the challenges rather than opting for the seemingly facile solution of abolishing exams.
