davidteoh.com | architecture + life

I really should be completing my assignments... but that can wait.

This was an interesting week on news. A hot topic on the blogosphere as well as in the Malaysian media was the fact that many parents ans students felt the 2005 PMR exam was a push-over. Too easy they said. I have maintained a keen interest on the state of education in Malaysia. So much so that in 2004 (The Star, 31 August 2004), I wrote in my article 'Lessons that matter'

While so much emphasis is placed on doing well for examinations, students who are not as academically inclined have to cope with being continuously put down.

I also stressed in that same article that while academic achievement was given undue emphasis, character building of students has been neglected. So maybe this year, these kids won't have to fear being put down. I know many young students who are not academically inclined but are caring, polite, attentive and filial. Better all those things than academically successful, but socially inept. But then again, I am where I am today not because of academic merit, but a mixture of both. However I don't see myself as being an 'ideal' and 'balanced' individual. I have many shortcomings and I do my best to make amends.

I think the best education a child can receive is to be nurtured to make realistic and clear goals in life. If a goal is realistic and there is a burning desire to achieve that goal, that child would be indomitable and unstoppable.

This blogpost by 5xMom is amusing. I mean, really... an easy PMR exam is not the end of the world. However, I do have some concern for these students who have to cope with the big change in Form 4 and 5 from a predominantly objective exam to a more essay format (subjective) exam.

As for those students who have neither academic merit nor emotional quotient, TV Smith has a novel idea for a career. Sharizal hints that it may be a lucrative profession as well.

Have a good weekend.

P/S I wanted to find an image to accompany this article, so I keyed in PMR exam in Google Images. Here's what popped up.