Mood: irritated
Topic: DILEMA MELAYU MENARA GADI
As an ex-lecturer at one of the medical schools in
(1984-1997), I taught medical students during their first
year at the
medical faculty.
The matriculation was initially introduced with all the
noble intentions
of the NEP and it was for the duration of two academic
years, equivalent
to that of STPM. Over the years, the matriculation period
was reduced to
one academic year (I can't remember exactly why).
We (the lecturers) began to notice the difference in the
quality of the
students - between those coming from the STPM (mainly
non-bumis) and those
coming from the matriculation system (the bumis).
Although the students from matriculation were also the
cream of the bumi
students, in general they could not fare as well as the
non-bumis. No
matter how hard the lecturers try to coax (sometime to the
extent of spoon
feeding) and motivate them, we could see the difference.
Even when answering essay questions in Bahasa
fared better. I could tell the difference in the script.
Students coming after STPM are more mature, resilient,
confident,
independent, self-directed, motivated and with high
self-esteem. The
students from matriculation are hardworking and also
motivated but
something is amiss with their pre-university education i.e
during
matriculation.
They seem to be not fully ready for university life and
academic
expectations. I am not saying that all matriculation students
are like
this.. The majority of top 10 students are still bumi
students but in
general, perhaps the bottom 50 percent are also from
matriculation.
Of course, when I was still employed there, we lecturers do
give our input
to the powers-that-be in the university. We even suggested
doing away with
the matriculation and have one university entry
examination.
We were told it was not for us to decide, the politicians
are the ones who
make the decisions. Try talking to rational, farsighted
Malay
educationists (not nationalists) and they will give you the
same
suggestion.
Over the years, the structure of the matriculation system
has been changed
a number of times. Before it was under the various
universities, now it is
under the Education Ministry. This affected the monitoring
of the
students' performance in the matriculation system.
The mindset of the Malay students (and Malay politicians,
i.e Umno ,
nationalists and even Malay teachers) has been frozen in
the yesteryears
and it will take a great effort to thaw it.
When I suggested to some post-SPM Malay students (who
excelled in the SPM)
to choose STPM over matriculation, they refused to do so,
citing teachers
who said that the STPM was difficult and more so for Malays
because Form
Six teachers were mainly Chinese and non-bumis!
Actually, I think the bumi students in matriculation are a
capable lot. Justice is not being done to them by not allowing them to compete
and this does not help toempower their intelligence. The semester system adopted
does not allow much time for them to digest and analyse the
voluminous
information and knowledge being pushed down their throats.
What matters is .vomiting¹ out the information on to the
exam papers and
after that they can forget about it. Next semester there
will be other
papers and what was taught in the first semester will not
be asked again
in the second semester.
Life in matriculation schools is about cramming
information. Interaction
is only amongst the bumis with a sprinkling of non-Malays who
perhaps will
also keep to themselves. There is very minimal cross
interaction and
learning from students of other races.
It is not so bad for those who came from an urban
background, but for the
Malays who are from rural schools, they will remain in their
cocoon.
Hence, when they enter university, it is an emotional and
cultural shock.
You can't blame the students (both bumis and non-bumis) for
only clicking
with their own kind. They feel insecure with the other and
they sometimes
compete unhealthily. Knowledge is not shared and it is not
unusual to hear
that important reference materials only get passed from one
person to
another of the same race.
Study groups consist only of one group of students of the
same race. Talk
about polarisation. Who polarised them? Talk about unity
and Bangsa
I do not understand why the government cannot see the
.loss¹ the bumi
students are experiencing in the long run. Let¹s adopt one
entry system.
The setback will only be temporary to the bumis.
We can turn the matriculation schools to Form Six schools.
Teachers in the
matriculation system should have no problems teaching in
Form Six since
the there is not much difference in the syllabus and they
are also
graduates majoring in the subjects they are teaching.
Teachers in the
matriculation should also be exposed to the more
experienced STPM teachers
(if this is the perception).
With regards to the criteria for university entrance, which
may not
necessarily be 100 percent academic, I would agree that
students of all
races from disadvantaged backgrounds and rural schools
(unless the
Education Ministry is saying that all schools are of the
same calibre) be
given due consideration.
However, whatever the criteria is, the students must know
all of them and
how much weightage each carries.
Let's hope concerned Malaysians who feel strongly about the
university
entry system will not stop discussing about it. In fact I
think we all
should form an NGO specifically to work towards a common
pre-university
education that will open the way for a common university
entry
examination.
I can only say that the recent .heroic¹ act by our prime
minister in
allowing the 128 non-bumi students to do medicine is a political
ploy and
the scripts have been acted out well.
Perhaps next year, he will ask the universities to take in
Indian students
who are not selected and the year after that, Malay
students who made it
but were not given the opportunity. All the three main
races are kept
happy using the rotation system!