KUALA LUMPUR: Parents are asking for clearer instructions in the fieldwork required for the Form Three (PT3) Sejarah Assessment.
SMK Subang Utama Parent-Teacher Association president Mohd Solihan Badri said the method of assigning the project should be reviewed.
“We should put ourselves in the students’ shoes before implementing a policy. Adequate and clear explanations should have been given to the students.
“The question required students to do research and write about a historical building in their area.
“Some areas may not have historical buildings, but certain non-historical buildings may have a story worth telling. This will save the students, especially in rural areas, the trouble of having to travel far just to find a historical building,” he said.
A parent, Haneeza Abdul Kadir, 43, said while the intention was good, the ministry should pay attention to details before deciding on the requirements of the assessment.
“The students are able to learn about the history behind the building. However, they should not have been required to get the signature of the building custodian.”
A parent from Subang Jaya, who wanted to be known as Bibi, also called for clear instructions to be given for the fieldwork.
“There was confusion over where students should go as the subject only required them to visit any historical building in their area.
“As Subang Jaya is a new township, some students do not know where to go, and ended up at the airport (Subang SkyPark terminal). Some went to Kuala Lumpur, where there are lots of historical buildings.
“Unlike their counterparts in Kuala Lumpur and other places, the students, including my son, were not asked to get a signature. And why are there different instructions for different schools?
Shirley Tan, 49, said the ministry should consider scrapping the need for students to obtain the signature to prove their work.
“Going to the building and taking a photo is not a problem, but waiting to get the signature of an official there is difficult as they may not be there all the time.”