THE Education Ministry has been urged to formulate a viable plan supported by accurate data before pressing ahead with removing the streaming system in secondary schools.
Educationists, economists and education groups told the New Sunday Times that the data must take into consideration the nation-building agenda and issues affecting the country, which is facing a shortage of highly-skilled human capital.
They contend that although the move could foster excellence, abolishing the streaming system without proper monitoring would aggravate the country’s problem of depletion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) talent.
National STEM Movement chairman Professor Datuk Dr Noraini Idris urged the ministry to carry out a pioneer project for at least six months at selected schools to identify the advantages and shortcomings of the move.
“Do not melatah (act deliriously) when pushing ahead with implementing such a plan. Thorough studies and adequate preparations must be done before coming to a decision (to remove the streaming system).”
She highlighted the importance of training and preparing a pool of good STEM teachers to encourage more students to take up the subjects.
“It is important to have teachers who know how to make STEM subjects more appealing. Studying them is not merely about memorising formulas. STEM can be interesting if students know how to apply the knowledge gained from learning the subjects to their daily life.”
National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Harry Tan Huat Hock concurred with Noraini, saying that although the move reflected the ministry’s direction of adopting students-centred policies, it should be thought out.
“When students learn a subject that they are in love with, they will perform better. The opposite will happen if they are forced to study subjects they hate. They will rebel. One of the issues raised is that we may not produce enough STEM students, but the current system is also not meeting the 60-40 target (60 per cent science and 40 per cent arts students).”
The union, however, highlighted the importance of parents’ intervention to help their children decide their future by seeking advice from counsellors and teachers at their respective schools when the plan is implemented next year.
Parent Action Group for Education honorary secretary Tunku Munawirah Putra suggested that the ministry impose a set of conditions on students in choosing the subjects.
“Without the system, students might prefer to pick subjects which are easy for them to score A with little thought about what they will pursue in higher education.
“Most students have no idea what they will do post-Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia. A poor choice of subjects may thwart their chances of getting into good colleges and universities.”
Economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng said apart from allowing students the flexibility to choose their desired combination of arts and science subjects, an issue that needed to be addressed was upgrading English language competency.
“Failing which, the mastery of either discipline or a combination of the two will be difficult for most students. There must be more efforts to make STEM subjects more ‘sexy’ so that it can excite, inspire and motivate more students (to take up the subjects).”
It was reported that starting from next year, Form Four students would no longer be divided or differentiated according to the arts or science streams. They would instead be allowed to choose subjects based on their interests.
Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching had said the difference between the two streams would no longer exist in line with the implementation of the Standard Based Curriculum for Secondary School.