The Parent Action Group for Education (Page) is of the opinion that the School-based Assessment System or Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah (PBS)) is a good plan in its aim but has proven to be deficient in totality as a replacement for the examination-based system.
We therefore recommend that until a thorough comprehensive plan for PBS is properly laid out, modelled on an already working system elsewhere in the world and piloted to scale, PBS should be put on hold until all the kinks are ironed out.
The PBS system is a total system overhaul compared with all the other numerous changes that we have had so far. However, it was done rather hurriedly and without proper supervision.
There are too many uncertainties with PBS. Parents are sceptical of such a system due to unanswered questions, such as how is PBS going to maintain a consistent marking system across the board? What acceptable measures are taken to guard against biases?
What is the benchmark needed for admittance into residential schools or other non-national schools?
No teacher or any examination syndicate member has answered these questions convincingly. PBS requires that teachers evaluate each student individually. This can cause inconsistent marking.
Not only are teachers not used to such a marking scheme, but teacher evaluation is subjective and varies among different teachers and schools.
In addition, a real sore point with teachers is that the PBS evaluation comes with a huge baggage of administrative and clerical chores in the method of reporting the progress of students. This method of reporting is also questionable.
We agree that teachers should not be overwhelmed with these administrative tasks. They should be focused on one thing, which is teaching our children. Any other chores that take away their classroom and lesson preparation time will not benefit the children.
The reasons behind the success of tuition centres are quite clear. The teachers do what they are meant to do, that is to teach 100 percent of the time allocated.
Tuition centres also tend to have smaller classes and have autonomy over the way they are run, as well as their housekeeping. It is unlikely that tuition centres will tolerate ineffective or dysfunctional teachers.
Financial factors aside, the success of tuition centres should therefore be studied and be copied as we progress towards a more decentralised schooling system.
Learn from Khazanah's Yayasan Amir
Lessons can also be learnt from the 10 trust schools of Yayasan Amir of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
The 10 trust schools pilot different classroom teaching systems, but use the same curriculum and they are constantly supervised, as opposed to the 10,000 national schools undergoing a complete shift of teaching policy and moving aimlessly, without proper implementation or preparation.
Teachers need the proper intervention, mentorship and guidance so that they understand fully what needs to be done, with the supporting infrastructure in place as well.
Hence, until such time that the Education Ministry and its various branches have a proper direction and ability to ensure the success of the policy, the PBS should be put on hold.
Schools and the ministry must be held accountable for their performance. No policy implemented will ever be successful if no one is held accountable for its failure.
We wish all the best to Suara Guru Masyarakat Malaysia in their bid to convince the ministry of their demands at their peaceful rally on Saturday, Feb 22.
Page is an educational lobbyist that serves as a channel between concerned parents, the Ministry of Education and other educational stakeholders.
Page provides parents with a platform to voice their opinions and feedback on educational issues collectively as a bigger voice. We are optimistic that Malaysia will be able to produce more first world talents.
NOOR AZIMAH ABDUL RAHIM is chairperson of the Parent Action Group for Education.
