NILAI: Beginning next year, students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination would only be allowed to sit for a maximum of 10 subjects.
The grading system for the examination would also be adjusted to better reflect the academic achievements of the students, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin.
He said the Education Ministry decided to do away with the open certificate system which allowed students to sit for as many subjects, as the majority took only 10 or fewer subjects.
“Records show that some 90% of students sitting for the SPM take 10 or fewer subjects. We want to streamline this as this would also be an easier way to determine the awarding of scholarships,” he said.
Some 450,000 students sat for the SPM last year.
Muhyiddin, also the Education Minister, said teachers would also be able to give more focus if students were only allowed to take up to 10 subjects.
“Teachers will be able to focus on core subjects ... also, parents would not have to rush their children for tuition classes if they took too many subjects.
“There are a lot of positives if we cap the subjects at 10. I am sure parents will welcome this ... it will also help teachers to better equip themselves (as they would not be burdened teaching other subjects),” he said.
On the grading system, Muhyiddin said instead of giving students a straight 1A, B or C, they would from next year be graded A+, A or A- and so on.
“The new grading system would be more effective when deciding which student is most qualified to get a scholarship,” he said.
Muhyiddin had earlier laid the foundation stone for the new RM1.3bil Education Complex at Bandar Enstek near here. The 290ha complex would among others house the Institut Aminuddin Baki and Institut Pendidikan Guru main campuses, English Language Training Centre, Tunku Kurshiah College and Nilai Polytechnic.
Construction of the first phase of the project started in 2006 and is expected to be completed at the end of next year. The second phase of the project would be carried out from 20100-2015.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/28/nation/20090528115951&sec=nation
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NILAI, Thurs:
The days of students taking up to 20 subjects in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination will end in January next year when they will be allowed a maximum of only 10 subjects.
Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said this would put an end to the controversy surrounding Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships and the number of As that students obtained in the SPM examination.
He said the government had yet to determine the grading system to be used when the decision was implemented next year to define those eligible for PSD scholarships.
He said the decision was not drastic as the percentage of those affected was relatively small.
He said only about 48,000 of a total of 500,000 SPM students were taking more than 10 subjects at the moment with the majority taking 10 subjects or less.
Speaking at the laying of the foundation stone for the Enstek Education Complex and Tunku Kurshiah College project at Bandar Enstek, Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the decision to limit the number of subjects was reached at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting.
"We feel that this move will also help teachers focus better and specialise in core subjects. Apart from that, it will also be less burdensome to parents who will not have to fork out large sums in tuition fees," he said.
On the grading system, he said it will be announced soon.
“Once determined, this new grading system will help us clearly determine and define those eligible for PSD scholarships," he said.
The issue of streamlining the number of subjects was raised following numerous allegations about the “unfair” distribution of PSD scholarships.
Among the most common questions raised was why some students who scored 14As were given the scholarships, but some who got 19As were denied them.
MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong was among those who questioned the PSD on the issue. Dr Wee, also Deputy Education Minister, said MCA Youth had asked MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and the three other MCA ministers to refer the matter to the cabinet.This was to ascertain the procedure and criteria of awarding scholarships to students to study overseas, he had said.
Gerakan Youth secretary-general Dr Dominic Lau had also called on the PSD to consider reviewing applications of students who were turned down to give them a chance to pursue their studies overseas.If they were rejected, an explanation should be given to them, Dr Lau had said.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin, who was earlier briefed on the Education Complex, said the RM1.3 billion project was among several measures taken by the government to develop the education sector.The education hub is scheduled to be developed in phases over 10 years.
"I hope the contractors will complete the project on schedule as some of these institutions are expected to begin operations in 2011," he said.He added that the hub would consist of education components including the Institute Aminuddin Baki, Tunku Kurshiah College, Malaysian Institute of Teachers Education and an English Language Teaching Centre.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/20090528135107/Article/index_html
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10 subjects only.
izit good news or bad news?
to me,it's good news,yet bad news.
good news is...we can drop EST.
[yahoo!!!!yee-peeeeeee!!!!!]
i really hate EST very much you know?!
every time,every test,my EST will drop down my percentage.super kns.
now can drop it,absolutely is good news lah!!!
but i think Mr.Ramesh will be very sad.haha.
And it's bad news is b'cos all of the SPM students can only take 10 subjects, this means 10 A1's SPM graduated students can found everywhere.
Consequently,darn difficult to apply for scholarship isn't it?
In this case,curriculum has become super important!but...my curriculum....OMG!!!!
Another troble is....how should we do now?
what should we choose?
Account or Chinese?
For sure,account is easier than chinese (x10)
But,as a Chinese,give up Chinese.........
erm...cant lah.
we learn English,we learn Malay,someone even learn Japanese
but drop our own language?!drop our mother tongue?!
izit correct?!
If you think Chinese is not important at all,then you're absolutely wrong!
Nowadays China has become a very strong economic country,and we don't know whether it'll replace U.S.A in the future.
If this happen,then i don't think Chinese is not important at all. Don't you agree?
Aiyo.....pls change it to maximum 11 subjects lah.
Or better yea,allow us to drop history. hahaha.
I'm super damn hate history.
The F**K history will make me insane!!!
So many names,so many incidents,so many contributes .
What is the point for us to memorise it?!Waste my time only!I better spend my time in A.maths,Bio,Phy,Che or other useful subjects wat.
Every chapter study about the defunct.
The most impractical is...Islamic history also need to study?
OMG!!!!!
I'm a Buddhist but I never study about the Buddhism history,but now i need to memorise the history of Agama Islam?!!!!
What are the name of Nabi Muhammad's family members and friends also need to remember!!!!!!
【i don't even know what's my grandpa's name,but we have to remember Nabi Muhammad's famiy's members name?!!!!!!SHIT!!!!】
Crazy or insane?! BOTH i think!
Darn!so many foolish things need to memorise,for what?!
To promote the patriotic spirit ? 【voimt-ing >''<】
Okay,just share this SPM info with all of you.
And other words you all can treat them as rubbish.
And...
I don't know this news is 100% true or not.
懊恼ing.
→Eunice←
Waiyang...小心你的手啊~
典毅男人帮
