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| The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey. |
Kudos to all fifteen-year-olds for having accomplished
their mission fulfilling all requirements for Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3), the new and improved public
examination that marks its first year of implementation since PBS was
introduced in 2012. Being the firsts to sit for the exam in history, some of
them might have sleepless nights knowing that they dealt with the community’s
expectation.
Not only the candidates, the pressure is also felt by the
policy makers, parents and surely the teachers who have been working hard to
help students score exceptionally well. With mixed reviews about the
effectiveness of PT3 from educationists and academic researchers, I personally think
that this revised version of Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) will eventually
bring plenty of benefits on the students especially.
PT3 candidates now need to prepare for Written and Oral
tests (Listening and Speech) that are assessed separately for both Bahasa
Melayu and English subjects. Students
will obtain two different grades for both subjects based on their competency
and proficiency. This is beneficial for the students to help them improve their
writing and communication skills.
Nowadays, it has become a standard procedure
for selected schools, colleges and universities to interview applicants to
qualify them for admission. They cannot depend solely on their examination
results to continue their education or to get a scholarship. Indeed, it is a
privilege for these future graduates to be equally fluent in Bahasa Malaysia
and English especially when they compete for jobs later.
As for History and Geography subjects, the assessments
will be only on coursework without final papers, unlike PMR. This is good as
students will be trained to work on researches and assignments as that is what
they will face when they pursue their diploma or degree later. The experience
of completing a project will help them broaden their perspectives about a
topic. They will begin to open their mind as they find answers and solutions to
a problem. They could also polish their social skills when they conduct case
studies individually or cooperatively, if they work in groups. This is a good
step in making our education system less exam-oriented and students are given a
chance to enjoy learning as a meaningful process.
Hopefully, this great effort by Ministry of Education and
National Board of Examinations will produce more potential individuals that can
lead our country in the future.
17 October 2014
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