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Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the Education Minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad's comment about pupils from kindergarten skipping Standard One. 24.10.2000

Malaysian education system is in a state of flux. Ther are many policies. Some come unstuck such as the abacus programme. Yesterday, the Education Minister Tansri Musa Mahamad talked about allowing kindergarten pupils to enter Standard Two. this attracts attention.

A person matures at a different rate because of various factors including exposure. For a more exposed pupil, do we give him or her double promotion? If so, is it from kindergarten to Standard Two, Standard Three to Five or Standard Five to Form One?

Whatever the reasons for expediting a child's education, there must be acceptable aptitude tests and practical promotional system. This is nothing new. Other countries such as United Kingdom have similar preoccupation such as controversy about the Eleven Plus Examination in U.K. not so long ago.

Parents have high hope for their children. If school achievement is a fashion, they will find various ways to make sure that their children do well. Whether these children get anywhere after schools or universities, they can only continue to hope.

Four years ago, the Education Ministry started the Penilaian Tahap Satu, PTS, to assess pupils at Standard Three for double promotion. Now, the Ministry is reviewing the test to see whether it meets the objective. This attracts interest.

Tan Sri Musa said yesterday that the ministry is considering the proposal from parents and kindergarten operators to allow pupils to enter Standard Two. This is reasonable.

Before the minister goes to town with the review and subsequent decision, let us remind him of the mistakes before his time. For example, the sudden introduction of the New Curriculum, the 3R or 3M in 1982, the inadequate facilities and training of teachers for living skills, kemahiran hidup, the quick adoption and rejection of abacus to improve mathematics among students make people unhappy.

A person can be precocious or a genius on certain things such as mathematics, music and astronomy. But, he or she may be backwards on other things such as getting on with others, history or literature. How do we deal with a precocious child or a genius?

This year, there may be 400,000 pre-school pupils and nearly three million primary school pupils. What type of aptitude test will we have for the pre-school pupils before double promotion? Can the primary schools cope? Will they be ready by 2002 if and when we implement double promotion from kindergartens.

I favour letting kindergarten pupils enter Standard Two because of personal experience. However, we can make mistake. Looking at the mistakes committed by the Education Ministry, we urge it to be more cautious. Let us also look at the experience of other countries. How do they educate their children in kindergartens and primary schools?

Dr Tan Seng Giaw