THE reported RM4bil tuition industry clearly reflects the state of our teaching and education for our young.
Chances are we will continue in this direction, fuelling a system that will eventually lead to a total collapse of the education system if not treated with urgency.
In the past we have reviewed and debated the need for tuition and why parents are left with little choice but to send their children for private coaching.
Some parents and certain leaders have even stated that tuition is a must to “keep up with the changing times”.
Yet we are unable to get to the bottom of the issue and tackle it with determination.
If children cannot learn to master English, Mathematics and Science while in school for over six hours daily, then what are they learning throughout the schooling period?
If the one-hour tuition sessions attended three times a week can produce excellent grades, then there must be reason to believe that there is a gross neglect or a totally inefficient teaching system at work in schools?
If we say the real reason tuition is growing and thriving at a whopping RM4bil is because parents are too busy at work and want to keep their children out of trouble, then we should ask ourselves is tuition the answer?
Do we not see the holding of study periods in school with supervision from regular teachers as a better and cost-effective way?
If the reason for a booming private tuition industry is because of the ineffective student-teacher ratio, then what is the ministry's commitment to resolve this seemingly perennial problem?
It is about time that educationists, policy makers and think tanks put their heads together in the best interests of the nation.
Knee-jerk solutions and lack of will to think of the bigger picture will only set us all back eventually. Otherwise we might as well privatise all schooling.
J.D. LOVRENCIEAR,
Semenyih.
(The Star - 6 Jan 2006) Back |
