The lessons I was never really taught in school

Education plays a vital role in the upbringing of society. The Malaysian education system has continued to evolve over the past few decades – with the abolishment of UPSR, the change from PMR to PT3 and many more. Yet with each new minister taking office with their vision for Malaysia’s education blueprints, many of the methods and measures done were in vain.

While the system in Malaysia provides a good form of education experience, my experience, and observations as I embark on my tertiary education suggest otherwise. Let me tell you why.

OUTSTANDING GRADES ARE NOT THE ONLY PATH TO SUCCESS

Years of educational reform, our education system continues to put emphasis on attaining good grades that are assessed by means of a one-size-fits-all mode of examinations and homework for all students. Such pressure only places focus on fact retention rather than promoting lateral thinking amongst students.

This places more expectations for students to be spoon-fed rather than encouraging them to take the initiative to find solutions, adapt to changes whilst also being able to remain mentally and emotionally durable.

The reality is – merely having good grades does not equal to faring well in life. Now that I am in college, I realise that beyond just academic excellence, building my repertoire of soft skills like communications, leadership, time management and creative thinking are more important. 

You see – by the time students step foot into a tertiary institution, they are expected to be independent and accountable for their responsibilities. Assignments, classes, group projects and more – all these require essential skills more than just ‘textbook education’. They would need to learn to lead group projects and discussions, manage conflicts between team members and understand emotional intelligence to be able to navigate college life. My experience in school did not provide me enough training and support to build these necessary abilities.

The education system in Australia can be taken as an example. The teachers there are expected to use multiple methods of teaching and long-term assessments to grade them accordingly. 

BIASED POLICY IN EDUCATION

A study conducted by two youth movements – Sekolah Semua and Architects of Diversity – has shown that one in every two children face some form of discrimination in schools. Discrimination, in this context, refers to any unequal treatment, exclusion, lack of access, preference, or harassment done based on a person's identity including but not limited to their religion, skin color, belief, gender, language, socioeconomic status and more.

Delving deeper, 87 per cent of Malaysian Indian children experience the most in terms of race-based discrimination in schools compared to other races, and 40 per cent revealed that they were denied access to opportunities because of their racial background.

Despite such evidence, pessimists may still deny that such biases exist while others may say what happens in schools is a microcosm of the wider society, and therefore it helps to inform the students of the harsh social reality. However, I disagree.

As a Malaysian Indian, the discrimination I experience has hindered my aspirations of entering a boarding school. During my school years, I was told that I needed to work hard on my grades and my extracurriculars so that I could enter good schools and go on to do great things. So, I did. 

After scoring 5As in UPSR and being named Tokoh Kokurikulum, I was still denied my entry due to the quota system. 

It was at that moment that I became aware of such a topic. That experience taught me a valuable life lesson I never knew I needed – learning about cultural competences, multiperspectivity and equality. It taught me how to become a better citizen, and it taught me about respect.

When I was finally fortunate enough to meet wonderful people in college from all around the world, I understood how much the experience has prepared me for this exact moment. As we spent more time together, I saw just how ‘different’ we were. They were more mature in their thinking and more accountable in the areas of personal and professional development. Additionally, I noticed just how much more opinionated my peers were. 

GAPS IN URBAN AND RURAL INSTITUTIONS

There’s an age-old phrase that summarised how our immediate surroundings will affect the kind of education we will receive, the opportunities available to us and the kinds of people we’ll meet and be influenced by. This cannot be truer.

While the public-school syllabus remains similar across the nation, education between cities and rural communities are different in the sense that it creates unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Rural communities often receive an education that is lacking in resources in comparison to their city-dwelling peers like internet connectivity, digital devices and more.

Coming from a rural public school, I understood what I was deprived of once I started college. Though it is understandable that the facilities there were scarce besides the mindset, the problem was more on the neglect towards such schools as compared to the schools in the city.

Interestingly, I realised the sudden shift of memorising topics to critically solving scenarios once I further my studies and this explains the dire need for schools to refurbish their teaching ways. 

As a progressive nation, we ought to prioritise producing an overall skilled citizen. By developing their intellectual intelligence, practical wisdom and craft skills – which is the ability to create and innovate – we would be able to produce more Malaysians that are brave enough to take risks instead of just settling to be a part of the working-class.

While I do not think that the current education system is entirely wrong, but I do think that it keeps us at a level of mindset where we are incapable of thinking for ourselves. If such incompetence in the system continues, then what good would our certificates be if we can’t read, write, speak and think for the betterment of a more prosperous Malaysia?

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Dhruvee Mukesh Kumar is a second-year student who is now pursuing her studies in Bachelor of Law. She is also a Taylor’s College ambassador for The Risers – a student-led community that encourages young learners to engage with like- minded peers and promotes opportunities to equip themselves with valuable skills whilst also empowering one another to make things happen.

This content is provided by Taylor’s College.