Remove Classes – Listen to the stakeholders

I think the DPM and other groups need to speak to the current stake holders of the Remove Classes, i.e. the students, teachers and parents before deciding on the effectiveness of the Remove Classes. I would urge them to LISTEN to the ‘recent” past students of Remove Classes and ask if the Remove Classes had helped them in any way. 

SP Nathan 

The PM and DPM had with great pomp announced in September 2012 that among other changes to the Education Blue Print was the removal of Remove classes and the introduction of remedial classes in year Four onwards in primary schools.

However in a surprising twist, the media reported late last year that the DPM cum Education Minister had verbally agreed to retain the remove classes due to the pressure from certain groups.

Lately the grapevine is abuzz that the announcement on the Blue Print at the end of this month would do just that … retain the remove classes.

Now, the issue to content with is a simple question. Are the remove classes helping students in gaining a better grasp of Bahasa Malaysia and help in their transition to Form 1. To date there is no detailed study on this issue except one by an NGO in the middle of last year. That study clearly found that Remove Classes do not achieve their stated purpose and called for either its removal or complete overhaul.

Admittedly the announcement on the Removal of Remove classes last year brought relief to some and sorrow for others. Let us analyze the varying thoughts on this.

One: there is obviously a lot of distrust on the educational policies and its motives. This I find, is the main reason on the reluctance of certain groups to accept the changes proposed. To say that this suspicion is not founded on any truth may not be fair. The state of affairs of our Education system and its products provides amble evidence that “past policies” have failed and the new one is nothing more than “packages” for further failure. So in the case of the Remove Classes, I can understand the wariness of the opposing forces.

But again can we continue to allow our suspicions to undermine the “life” of young people who are facing challenges and need help but become hapless victims of politicking.

In the case of Remove Classes, what we find in the classes are really students who need help. The nine months or so that they are going to spend in the Remove Classes, under the present state of affairs, cannot help them. They are going to end up in the fringes and become social outcast if proper help and guidance is denied. As suggested by the Blue Print, its better to identify the weak students early, in this case as the Blue Print suggest from year 4 onwards and give them remedial classes. There is no need to wait for them to go to Remove Classes.

I think the DPM and other groups need to speak to the current stake holders of the Remove Classes, i.e. the students, teachers and parents before deciding on the effectiveness of the Remove Classes. I would urge them to LISTEN to the ‘recent” past students of Remove Classes and ask if the Remove Classes had helped them in any way.

LISTEN to the teachers of Remove Classes and gauge if they are able to help and guide the students positively.

LISTEN to the parents of the Remove Class students and ask if they are happy with their children in remove classes and if there is any change.

AND finally, LISTEN to your inner voice and ask yourself this question …. Will you send your child to the Remove Classes given the current state of affairs.

Please do not gamble with the lives of the innocent for the sake of political expediency. Do what is good for these children. They are after all also our children.