Parents are furious over entrance examination by SJKC Lick Hung

China Press, June 3, 2015

Kuala Lumpur, June 3 – “Is it true that the children have to sit for entrance exam before enroll in standard one?”

Recently the Special Committee on SJKC Inventory has received many complaints from parents on Lick Hung Chinese Primary School (SJKC Lick Hung)’s standard one entrance examination to be held on June 20 for the 2016 new intake. Parents are furious even though the exam is free of charge.

They were against the entrance examination because they worried that the children who have not gone to conventional school and have hardly any basic knowledge will not be able to cope with the entrance test.

The special committee adviser Leong Chuan Tat told China Press the school should not have planned such an exam, as it would demoralize the students.

School should make no social distinctions in teaching

He said the school concerned is located in Subang Jaya, it is learnt that about 400 students are involved. Parents who are not happy will lodge complain to the Parents and Teachers Association of the school.

He opined that such a move would lead to many problems including corruption, in that some parents might resort to obtaining places for their children through the “back door” – by offering bribes to the school authorities.

Leong Chuan Tat stressed that the Education Act does not provide for entrance examination for children entering standard one but it does make it mandatory for parents to send their children to school upon reaching the school-going age.

But the action of the school seems to suggest that children who do not do well in the test should be rejected and denied their right to education, Leong Chuan Tat teased.

He hoped the school would make no social distinctions in teaching and not to classify pupils or judge them based on just one test.

He believe in the principle of diligence redeems stupidity. Besides the efforts made by the students, teachers also play an important role in nurturing the students as cultivation of talents required patience and time.

Pang Yue Cheng: To discuss with school principal

SJKC LICK Hung’s board chairman Pang Yue Cheng said he had received feedback from teachers and parents on the issue and will hold discussion with the school principal.

He said the school principal was in overseas; he would talk to her once she returns.

On the other hand, it is learnt that the Selangor education department has directed the district education officer to visit the school and look into the matter.

Ho Yun Hin: The only high-performance school in Selangor

Malaysian National Headmasters Union vice-president Ho Yun Hin said Lick Hung is the only Chinese primary school in Selangor awarded the high-performance school status by the Education Ministry. The school authority could have planned for the children to sit for a placement screening test to maintain the school’s high performance status.

He said generally there was no such exam in other Chinese primary schools, the Ministry of Education also did not give instruction to hold the exam. Perhaps because the school is a high-performance school, it is allowed to take in new students through the exam.

He said it could also be because of the limited places of the school which forced it to take such a measure.

Ho Yun Hin is also president of the Selangor Headmasters Union, on question whether the students who failed in the exam would be able to get into other schools due to time constraint; he said it should not be a problem as there are many other Chinese primary schools in Selangor.

Screening test not fair to students

Some retired headmasters said the placement screening test is not fair to the students as it would cast long term negative psychological effect on the student in future.

Quoting an example, they said if the students who did not do well in the exam are sent to the worst performing class they may lose the interest in learning and have no urge to make progress.

“This placement screening test is not suitable in primary school, after all the children have yet to learn, to differentiate their quality through the exam is not fair to them,” they said.

They said the exam was planned by the school itself, but strictly speaking it is meaningless.

Original Source: 未入學就要先考試 家長不滿力行華小甄選新生