The Leak

I am very concern about the leak of UPSR examination session 2014 which has undoubtedly caused a deep emotional wound and long lasting effects to the mental and spirit of 12 year old kid.  I recalled myself in my 12 year old, I was struggled by sweat and tears to score straight A’s so that the admission requirement to MRSM will be fulfilled.  For a family whose background is Malay language, growing up in Malay neighborhood, practicing Malay custom; the father is a government servant and a mother is a housewife who solely depends on book to teach their kid a single word of English;  Can you imagine how hard it is to construct an English essay?  How much effort a normal kid (described), will need to put in in order to ensure a comprehensive and well-structured English sentence?  How many nights of torturous prep and distressed tuition that the kids have to go through on top of the normal schooling?  Not to say the investment a father and a mother has to clothe with everything they have and they own. 

But of course, a well-equipped pupil will have no issue to re-seat for the exam.  Math skill comes from disciplined practice.  English on the other hands, require understanding on the grammar and gradual effort on the vocab.  A well-equipped student will have no issue answering the question for the second time.  But the question is, will they be able to sustain the same confident and mental readiness?  Will they be able to understand and digest the issue that has caused them to re-seat?  

Would anybody care to tell these innocent kids that they have to re-seat because we, adult are really afraid we’re gonna get beaten by the system or we adult are so greedy wanting to make commercial benefit from the disclosure of the exam paper?

Our government has failed to manage and respond to the situation well.  When the leak of Science and English paper were announced on Sept 10, we have heard rumors pertaining to the Math paper as well.  Ironically, no action is taken and we continue to allow the kids to sit for the Math paper.  The rumor turned out to be true only on Oct Sep 22, and we easily ask them to re-seat.  We just don’t care how much postponement means as compared to re-seat. 

Assessing other factor that might caused the leak, which is the force that parents, teacher, school and commercial tuition center are bogged down with for merely many objective. Rating is way more important than producing a good human capital.  We gather our students on a morning call to recite doa and repeatedly vow to our Rukunegara, when eventually we’re back to classroom and see only rating.  

We deviate completely from our pledge to concentrate the whole of our energy and efforts to achieve success based on these principles.