Inproficiency due to Complacency

Star Q

i.  Homophones

ii.  Hokkaido Chiffon Cake

iii.  Sukantara

I read with much glee the other day when a prominent figure made a statement expressing a slight relief when informed that based on the current SPM curriculum, only 20% students fail English every year and that he is confident that the number will be reduced by 2016.

Two things come to mind when you ponder upon this statement; first why is it only 20% students fail English every year when we know full well that in schools more than this percentage fail.  And secondly if there is indeed confidence in the curriculum, why is the failure rate consistent at 20% every year?  

I shall not look at the second part of the argument which focuses on the curriculum but I will focus on the impact that the first aspect, that is why is there only 20% failures in SPM English every year, has on students.  

Time and again, year after year, after having involved with Form Fives for many years, I have come to realize that students themselves know this rate of percentage of passes amongst SPM candidates.  This group of students who are mostly from the intermediate group, know that they will pass the SPM paper even if they do not study or perform in class or during school exams.  Some how or other they know!  Somehow they know that a fail in school will get them a pass in SPM; a pass will get them a credit and a credit will get them a distinction!

The outcome of this knowledge is, the intermediate students become complacent and do not even want to participate in classroom discussions; worse still they do not even want to do the exercises given to them.  These intermediate students know full well that even if they don't perform in school and don't do exercises given to them, they will pass; and a pass in English SPM is all they need.  Teachers have a tough time convincing the students to do and think otherwise.

Perhaps it is time to give these students a dose of reality check, that what ever result they get for English during school exams will reflect the actual result they will get for their SPM.    However, having said that, the prominent figure will reciprocate by lambasting those in the teaching profession, especially the English teachers!

A reality check?  Get real!