We must first make sure the awarding of scholarships is fair

Tuesday January 5, 2010
We must first make sure the awarding of scholarships is fair

I REFER to the article “Khoo defends views on Chinese education system” (The Star, Dec 1). I disagree with the views expressed by Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim.
According to the report, Dr Khoo urged his detractors “to convince him with statistics on how many students from Chinese school have obtained scholarships from the Government.” My point is unless we are sure the awarding of scholarships is transparent and fair, the statistics obtained are misleading.
The report also says that “Dr Khoo pointed out that students who graduated from the Chinese education system lacked creativity due to the rote-learning method.” Is this true? Students from the Chinese education system such as Chung Ling High School, Jit Sin High School, Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, Keat Hwa High School and many others score much better results then average in Maths and Science in the SPM and STPM exams annually.
It is common sense that Maths and Science cannot be successfully mastered through rote-learning methods.
What Dr Khoo pointed out here is not tenable despite the fact that he had been in education for 50 years.
Dr Khoo compared the achievements of Chung Ling with those of English-medium schools such as the Penang Free School, Victoria Institution and St Michael’s Institution during the 1960s.
We must make clear certain facts here for the comparison. While students of these English-medium schools learned all subjects in English from day one in primary schools to the last day in secondary schools, Chung Ling took in students from Chinese primary schools who studied one subject in English and the rest in Chinese.
From junior middle one to three, students in Chung Ling began to study the English language and also General Science in English while the rest of the subjects in Chinese. Only while they were in senior one to three that they studied all subjects in English except for the subject of Chinese language.
Why take the trouble to teach Chinese in primary schools and junior high school and change to English as major from senior one to three? This was firstly to make the students proficient in their mother tongue and then to enable them to continue their higher education in Western universities.
It must be noted that Malaysia had no diplomatic relation with China then and degrees from Taiwan were not recognised during the 1960s.
Dr Khoo urged those who had different views to back their claims with historical data and evidence. Is there anyone interested to dance to his music to win him over? Dr Khoo should make known whether he knows Chinese before the music starts.
KOK KH,
Kuala Lumpur.

Two conditions for PTPTN loans for UEC students

Friday April 30, 2010
Two conditions for PTPTN loans for UEC students
By RICHARD LIM
educate@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Independent Chinese school students with the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) must meet two conditions to be eligible for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans.
The first is that they must be accepted into a local private higher education institution, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said. The other condition is that the courses they pursue must be accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.
“Once they fulfil these requirements, they can apply for PTPTN loans, just like any other student,” he said when contacted yesterday.
He was clarifying an earlier statement over the requirement of a pass in the SPM Bahasa Melayu paper for the students to be entitled to apply for the loans.
Acting PTPTN chief executive Wan Ahmad Wan Yusoff also confirmed that there would not be any SPM requirement for the students to apply for the loan. He added that the PTPTN would discuss the technical side of the move with Chinese educationist group Dong Jiao Zhong representatives on Monday.
“These details include the number of students who apply, the date of application, and so on,” he said.
It is learnt that the PTPTN board met yesterday over the issue.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said a letter from Higher Education Ministry sent to the party stated that any student who furthered their studies in local private institutions of higher education after passing the UEC would be eligible for the loan.

Equal treatment over student loans, says ministry

Monday April 26, 2010
Equal treatment over student loans, says ministry

THE Education Ministry gives equal treatment to all Malaysian students who apply for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, China Press reported yesterday.
Quoting Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung, the daily said there was no quota for PTPTN loans.
Dr Hou said students from Chinese independent schools would have to pass the Bahasa Malaysia subject in the Unified Examination Certificate examination.
The daily said of the RM32bil in loans that PTPTN had approved since 1997, RM6.7bil were given to Chinese students.
Dr Hou said loan repayment amounted to only half the sum given out.
He added that should the repayment rate remain, PTPTN’s deficit would reach RM46bil by 2020.
He urged students to repay their loans promptly.