Why foreign trained students are better?

I was called to attend a meeting organised by PPK from 4th to 7th Nov 2008 at Sanctuary Resorts Cherating,Kuantan to do comparison between our SPM science subjects curriculum specifications with some foreign countries' such as Australia,British,Canada and Singapore.

After the comparisons we noticed that our cs is more compact and more academic in two years Form 4 and Form 5. The foreign ones are more activity-based and student-centred. Their academic materials are less. Time allocation is more for activities.

We do stress on the dvelopment of the thinking skills and science processing skills and creative skills. Time is not allowed for us to attain such noble aims stated in our cs.

There are two opposing views about the existing secondary education. One is to produce students of global mantality,and full of creativity.The other one is to emphasise the academic achievement in public examinations.

They always put the blame on the opposition for the failure of our students in their career advancement and soft skills.

In fact our cs is adequate to train students to attain independent creativity and vision in all fields such as management skills,morals,experimenting skills,personal relationship skills and others.

Teachers are bound by the respective directives from the Head, PPD,JPN and the Ministry to implement programmes that may not bring forth benefits to the schools or students. Most of the programmes are time-consuming. Teachers are forced or unwillingly to run the programmes in their classes which is supposed to be used just for teaching.

In the meeetings, we voiced out such predicaments. But no one is able to help us out.

Still we need to adhere to guidelines and directives from the top.