I am not the only one to be astounded by the flippant and irresponsible response of the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to my statement asking him to break his month-long silence and explain Malaysia’s disastrous showing in the 60-nation Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 for Year-8 secondary students.
Malaysia’s TIMSS 2007 performance was most dismal in the three four-yearly TIMSS participated by our students since 1999, with the lowest score for both mathematics and science, with 474 points for mathematics and 471 for science (500 is the TIMSS scale average), when Malaysia scored mostly above average in the previous TIMSS.
Malaysia’s comparative performance in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 TIMSS are:
Mathematics 1999 2003 2007
Ranking 16 10 20
Score 519 508 474
Science 1999 2003 2007
Ranking 22 20 21
Score 492 510 471
Since the international release of the TIMSS 2007 on December 9, 2008, there had been intense public debate involving the educational authorities, educational NGOs and concerned parents in all the participating countries on the results of TIMSS 2007 and their impact on their respective education policy and in particular how to improve the teaching and learning in mathematics and science for their pupils – except for Malaysia.
If Hishammuddin could announce Malaysia’s TIMSS 2003 performance within 24 hours of the international release of the results in December 2004, why is the reason for Hishammuddin thunderous silence for over a month about the TIMSS 2007 results?
Is this just because Malaysia had plunged from No. 10th placing for maths and 20th placing for science in TIMSS 2003 to 20th placing for maths and 21st placing for science inTIMSS 2007?
There can be no justification for keeping the Malaysian public in the dark about the findings of Malaysia’s performance in TIMSS 2007 and I had asked Hishammuddin to explain the reason for this month-long “conspiracy of silence”.
All Hishammuddin could say was his tongue-in-cheek response that I was just creating the issue for the Kuala Terengganu by-election.
This is the height of irresponsibility and arrogance.
Is Hishammuddin delaying a full ministerial accounting for Malaysia’s disastrous showing in the TIMSS 2007 for another three months, expecting a Cabinet reshuffle after the ascension of Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister and his moving up the Cabinet ladder – which will leave the responsibility for explaining Malaysia’s dismal results in TIMSS 2007 to the new Education Minister?
This is too transparent a ploy and a most unworthy one!
Hishammuddin should stop evading and avoiding the issue. Stand up like a responsible Education Minister and answer the many questions about Malaysia’s disastrous performance in TIMSS 2007 and the month-long “conspiracy of silence”!
#1 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 9:57 am
Does the news from Singapore that its top student is in fact a Malaysian Chinese shock our Minister of Education? Doesn’t he want to know why such brains have left Malaysia in search of greener pasture? The main reason is that countries outside Malaysia are “colour blind” and unlike the Malaysian way of classification of its people into Bumis and Non bumis!
If Malaysia continued with such classification of its people, the brain drain from Malaysia is going to continue and much of our brainy people will end up serving other countries rather than their own motherland!
After implementing the NEP for nearly four decades, ask our government how much improvement has the bumis achieved despite having suppressed the non-bumis to allow them to come up? The NEP is a total failure and the government knows very well but simply refuse to admit its mistakes! Continuing the NEP will just bring Malaysia to the pits and put an end to this wonderful country of ours where we get what we dig for, we get what we plant but where we do not get what we deserve!
#2 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 10:29 am
And did parents of school children realize that they are trying to “poison” the minds of our children by concealing the truth? Take a look at the back of the school exercise books and you will realize that the RUKUNEGARA printed at the back of these exercise books only contain the five principles and they have totally omitted or censored the preamble which contained words like “MEMBINA MASYARAKAT YANG ADIL”. It is for fear that some of our smart school children may one day turn back and ask our government what they meant by these words when they insist on maintaining KETUANAN MELAYU!
I am sure some of our children may be smart enough to understand what is happening around them and also comprehend the words “MEMBINA MASYARAKAT YANG ADIL” and they know very well that these two are at the far ends of the spectrum on either end respectively. They would also know that it is impossible for these two to meet and more impossible to achieve these objectives simultaneously! So in order not be questioned by these younger generations, the censor was absolutely necessary. Malaysia is not the only country doing this, Japan has attempted to change its HISTORY in an attempt to deceive its younger generations!
#3 by k1980 on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 11:22 am
Speaking of KETUANAN MELAYU, why has no umno warlord been bringing up this lately? But never fear, it will be back louder than ever after the Jan 17 KT by-election. However an umno defeat there will make sure the racists will think twice before playing this game again
#4 by rockdaboat on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 4:26 pm
k1980, it does not matter what they claim for this is akin to a person who can only run 100 meters (70 meters actually with 30 meters given in default) in 30 seconds but wants to claim to be a world champion.
#5 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 13 January 2009 - 6:50 pm
“Tun razak knew that it was an extreme policy, and he promised that it was for 20 years.” Loh
I supposed Tun Razak told you that.
#6 by taiking on Wednesday, 14 January 2009 - 9:09 am
Reason for drop in standard: Top brains all in singapore.
30 years ago as a young chiku in singapore already then there are lots of smart malaysian students studying under the ASEAN scholarship.
Today we are still exporting them to singapore.
Further, there are lots of malaysian teachers in singapore schools.
In fact one can easily find a few such teachers in every singapore school.
Of course Tuan McBully will say “we dont need them”.
Didnt cintanegara say something like we are good enough with lots of his fellow McBullys earning high NEP salaries etc etc.
With mentality like that can we expect kerismudin to be bothered by the result.
#7 by riversandlakes on Thursday, 15 January 2009 - 1:48 am
The man is just riding on his father’s name of Hussein. Dynasties do not a proper government make. Take Bush for the perfect example…
#8 by ktteokt on Thursday, 15 January 2009 - 7:29 pm
riversandlakes, this is the trend and norm in Malaysia! Sons of ex-PMs following their father’s footsteps – Najib, s/o Tun Abd Razak, Hishamuddin, s/o Hussein Onn, and now Mukhriz, s/o Mahathir. Where is the son of AAB? No son? Son-in-law pun bolehlah! They are trying to create a dynasty of PM’s children in Malaysia to lead Malaysia the way their forefathers did! But just like the dynasties of China, they will one day fall!