No need for paid ICT classes

Credit: https://mommypoppins.com/coding-kids-free-websites-teach-learn-programming

By Stephen Ng 

THERE is too much hype over the ban of paid IT literary classes in Chinese primary schools by the Education Ministry.

Having studied the issue, this is what I have put together to offer a better perspective for English-educated parents who have children in Chinese schools.

To me, the fear that some parents have that IT literacy classes will be taken away from their children is clearly unfounded.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has stated in no uncertain terms that the Government will introduce the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching the young generation of Malaysians.

Even newly-minted Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has indicated an interest in visiting Finland to learn how they achieved reform in their education system.

To reform the education system, one cannot depend on the traditional style of teaching using rote learning. We are already lagging behind many other developed nations because of our outdated teaching methodologies and the lack of proficiency in English.

Therefore, parents should not be unduly worried about the next phase of implementation, and surely a handful of PIBG (parent-teacher associations) committees do not represent parents in all 500 Chinese primary schools in Malaysia.

One has to just read the brickbats thrown by parents at the recent campaign launched by these PIBG groups when they submitted their memorandum to Dr Maszlee. I am more concerned that there are hidden hands behind the move that, to me, are all too obvious as the ones behind these “frontliners”.

The 93-year-old Father of ICT knows exactly what he meant when he said he wants to introduce the use of ICT into the school curriculum. Dr Mahathir was the one who brought Internet access into the country. He was the one with the vision to set up Cyber Valley and introduce various initiatives that saw the proliferation of IT education and ICT in government agencies.

I had every confidence Dr Mahathir in implementing these policies, and I am sure following the nonagenarian’s legacy, Dr Mazlee will be able to help our children be more IT savvy.

This is one reason why the paid IT literacy classes has become obsolete after 20 years, as its very existence goes against the concept of free education.

As one retired headmaster pointed out in an ntv7 interview (based on my limited knowledge of Mandarin, I quote): “The schools do not need external teachers to teach ICT and having to pay heftily for it.”

In one particular school, for example, the collection from IT literacy class alone was RM329,127 per annum. After deducting the fees paid to the external trainers, which totalled RM227,043, the PIBG had a net profit of RM102,084. No business can be as good as this, raking in a net profit of 30%! On top of this, everything is already provided by the Government: classrooms, electricity, and so on.

There will be no problem for the Education Ministry to incorporate ICT into the learning experience of our young ones. To me, the learning of ICT should not be confined to just one hour of class lessons but should be incorporated into the overall learning experience of the children.

For example, it is about time that some assignments require the children to submit their essays in a print format. Most families, especially in urban homes, have a computer or laptop that can be used. Children should also be encouraged to do their own blogging and to share their blogs with their counterparts overseas.

Whatever the excuses are to use external trainers, most younger teachers can easily handle ICT classes if these classes need to be held.

All that is needed is to provide them with some short seminars. Certainly that would be a better deal compared to parents having to fork out so much money to pay for computer classes that are conducted during school hours.

I can understand that parents want to have the IT literacy classes during school hours. Yes, that can be done, PROVIDED that the school is able to meet the number of teaching hours to meet the minimum requirements set by the Education Ministry.

These classes should also be made available to all the children as part of the free education policy.

Too many teaching hours are wasted with teachers having to collect fees for computer classes, all disguised as donations. My point is: If it is a donation, leave it to the donors to do an e-transfer directly to the PIBG account. What is so difficult?

As I understand it, some schools have also signed contracts with external vendors to set up the computer laboratories on their premises. If such arrangements have breached the ministry’s directives, I urge the Education Minister to set up a task force to look into the contracts to see if the schools are, in the first place, allowed to sign such contracts.

If yes, who in the state education department approved the signing of the contracts? The PIBG comes under the responsibility of the school headmasters; ultimately, the headmasters must answer to the ministry.

What I understand from the numerous complaints on social media is that parents do not want to end up having to pay all kinds of fees, and no one is against the idea of introducing IT literacy classes or incorporating ICT into the learning experience of children.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2018/06/11/no-need-for-paid-ict-classes/#QgKmP6CDsR9GmbdH.99