Discussion issues on curriculum

Good morning,

Curriculum in Malaysia education is an ever changing process which is strongly affected by current and issues happening locally and globally. Countless changes regarding the curriculum along with the teaching approaches had been made since the very beginning. The diagram attached in this forum shows the changes of curriculum of our Education system during late 1980s until today.

New Primary School Curriculum (KBSR) was introduced in 1982 in 305 schools on an experiment basis, and was fully implemented on 1983. KBSR was replace KLSR since there are many comment on this curriculum whereby it does not fit the student’s needs and the content of the KSLR was not dependent among other subjects at makes it hard to be implemented well. KBSR.  The aims of KBSR is to equip learners with basic skills and knowledge of the subjects. Apart from emphasized the three elements of basic skills (reading, writing and applying mathematical concepts), it also focus on a human development process which will produce an individual with a high moral standard. KBSR was divided into three major areas; communication, human and environment and individual development. Each part specifically narrowed into four components which consist of basic skills, spiritually, values and attitudes. However, New Primary School Curriculum was the changed to Integrated Primary School Curriculum, to center on the concept of integration. By implementation of the new curriculum, some of the subjects was revised including Language subjects, Moral education, Islamic education and the Physical education to enable a new elements such as patriotism, integration, creative and critical thinking skills, mastery learning, multiple intelligence and etc., to be encompassed (Educational Milestones in Malaysia, 2001).

Integrated Secondary School Curriculum (KBSM) was implemented after continuation of the KBSR in secondary schools in1989. Some of the principles by which KBSM was designed are the continuity from the primary education, integration of intellectual, spiritual, emotional noble values and physical elements. It also stressed on the lifelong education and the further usage of our national language. (Educational Milestones in Malaysia, 2001). KBSM was recheck in 1990 to fulfill vision 2020, globalization and ICT. Some modification taken such as Malaysia government had prolong the compulsory education system form 9 years to 11 years and the concept of smart school was introduced in mid of 1990, where 90 schools were given the chance to undergo the processes. Besides that, the public examination was also recheck and comes out with the amendment at where the students after PMR will continue their study whether in science stream or art stream in daily school, boarding or Islamic school based on their interest.

Next, teaching and learning mathematics and science in English (TLMSE @ PPSMI) was implemented gradually in January 2003 to Form 1 and Form 6 (Secondary School) and Primary 1 (Primary School). It was fully implemented in 2007 (Secondary School) and 2008 (Primary School). The objectives of TLMSE; (i) to achieve the modern country level, (ii) to compete in the globalization era and (iii) English is the international language and the language of knowledge. However, it found many issues such as difficulty of the students to follow the lesson and the teachers to adapt with the changes of the language etc. Consequently, student’s performance in mathematics and science decreases. Lastly Minister of Education, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin terminate the TLMSE starting 2012.

Recently, Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR) was established in 2011 for primary 1 students. The learning and content standards that are outlined in KSSR were specifically aimed towards ensuring students acquire basic literacy skills by the end of primary 3. KSSR will be implemented fully in year 2016 where primary 6 students no longer be evaluated based on their primary school evaluation test (UPSR) results, but from their overall performance and classroom participation. While, Secondary School Standard Curriculum (KSSM) will be implemented fully in year 2017 which replace the KBSM.

Based on my explanation, it shows that curriculum had gone through a lot of changes from time to time. Some peoples will feel the changes produces many difficulties to the students, community and lastly to ours country. However, the changes would be relevant to the age, critical values which each and every Malaysian should still possess even the time changed. As a future teacher, we should get ready from now in order to accept and try our best to implement the changes that will be implemented in future.