The objective of STPM is to pass people?

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Edited on 7th Oct 2008: Some reader has reading problem, so I have to put on the disclaimer.

The article below was extracted from a forwarded email, below content is not represent my view, stand point or what so ever.
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After reading twinmum wrote about the education system in our country. I read about this from a forwarded email.

How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the examinations of the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) recently? When during your grandfather’s time only 10% would have passed? Are students getting smarter? Or are STPM questions getting easier? Let me put things in their proper perspective.

During your grandfather’s time, they would ask exam questions like:
In what year did Parameswara founded the kingdomof Melaka?

The correct answer was “1402”, and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn’t go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to
pass people.

I mean, what’s the point of having exams if people fail?

So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer.

The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.

Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year1402.
true or false?

Well, half of the students guessed “True” and the other half guessed “False”. Fully 50% passed. The results were getting pretty acceptable by now.

Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us. We are a better country, because we are a boleh country the authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:

Read the following sentence carefully.
“Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402”.
Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka.

60% underlined “Parameswara”, 30% underlined “Proton-Iswara” and 10% underlined “1402”. Hooiyoh……60% managed to pass! So krever!

But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:

One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka. Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat? 13% handed in blank answers, 57% wrote “Maggi Mee”, and 10% wrote “Kentucky Fried Chicken”, and 20% wrote “Tree bark”.

The official answer was “Food” of course!

After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed. 87%….. now that’s pretty impressive! So it’s true. The students are indeed getting smarter.

Is it true? I hope it’s not. I took my SPM in year 2000, pathetically I failed 5 subjects out of 9;

Failed
Add Math
Chemical
History
Morale
Physic
Passed
Bahasa Malaysia
English
Account
Math

When I obtain the result, my dad didn’t ask about my SPM result, normaly family will ngi ngam ngam and scold their kid How dare you come home! My dad asked “So? Study computer next?”, then I said “No, I am interested doing direct sales now, let me gain 1 year experience I will further my study”
(direct sale really not for me, please don’t convince me to join elken, cosway, amway, noway or lamp “burger”, because I really suck on sale product I am not interested, not I want to work in MLM, but dad was in bankcruptcy during that time, that was the easy way out to get a “job”)

I told my dad I am not interested what I was studying in secondary school, I have informed him to be prepared see me fail all SPM subjects, haha :). To be honest, I enjoy my time when i was in Form 4 & Form 5, it was the greatest honeymoon years. I start web designing + computing while I was in Form3, and into music band with friend. The only stuff I am interested is computing. So F4 and F5 is enjoying…

Until I went to college, THAT IS WHATI WANT! Programming… I doing quiet well in college, even got a scholarship from Deakin University, Aus(I can’t go there, can’t afford the expenses there :()

Well, I think Malaysia Education is not that bad, but seriouly, depend on parent. If your children doesn’t like what they want, don’t force them. Some of my friend, force by their parent to study computer science/computing, which the field they doesn’t like. How to force them to do programming if they don’t like(my friend is talented in design!) How are they going to work in the future, which they don’t like what they are doing???

For me, I think parent play an important role, not the school or teacher. Beside that, while student study in college, that is the best time to LEARN and do more research. Create your porfolio during your college/uni life, this will build a good path for your career after graduated. Trust me 🙂 It truly helps.