Komentari : "UPSR school shame"

Laporan berikut adalah dirujuk:

KUCHING: An overemphasis on good academic results could be the reason three Year Six pupils of SK Bandar Bintangor were prevented from sitting the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination recently.

The three boys, regarded as “academically weak”, were locked in a remedial classroom from 8am until noon while their classmates sat the exam on Sept 13 and 14.

The school, located 600km from here, was said to have resorted to this to ensure the boys did not “pull down” its overall performance.

The three were identified as Idie Ganyol, Edward Ujoh Augustine and Richmend Mangi.

Bintangor district police chief Deputy Superintendent Mohd Hafifi Mohd Salim confirmed the case and said police reports were lodged by the boys’ parents last week.

“They were locked in a room to prevent them from sitting the exam because they were said to be academically weak and this would affect the school’s performance.”

However, he said, the case was now considered closed as the parents had agreed to withdraw their reports after they were given an assurance that action would be taken against the headmaster. He added that the state Education Department was aware of the incident.

National Union of the Teaching Profession president Hashim Adnan said what the school did was wrong.

“The children have every right to sit the exam, notwithstanding their poor academic record. It is not the school’s business to handle the matter in such a way as this would ruin the pupils’ future.

“At the end of the day, it’s not all about achieving As in exams but our capability as teachers to ensure they become good citizens who will contribute to the country.

“If the pupils did not do well in their studies, there must be something wrong with the school’s teaching methods.”

Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, who is president of Parents Action Group for Education (Page), shared similar sentiments, saying it was wrong to stop the three boys from taking the exam.

“The rule in every school is clear; every child needs to be educated.”

She said there were ways to handle pupils with special needs, including the autistic and mentally disabled.

“There are few schools with special classes for dyslexic children but there are ways to handle these children instead of shutting them out.”

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datin Fatimah Abdullah expressed her concern, saying UPSR was an important examination.

“However, I have not received any report (about the incident) yet. Let the police investigate.

“As far as I am concerned, no pupil should be deprived from sitting any exam, regardless of their academic performance.”

Bernama quoted Fatimah as saying that the Malaysian Examination Syndicate had been asked to study whether there were any regulations to stop candidates from sitting the UPSR because of problems like truancy and indiscipline.

The school and state Education Department officials, however, could not be reached for comments.

Meradong assemblyman Ting Tze Fui, who was approached by the boys’ parents, claimed the boys were only allowed to sit the exam on the final day on Thursday.

Ting said the school had been unfair to the boys.

“On receiving the reports on Wednesday, policemen who went to the school found the boys locked in a room. They were eating and playing there.”

She chided the school for denying the pupils the right to take the examination.

“Not everyone is born smart but they can learn. That is why we need education. No discrimination should exist in our education system.”

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Kesedaran pihak berkuasa tentang keperluan murid-murid sekolah yang berbeza mengikut tahap penerimaan mereka adalah dihargai.

Yang perlu dilaksanakan sekarang ialah mempercepatkan lagi perlaksanaannya sesuai dengan proses transformasi negara.

Selain dari autistik dan dyslexia yang memerlukan pemerhatian khas biasanya sekolah yang khusus, murid sekolah dengan masalah lembam (slow learner dan learning disabilities) perlu lebih diberi perhatian disebabkan mereka ditempatkan di sekolah yang biasa. Perhatian bukan sahaja dari segi akademik, malah dari segi sokongan mental dan sosial.

Saya teringat zaman saya di sekolah semasa berada di Tingkatan 3, saya mempunyai seorang rakan yang masih tidak boleh membaca. Beliau adalah normal seperti saya, tiada bezanya. Cuma beza antara beliau dan yang lain ialah beliau tidak boleh membaca. Bayangkan ketika beliau di suruh membaca secara kuat di dalam kelas dalam keadaan beliau tidak tahu membaca. Apa perasaan beliau?

Ketika itu mungkin masalah lembam ini masih tidak mendapat perhatian - baik dari pihak sekolah ataupun ibubapa. Akibatnya, pelajar ini akan dipersalahkan. Keupayaan beliau direndahkan. Paling malang, beliau diejek oleh rakan-rakan bahkan dimarahi oleh ibu bapa sendiri. Sedangkan, masalah ini pada amnya, bukanlah pilihan beliau. Ia masalah yang selalunya berkaitan dengan sistem saraf.

Yang perlu dibuat ialah memberi sokongan kepada pelajar seperti ini. Pihak sekolah perlu mengenalpasti dengan segera pelajar mereka yang mempunyai masalah ini. Ibubapa juga perlu proaktif dengan memberitahu pihak sekolah tentang anak mereka yang mempunyai masalah ini. Kedua-duanya perlu memberi sokongan dan bukan cepat dengan hukuman.

Kita perlu meletakkan diri kita dalam posisi mereka. Tidakkah kita mahu bantuan yang sewajarnya? Saya pasti, tiada siapa yang mahu dirinya dikurung dan disisihkan semata-mata kerana mahu menjaga reputasi secara tidak adil.

Pelajar sekolah perlu diperlakukan sebagai seorang manusia dan bukan bahan dagangan yang turun naik harganya. Sekolah di dalam laporan di atas, terutamanya yang terlibat dalam kejadian mengurung pelajar-pelajar tersebut patut merasa malu atas tindakan mereka. Saya tidak fikir mereka akan melakukannya jika yang bermasalah itu adalah anak kandung mereka sendiri.

Saya syokan supaya mereka diberi kursus khas untuk bagaimana menghadapi kegagalan ataupun belajar dari kegagalan kerana yang sebenarnya mereka gagal dalam memahami masalah pelajar sekolah mereka.