EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND - Part 4

Secondary School - Part 1

So, I have joined Form 1 in Batu Buruk Secondary School, a 100% Malay Medium school. I remember I was placed in Form 1A2, a lower class compared to 1A1, which was an elite class. Form 1A2 was a moderate class where students were not really good. I could not understand how the school selected the students for the classes at that time. I noticed one of my classmate in the Primary School who were in position number 21 in final exam were placed in 1A1 class. My result was better than him (number 6) but I was placed in the moderate class.This was happened in the year of 1971.

I just didn't care about the discrimination and set myself to study as hard as I possibly could. Studying at that time was not like today. We have subjects taught by teachers in Malay Language (save for English subject which was called Bahasa Inggeris). No extra classes and no tuition needed. You have to create your own study hours or time table at home.

So, in the following year (1972), I was placed in Form 2A1, an elite class. This year was the starting moment for me in concentrating for the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) exam. Students in Malay Medium will have to sit for SRP exam whilst those in English Medium will sit for the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE). Both SRP and LCE were equivalent in terms of standard and necessities. Nowadays, they are called as Penilaian Menengah Rendah exam or PMR in its abbreviation.

I have my own time table for my study and revision at home. I remember that I have been studying very hard for the SRP exam. I have had  my own dream for the exam. I've had an ambition to continue my study in the Government's boarding schools. If I have a good result in my SRP I might be offered to join elite boarding schools such as Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), Sekolah Alam Shah (SASKL), Royal Military College (RMC), Sultan Abdul Halim Secondary School in Jitra, Kedah, Technical School or at least in any Science Schools.

At that time, the merit was set as the requirements for joining the elite boarding schools. The merit was set on the aggregate system. Students must take 8 subjects for SRP or LCE. There were 6 core subjects consisting of Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language), Bahasa Inggeris (English Language), Matematik (Mathematics), Ilmu Alam (Geography), Sejarah (History), Ilmu Sains (Science). Then there were other optional subjects for us to choose (2 more subjects) such as Pengetahuan Agama Islam (Islamic Knowledge), Sains Pertanian (Agricultural Science), Sains Rumahtangga (Home Science), Lukisan (Drawing) and Perkebunan (Gardening) to make it 8 subjects all together. 

The score for each subject was A1 as highest score, followed by B2, C3, D4, E5 and F9 for a fail. If a student can score A1 for all 8 subjects, he will definitely have 8 A1. But for the purpose of the merit, only 5 top subjects will be counted and the highest or the best result shall be Aggregate 5 (A1+A1+A1+A1+A1=5). If another student got A1 for both Malay and English Languages, B2 for Science and  Geography and C3 for History, his score shall be Aggregate 9 (A1+A1+B2+B2+C3= 9).

Different minimum scores were set by certain elite schools for intake of new students for Form 4. Schools like MCKK, SASKL and RMC required for 6 aggregate score whilst other schools like technical and science schools set the scores between Aggregate 5 to 10 as the minimum requirements.

The admissions to the schools aforesaid were not subject to any application from the students. The government has its department under the Ministry of Education that made the selection of students to join the schools based on the merit or the result of the SRP or LCE.

So, based on this pre-conditions, I really studied very hard in Form 3. I was located in Form 3A1, the elite class of Form 3.

When the School set for the Trial Examination, I was really fit and ready for the same. I emerged as the School's best student with the score of Aggregate 5. 

However, my score in the real exam was not as good as the trial exam...I've had only Aggregate 10! That has destroyed all my dreams forever... 

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND - Part 3

Primary School - Part 3

I remember that I was not really good in education from standard 1 up to standard 3. But in standard 4, I started to catch up and my pick up was good. By end of the year I was grouped in standard 5A, an elite class. In this year, we have Peperiksaan Penilaian Darjah 5 (Valuation Exam for Standard 5). The result from this exam will be graded. Five core subjects are included in the exam.

I think the basic rules and principles are similar with the today's UPSR. The only different thing was that we have had  the said exam in Standard 5 whilst UPSR today is held in Standard 6. The result from this exam will decide what secondary school we are in Form 1. If the result is good, 5A for example, one stands very good chance to be admitted into the Government's boarding elite schools, such as MRSM, Science Schools, Royal Military College, Malay College Kuala Kangsar and many more.

My result for Standard 5 exam is just moderate and I failed to qualify for the minimum requirements for  the admittance to the government's boarding school. But, I still capable to maintain my presence in the elite class for the Standard 6, the final class in Primary School. 

By this year I was good in English, Malay Literature and History but just moderate in Science and Geography. I finished 6th in my final exam for Standard 6. I think that was a great result for me. But, I was not selected for a Form 1 Removed Class in Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School (SSSS) because I was not active in sport.

At that time, SSSS was one of the best English based Secondary School in Terengganu. They have provided some removed classes for Malay language students selected throughout the state. The classes were just to convert the basic language from Malay to English. It meant that a student like me would have to spend 1 year just to learn English in SSSS.

My father did not agree with this Removed class and much more preferred for me to go to normal Malay basic Secondary School because I can save 1 year for my education. To his opinion, it was a waste of time for just learning all subjects in English. I did not bring you anywhere after the Lower Certificate of Examination. It was just for going into Form 4 in whatever school you have chosen or qualified for. 

My father was more concerned about Form 5, because it may decide where you can go after that, either to Lower Six for the Higher School Certificate or to Diploma or Matriculation Courses in Local Universities or perhaps to Universities abroad.

So, I was advised by my father to go to normal daily secondary school, other than to SSSS. There were few secondary schools available at my time. The nearest one to my house was Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk (today known as Sekolah Menengah Seri Budiman). Other schools were Sekolah Menengah Agama Sultan Zainal Abidin, Sekolah Menengah Panji Alam and Sekolah Menengah Padang Midin.

I have had chosen Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk as my secondary school.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND - Part 2

 Primary School - Part 2

 

Our pocket money per day at that time were between 20 to 30 cents (Malaysian currency) per school day. I have 20 cents per day for my expenses. With that 20 cents, I bought nasi lemak for 10 cents and 5 cents  for a syrup drink during class recession at 10 am. I still have balance 5 cents which I kept and collected every day as my saving. By end of the month, normally I had 1.00 dollar in my saving which I gave back to my mother. At that time Malaysian currencies are called in dollars and cents. I reckoned 1 dollar at that time was equivalent with more than 10 MYR today if compared with the purchasing power of the money.

banana leaf in place of umbrella for shelter

I went to school by foot. It was about less than 1km from my house. I woke up at 6.00am everyday. By 7.20 am I was already in school playing around with friends. If I have a duty roster I could have been in my class as early as 7.00am. I have been late few times to school during wet or monsoon season, but was pardoned due to the unavoidable situation. I used to cut banana leaves for my shelter from rain in place of umbrella. Those days umbrella was expensive and meant for ladies and girls only.

 

 

 

 

 

Every Sunday morning (in states like Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah and even Johor were having weekly holiday on Friday and Saturday at that time) after singing National Song Negaraku, the disciplinary teacher will check every fingers of pupils. If the nails are long and dirty you will be punished by caning. So, most of us have assured ourselves that our nails are clean and cut before going to school on every Sundays.

We also have to ensure our dress were clean and neat. Shoes, stockings, shorts and shirts must be in clean and acceptable condition by the disciplinary teacher. Hair must be short and neat. If your hair was considered long by the teacher, he will then cut your hair in a very unacceptable style of which your hair might be looked like a peeled coconut fruit. If you have undergone this type of humiliation, you will not dare to keep long hair again in school forever.

The best part was...none of us will tell or try to get some sympathy from our parents for punishments that we have in school so as to avoid further or extra blames or punishments from them. Those days our parents were on the school's side!!!

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