I saw the news just now, and feel to seek opinions of fellow forumers here about the issue.

It's said to ensure a more uniform and fair distribution for JPA scholarship, number of subjects to be taken in SPM are to be limited.
Personally, I feel that this is not an effective measure to meet their goal, but instead, a measure to allow them avoid some problems that arise this year.

If everyone is limited to 10 subjects let say, there will be no those super excellent 16A1, 18A1 students. Then they can be rest assured that those kind of students cannot make noise even if they are of that materials. In the end, we might see that more Malays where they usually take less subjects get the scholarship, in a more nice manner, because the Chinese just got the same A1s with them.

And I feel that there is no way that students should get limited in pursuing knowledge. Okay, you may argue that no exam also can self study what. But just self study can't tell you how good are you in that specific knowledge. If you are interested in Accounts, surely you wish to get judged externally about your skill in the knowledge you are interested in. Furthermore, with an exam ahead, it ensures that candidates will determinedly study well for it. If now we all are limited in taking the subjects, then we can't explore more knowledge. Is that what we should be doing as a student?
NO!

I really that this is a way that the government wants to do to make non-Bumi to get scholarships as they would slice off the advantages of Chinese who usually take more subjects, and hence a more beautiful result.

This way won't work. It's even better that you have a stricter marking system, or perhaps introducing the tedious Ranking system like what done for the Year 12 in Australia. That would ensure who is better, who is not, who is more fit to get the scholarship and who is unfit, as long as the really excellent students can stand out.

I'll ask the following question: What degree would actually use the 16 subjects or whatever number of subjects in the SPM examination?

[in the context that you used, that more As somehow imply that a student is a better choice for some degree when it comes to JPA selection]

This post has been edited by bgeh: May 21 2009, 11:36 PM

i would say 12 subjects is more than enough........

Of course no degree requires the 16 subjects.
But it makes no sense to prohibit students from learning more.

Well, perhaps a system where they only look for specific subjects.
For instance, medicine will look at Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Add Maths English, Malay, Moral ONLY, Engineering Physics, Maths, English, Malay, Moral ONLY, Economics look at Economics, Accounts, Maths ONLY etc.
JPA has just set a minimum requirement for something like that. But who knows what's happening inside JPA?
Wouldn't looking specifically a better measure than limiting subjects to be taken?
I am doing a general education, not a specific knowledge of study.

This post has been edited by tanjinjack: May 21 2009, 11:47 PM

actually lesser subjects is better. the student can have more life instead of studying only.

Then you have the same issue, that if 2 candidates get A1s for your subjects listed there, but then one gets 16A1 and the other 'just' 7A1, you still get the same outcry. Doesn't solve the problem.

[Note: I'd be much happier if they actually decided to publish the selection criteria beforehand when applications are opened. The opaqueness is pissing plenty of people off]

Why don't they make the scoring standards higher? That way less people get good grades..

Hmm.......

I took 12 subjects and I think it's fine........

I think choosing how many subjects to take is a student's own choice.......if he/she thinks can handle it.....go ahead.......

Probably they should just say, choose certain number of subjects among all you have took, to apply.......

11 subjects is enough n 12 subjects is more than enough for me..u r nt gonna apply all da 16 subjects in ur daily life nor ur work isn't it? so wad for tk so many subjects

Ya lo.
That's why my suggestion is to have a stricter marking or a ranking system la..
Or they can have a very nice division for the grades, like..
A+ for >90
A for 80-89
A- for 75-89
B+ for 70-74 and so on..

Australia has them divided for 20 grades, starting from highest 95-100 A20, 90-94 A19 etc.
That at least shows who gets a better A.

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Added on May 21, 2009, 11:58 pmEveryone would just put in everything they have, isn't it?
And you can't ask people to choose subjects to take for SPM because of JPA right?
SPM is NOT for JPA only, but JPA sees SPM only.




But it doesn't hurt if you want to learn more right?
I mean, you now make students want to learn more also cannot, then what is the purpose of you all delivering education?

This post has been edited by tanjinjack: May 21 2009, 11:58 PM

goverment should not pamper the students..life is not that ez !

This post has been edited by CuteSanSan: May 22 2009, 12:01 AM

Exactly.Back in my days, even those who NEVER PASS add maths exam can get C/D in SPM...

The marking standard is pretty low...I'm not sure why.

nth wrong to learn mor..it's gd to learn mor..bt there should b a purpose of learning something..if it's merely a paper chase den wads the point?

This post has been edited by CuteSanSan: May 22 2009, 12:05 AM

For me, last time, initially it's really that want to get more A to take Accounts. But eventually, I feel that it's fun, although I didn't pursue a career for it though.
I also take Chinese because I have learned it formally for 11 years.
I took Art because I have interest in it and have learned for more than 10 years as well.
I even want to take Chinese Literature due to pure interest but I find myself unable to cope and hence give out that one.

Well, if such limit were to be imposed on me, then die lo me..
Either cannot pursue mother tongue, or personal interest liao lo..
what to do?

So, how can limit?

purpose?
Eh what? I thought the purpose of learning something is already "obviously stated" in the sentence itself.

LEARN.

Just that easy.
Some people don't like to take so much subjects in their exams.
That doesn't mean that they are allowed to curse those who just wanted to learn more.

If you are seeking "WHY" we learn so much for. Let me tell you something, I don't even use those complicated formula in the bloody add mathematics subjects since the first day I work, so why I need to take the subject for?

minimum is 9 subjects normaly..so chinese..art..chinese literature..12 subjects..ngam2 la bro

Do you seek recognition in things you learn?
I believe you do, be it a recognition from a body or a person you respect.
I believe for academic learning, exam is the best way to show proof of your hardwork for the subjects.
So, we should be allow to learn more, and take more subjects in exam.

Well, I have not been using History or Biology for now, but I don't regret or feel useless for learning it.
"You shall regret for not learning it, but not for learning it."


This is my case ma..
And I do not know what is the limit they are going to make.
Last time, I count I can make till 15, but do it for 12 eventually. LOL..
9+Chinese+Art+Accounts. Drop EST! Or else take Chinese Lit and General Science, I can make it a 15 leh..
I even thought of taking Music leh but too bad I can't do it because my school cannot offer.

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Added on May 22, 2009, 12:21 amBut it's truth la..
people usually take more subjects to get more As, instead of interest.

This post has been edited by tanjinjack: May 22 2009, 12:21 AM

paper chase is good in some sense bt cnt overdo it rite? n it's quite tedious to study sooooooo many subjects.. "all study and no play makes jack a dull boy"

Would you be happier then if they let you take more than the limit, and tell you the results, but it won't appear in the certificate, and that bodies are expressly told that they cannot consider subjects which are not on the cert? That'll fix the problem

Because frankly I took extra subjects which I never enjoyed in SPM and I still wonder why I took them other than my parents pushing me to do it.

*I also must note that I disapprove strongly of your Malay/Chinese prescription again

This post has been edited by bgeh: May 22 2009, 12:27 AM

LOL..
But wouldn't getting a stricter marking system a more effective measure to determine scholarship distribution?
It's not about me, but everyone..
Well, never would it be about me also, passed my time liao..

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Added on May 22, 2009, 12:35 amWhy must they choose the easiest method instead of a better method to solve a problem?

This post has been edited by tanjinjack: May 22 2009, 12:35 AM