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University Open University Malaysia (OUM) is Silencing Me, Oppression happens in university too!

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TSBig_Dream
post Jul 18 2021, 04:05 AM, updated 3y ago

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So I've posted this on reddit previously, and someone suggested me to post it here as well. And so here I am.

A little background: OUM has a continuous problem with their system where occasionally it fails to register the submissions of students' files (documents, videos, audio, etc.). And due to this issue, many students including me have had our marks deducted unnecessarily due to the university not receive our files. When appealed, OUM automatically assumes that it's the student's fault and dismisses the case.

TL;DR at the end of the post

And this time, shockingly, it happened when I was trying to apply to reassess my assignments due to having low marks. The system failed to register my application and hence, my assignments were not reviewed. I tried to create a ticket and informed the issue via the university's customer service called ECRM. And as always, they dismissed my case.

Since there was nothing I could do, I felt that I had the responsibility to address the issue on our OUM student Facebook group. Many students stated that they had the same problems as well (just like I mentioned previously). Others were shocked since they'd never experienced such issue.

Then, one of the students suggested that I should seek help from my Learning Centre (OUM has different branches across the country), and so I did. The staff gave me the email of the person in charge of the assessments of examination and assignments. So I emailed her and told her the whole story. Similar to ECRM, she promptly dismissed my case. And when I explained further, she never replied again.

So wrote another post to update my situation and warn my fellow students that they need to be extremely careful as such problem didn't just happen to me once, but several times.

Apparently, my post caught the attention of the university as the next day, one of the academic staffs and a self-proclaimed counsellor contacted me and said that she was aware of what I did. She further said that what I did was damaging the reputation of OUM and that regardless of what happened, I should deal with the university myself and not bring the problem to the public. I explained that my purpose wasn't to shame OUM nor damage its reputation, but to raise awareness of the issue so that other students wouldn't experience what I and several others did.

On the same day, my second post was removed by the admin, citing "false issue".
user posted image

Then the day after, the admin removed my initial post, apparently, as demanded by OUM.
user posted image

Additionally, I also found that my comments related to this subject on posts were removed as well.

Evidently, OUM is controlling the Facebook group and monitoring what students do or say and would silence anyone who attempts to criticize them. It's appalling and disgusting that an academic institution would act in such a political manner and to go as far as restricting the students' freedom of speech. As students, I strongly believe we have the right to comment our university. We pay for our student fees and deserve to be treated fairly. Silencing any criticisms and pretending nothing happened wouldn't solve the problem, and in the future, there will still be students who would fall victim into such problem.

TL;DR: My application for my assignment marks to be reassessed was not registered due to OUM's faulty system. I made 2 posts to address the issue on our OUM student Facebook group (the 1st one to address the main issue, the 2nd as an update). After being made aware, the university ordered the admin to remove both posts and my comments related to the subject on other posts.

The reason I'm making this post is to let other students be aware of such issue that OUM is trying very hard to cover it up, and also to let those who are considering to enroll to think twice before doing so.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 21 2021, 03:10 AM

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For those who advised me to lodge a police report, first of all, thank you for your suggestion. I appreciate it. But I've come to accept the fact that my problems will never be reviewed by the university. My purpose of posting this is just to raise awareness of OUM's unprofessional attitude so that others will not fall victim again.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 21 2021, 03:11 AM

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QUOTE(Human Nature @ Jul 18 2021, 11:02 AM)
Have you contacted your Student's Representative Council to raise this issue?
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I don't think we have a student representative council here...
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 21 2021, 03:12 AM

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QUOTE(Blofeld @ Jul 18 2021, 03:16 PM)
Honestly, i will never recommend anyone to go near OUM.

Once, i brought a friend to visit OUM to enquire.

The marketing service rep was rude and uninterested. Reminds me of some govt service counters. She didn't look interested to entertain us at all.

She was leaning back on her office chair (with that relaxed laid-back posture) attending to her PC. No eye contact at all when she answered our queries. And she had those kind of uninterested annoyed tone when she answered our queries.

So i was curious, then i pretended to walk elsewhere to see what was she doing. She was just surfing web.

Disappointed we left the centre.
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Not surprised. The staffs are pretty unprofessional. And even if they do attend to you, they might give the wrong info. I've experienced this before.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 21 2021, 03:14 AM

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QUOTE(yo_yo @ Jul 18 2021, 05:04 PM)
for my friends in oum, they usually contact the head of school directly for any issue, and it seems the HoS is helpful to attend the issue.

have u contacted ur HoS?
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It's not that I don't want to, but I have no way of contacting the top management. No emails, no phone numbers.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 22 2021, 03:26 AM

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QUOTE(yo_yo @ Jul 21 2021, 06:53 AM)
do u then know who is ur HoS? usually at the university's page will have the details of the top management, and then you will have to search the lecturer's details individually on Google.
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They only display the name on the university's website. I tried searching for his email on google but to no avail (the name of the vice chancellor is YBHG PROF DATO' DR MANSOR FADZIL). Besides, even if I were to be able to contact him, I'm not sure if he'll help me solve the issue. I don't really want to go through all so much trouble like I did previously just to end up being back at square one. That said, if you really have a better idea, I'm willing to listen.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 25 2021, 05:35 AM

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QUOTE(Starbucki @ Jul 22 2021, 12:13 PM)
What course you doing?
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Bachelor of Psychology
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 25 2021, 05:36 AM

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QUOTE(yo_yo @ Jul 22 2021, 10:13 PM)
usually such cases have to go to the HoS first, before going to higher ups, because all these higher ups won't know much about ur issue. they will still refer to the HoS. once u know ur HoS name, u can find the email in ur OUM gmail by opening a blank email and type the partial name in the email add. some name should pop up there, and choose the right one. have u tried this?
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The problem is I don't know who is the HoS...
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 27 2021, 10:20 AM

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QUOTE(pmaxv @ Jul 25 2021, 11:21 AM)
Hate to tell you this but it seems quite a number of local universities are doing this (controlling social media etc). I would blame it that the culture of suppression is still allowed here. What they could have done is acknowledge the problem openly and fix it up. But due to their huge ego, the management thinks that suppression is the way to go and the problem will just goes away on its own. And then if you look further, you would realised this is how companies/organizations works in Malaysia. That's why the country is in such a state these days.
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Yeah, I just never thought that such oppressive culture would happen in academic field as well.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 27 2021, 10:21 AM

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QUOTE(yo_yo @ Jul 25 2021, 07:33 PM)
Yeah. That one.
TSBig_Dream
post Jul 27 2021, 10:22 AM

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QUOTE(alexis_wll @ Jul 25 2021, 11:05 AM)
I'm not sure if you are studying for diploma / degree , last time when i enrolled for degree in PJ campus i need to meet and interview by person in charge in KL campus even if pass the enrollment test.

The missing files usually happen only when submission on last minute, after that every semester submit one week before and we can printscreen the file acceptance / receipt after submission, and so far all files are good and i have graduated.
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Good for you. But like I said in my post, this didn't just happen to me. It's happened to several students as well.
TSBig_Dream
post Aug 7 2021, 06:13 AM

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QUOTE(pmaxv @ Jul 27 2021, 08:45 PM)
This is why academia can't develop in Malaysia. I'm telling you this as I'm involved with education both in overseas and local. A good uni requires open minded culture willing to accept new ideas, opinions and explore opportunities. Malaysia unfortunately does not have the right formula. I just hope your generation can change this and make this a better country. But right now there's just too much headwinds. Changing culture is hard. In fact I would say the state of education in Malaysia is in a dire straits now.
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Totally agree. Especially when the academic field in Malaysia has become more and more politicized in recent years. It's sad to see how the welfare of our generations are being compromised and exploited by those in the upper class for their own self interests.

Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy lately.

 

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