Test for SPN21 in its implementation

Test for SPN21 in its implementation

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

THE National Education System for the 21st Century or Sistem Pelajaran Negara 21 (SPN21) had mixed reviews from parents during a recent briefing by the Ministry of Education (MoE). While some parents and teachers embraced the system, many others came away disgruntled and still feeling in the dark: "Mixed reaction from parents to SPN21 briefing by Ministry (The Brunei Times, November 15, 2008).

One parent felt the the presentation was not transparent enough and that she could not get a clear picture what would happen come the time to implement it. "I felt that all the information was so incomplete. I have some idea of the new syllabus but the way it was presented, the whole idea was so obscure that I hope that is not the last time as I would like to know more about the system in more depth and detail," she said. A 26-year-old private sector employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said the briefing was so badly organised that he had yet to fully understand how the system operates. "It makes me wonder whether the teachers themselves are ready for this change or not. It is easy to be excited when you are up there, but when you are down here with the teachers and parents, we are the ones who are responsible for our children," he said.

If you visit the MoE portal on SPN21 the Curriculum and Assessment, the Offered Subjects, the Stages in School and the Students' Development are spelt out quite clearly. It spells out the Education System Structure, the Differences between the Current Education System and the SPN21 and Differences in the Schooling Duration under SPN21. It also spells out the Curriculum and Evaluation and Technical Education format.

The pre-school, primary school and the four or five year secondary format begins next year for Year 1 (Primary 1) Year 4 (Primary 4) and Year 7 (Form 1). Over Year 7 and Year 8 students will be subject to School-Based Assessment (SBA). At the end of Year 8, they will undergo the Student Progress Examination (SPE). Both the SBA and SPE will comprise the Student Progress Assessment (SPA) which will be used to channel students into either the General Education Programme (Four or five years) or the Applied Education Programme (five years ). The SPA will replace the current PMB examination which will come to an end after next year's Year 8 (Form 2) complete Year 9 (Form 3) in 2010. The Compulsory , Compulsory Complementary and Elective subjects are all spelt out for the various years.

Year 6 Primary pupils will still sit the assessment exam — PMR. Those who pass with 5As will enter the Science stream. Others who pass will enter the General Education (4- or 5-year-) or Applied Education (5-year-) programme. Those who fail can resit and, whether they pass or fail, will proceed to the Applied Education programme. Please visit the MoE portal for more details.

This is all well and good, now comes the hard part — implementing SPN21. Are the teachers ready for the full implementation of SPN21 beginning next year? As with parents many teachers were apprehensive about the impending implementation of SPN21: "Mixed reactions to full SPN21 implementation next year" (The Brunei Times, November 11, 2008). While some teachers were enthusiastic with the student-centred approach, others posed various problems involved including the large number pupils per classroom which made personal attention difficult. One teacher said that the MoE would be handing out the syllabus only in December and also said how there was still no transparency in the handling of the syllabus."We haven't seen the syllabus yet and the teachers are still not prepared. They don't even really know what they will be teaching," she said. Moreover student-centred learning will progress more smoothly if students in a classroom are more or less equally gifted, meaning streaming students for the various subjects. Perhaps within six months of its implementation, the first news of its strengths and weaknesses will be known and steps can begin to introduce the necessary tweaking to nudge it along the path to success.