Week 4 : Changing curriculum and pedagogic design

I am working with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), one of the government agency in Malaysia. In MARA, we run our own secondary school system known as MRSM (Maktab Rendah Sains MARA). MRSM curriculum comprises 3 main areas focusing on the following programs 

a)   Academic Program

b)  Personal Development Program

c)  Talent Development Program

We have 50 MRSM schools in Malaysia and all schools basically following the same curriculum. (some of the school also have an extra curriculum based on their specialties). The academic programme is basically based on curiculum from Ministry of Education and some modification have been made by MARA for their special curriculum. Besides the core subjects, MRSM also conducts academic enhancement programs to strengthen the understanding of subject taught, provides opportunity to student use their creativity besides applying the knowledge learnt. Some programmes that student can be involved are are Debates, Independence Day, Maths Olympiad, Young scientist etc.

To develope students’ personality, students are required to involved with some development programmes comprises self development, entrepreneurship activities, clubs, sports & games, holiday camps & co-curiculum. These programmes emphasize knowing themselves as one of the member of society.

The third area that being focus in the curiculum is talent development programme. In the MRSM system, to cater the above average students, the SEM (Schoolwide Enrichment Programme) is applied. This programme was designed by Renzulli & Reis (1985, 1997) and widely implemented as an enrichment program used with academically gifted and talented students and an enrichment approach for all schools interested in high-end learning and developing the strengths and talents of all students. The SEM provides enriched learning experiences and higher learning standards for all children.

More information about SEM: http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/whatisem.html

MRSM system very particular in developing students’ potential. Although academic achievement is a priority, the mission of students' personal development is also placed equivalent with the main agenda.

Therefore, the impact of the curriculum is much wider than just producing an excellent student in academic. It is more to developing a future leader that able to give services to the society. Students will be creative, being a risk taker, competitive and other soft skill that needed in this challenging world. This have been proved when the system had produce many successful people in the country. There are well known businessman, politician, directors, leaders and also astronaut. They came from this system.

However, there are still a space for improvement in this system. This system actually applied for the secondary school which is the second stage of development process for children. We can’t claim that the student that we produce is 100% product of MRSM because the system just started at the age of 13 or 16 years old. I believe that, it will be more effective if the system can be applied since the age of 5. It will give more time to the system to blend with the students. Then we can see the improvement of the student along that process. Another one improvement that can be made is the selection of the student. There are terms conceded to enter the MRSM system which is actually more provided to those who got an excellent achievement in their public examination. What happen to those who are not qualified? Those who actually creative, brilliant but did not perform well in their examination maybe because their family background which not give enough support? Not enough facilities before this? So, we must consider all factors that might be occur. My suggestion is to take this group and give them the opportunity to develop their personal ability through the system and bring them back on the track to polish them in the process to produce a better person in the future. I believe all children born to be special in their own area. Education can help them to achieve their dreams with the right curriculum and pedagogic design.

More information about MRSM : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maktab_Rendah_Sains_MARA