Maximum 10 subjects for SPM. What do you think?

Malaysia
June 17, 2009 8:01pm CST
Read in today's newspaper that starting next year, students who sitting for SPM can only take a maximum of 10 subjects. This subject capping is aimed at reducing the stress of an exam-oriented school system on students, parents and teachers. Also the government wanted to introduce a system which emphasis more on student development and concentration in selected subjects. However, I don't understand if the students are interested in learning more, why should we have to limit them? And I think they should know very well the stress that come along with taking more subjects. If they cannot handle it, they will not take the additional subject. My point of view might be wrong and please share with me what do you think about this.
2 responses
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
24 Jul 09
Setting a limit of ten subjects is a good move. This gives students the opportunity to focus on core subjects. As it is many subjects are closely related, like English Language and English Literature. Many of the students who scored As in more than 10 subjects do not really understand them beyond what they have learned in preparing for the examination. Ask them what they intend to do for the country if they are in a position to make changes. We will get a general answer, something which can be given by many other students. Ask them to elaborate on at least one point, and they will probably falter, beating around the bush. I can give names but I am not going to do it here. Learning is for acquiring knowledge. A student can be limited to 10 subjects for the examination, but there is nothing to prevent the student from learning other subjects if they are really interested in becoming more knowledgeable. My school set a limit of 9 subjects, but it did not prevent me from attending 10 different classes. In one of the subjects I did not take the tests, even though my attendance was better than several of my friends. I support the move. There is no point in having future leaders who scored As in all subjects, but do not really have creative thinking, have superficial knowledge which was sufficient to pass the exam with, and weak in human understanding and interaction.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
9 Jul 09
It doesn't matter whether a student is supposed to have 10 or 20 subjects in his university entry level education, it is whether the student is able to be excelled in his chosen field of study and be able to apply his knowledge in real life experience later on, for an education system to be considered as successful, it is the quality of student that is produced that count , not the quantity, the reason the developing country continue to remain backward is because their educationists are more interested in having student mediocre in every field of study instead of excellence in a specialize field of knowledge.