KJ John | May 26, 09 11:57am
What does the word scholarship mean?
1) Does it mean proving that you are good enough at everything in life and all of living?
1) Does it mean proving that you are good enough at everything in life and all of living?
2) Or, is it establishing that you are a responsible citizen who knows how to focus on priorities for the sake of both personal and national progress, demonstrated at the young age of 17?
3) Or, does it mean you can do what you like and establish that you are superior to the many in your vintage, although, only by Malaysian standards, or by less than fair means?
Let me rephrase the same questions and give them some more context.
You have student A who sits for 17 subjects in the SPM exam, and gets A1s in every subject.
You have student A who sits for 17 subjects in the SPM exam, and gets A1s in every subject.
Or you have student B who takes 10 subjects and gets all A1s but is also a head-prefect, a student group elected president, and a state level sportsman?
Or, thirdly, you are a student who does the minimum nine subjects, does his best in all of them and gets 7As and 2Bs, but has also been on a federal government assistance programme wherein you do not live in the city but operate in a public hostel and are bused in to school every morning under a special bumiputera assistance programme. You definitely come from a poorer home and your father is a fisherman.
Given the above hypothetical scenario, of the three Malaysian students, who should be regarded the ‘real scholar’ and awarded the prestigious JPA ‘scholarship’ award to pursue studies overseas under the Malaysian Federal Government for a course of their first choice?
Given the above hypothetical scenario, of the three Malaysian students, who should be regarded the ‘real scholar’ and awarded the prestigious JPA ‘scholarship’ award to pursue studies overseas under the Malaysian Federal Government for a course of their first choice?
Every year JPA awards about 2000 such scholarships from about the 350,000 who sit for the SPM. That is less than 1%. Who then should be regarded as the top 1%? In the older days such scholarships were called the Colombo Plan Scholarships Awards, or the many others that could be named. But can we review the basics definitions about what and who is truly a Malaysian scholar; especially under our 1Malaysia vision?
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No real reason for an interview
First, one needs to understand what JPA uses as the minimum qualifications to qualify for the JPA scholarships. I hear it is or may be only 8A1s. That too may be based on specified courses; and exclude many “external courses.” This can therefore be an objective criterion and if someone, regardless who it is, does not get this minimum, they should not be considered.
First, one needs to understand what JPA uses as the minimum qualifications to qualify for the JPA scholarships. I hear it is or may be only 8A1s. That too may be based on specified courses; and exclude many “external courses.” This can therefore be an objective criterion and if someone, regardless who it is, does not get this minimum, they should not be considered.
Second, maybe, one should consider the background of parents, especially based on their family income. Again this can become an objective measure and anyone below the cut-off line can and must be considered.
Third can be a student’s extracurricular activities. Again the point system for this not-so-subjective measure can be; by levels of achievement.
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Frankly, to my mind, there is no real reason for an interview at all unless one wants to impose some quite arbitrary and subjective criteria. The interview is only to verify the authenticity of documentation and person. To me, one can review students for JPA scholarships quite objectively and professionally, but there must be both political will and technical skill to do this well. Transparency is and can be a good and proper way to go! Why not try this again and see how the results work out.
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Scholarships in 1Malaysia
What is the JPA scholarship then? How do we make all Malaysians look up to and become proud of this JPA brand and award? For one, it must become an award which is administered openly and transparently. In fact the criteria should be put up on the internet and we should allow students to self-score and know if they can make it. If we are serious about 1Malaysia, and about promoting meritocracy, there cannot be any double standards or close one-eye culture.
What is the JPA scholarship then? How do we make all Malaysians look up to and become proud of this JPA brand and award? For one, it must become an award which is administered openly and transparently. In fact the criteria should be put up on the internet and we should allow students to self-score and know if they can make it. If we are serious about 1Malaysia, and about promoting meritocracy, there cannot be any double standards or close one-eye culture.
After all, MARA does exist and does give out thousands of scholarships almost entirely based on needs. These are currently reserved for only bumiputera students and can service such good and deserving students. JPA scholarships must be confined to maintain its brand and name.
The final step of scholarship realisation must come from our students gaining admission into the best colleges in US, Canada, UK or Australia or New Zealand, or Russia or Indonesia or India or whatever country there are other programmes. The JPA scholarship is only the point of being awarded a paper that says you can go! To actually go, one must gain admission to the best schools in the world! Excellence must mean just that. JPA scholarships must be the framework to train and nurture world class Malaysians, nothing less.
One criteria that all very competitive American universities look for is leadership and all round activities, including one’s ability for good teamwork. Square academic-types and nerds need not always qualify. I think it is relevant the cabinet to review the actual meaning of scholarship and consider how the real meaning of a 1Malaysia can be practically translated.
1Malaysia must define meritocracy. It must make for 1Malaysia; not for 2 or 3 diverse Malaysias wherein the sun shines differently on different people. Let us wait and see the Cabinet’s definition of scholarship towards realising a 1Malaysia.
The final step of scholarship realisation must come from our students gaining admission into the best colleges in US, Canada, UK or Australia or New Zealand, or Russia or Indonesia or India or whatever country there are other programmes. The JPA scholarship is only the point of being awarded a paper that says you can go! To actually go, one must gain admission to the best schools in the world! Excellence must mean just that. JPA scholarships must be the framework to train and nurture world class Malaysians, nothing less.
One criteria that all very competitive American universities look for is leadership and all round activities, including one’s ability for good teamwork. Square academic-types and nerds need not always qualify. I think it is relevant the cabinet to review the actual meaning of scholarship and consider how the real meaning of a 1Malaysia can be practically translated.
1Malaysia must define meritocracy. It must make for 1Malaysia; not for 2 or 3 diverse Malaysias wherein the sun shines differently on different people. Let us wait and see the Cabinet’s definition of scholarship towards realising a 1Malaysia.
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Fikrah:-
1) The basic issue is regarding the scholarship.
2) Now, see this basic issue is then, elaborate and further discuss into Minimum subject for SPM, English as A MUST PASS Subject in SPM, and again, related back to PPSMI issue as well.
3) The idea is that, politically, people will forget the Scholarship issue for a while and talk more on this kind of topics.
Clever huh?
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