Please don't score so many As...

Before I touch on the subject matter, I would like to tell you a story.

In a very remote village, there are a few schools. Some schools are adequately funded, so they could build 100 meter tracks for the student to sprint on (let’s refer to these schools as “100 Meter Schools”); whereas other schools only have 50 meter tracks (“50 Meter Schools”).

Consequently, the students of 100 Meter Schools are trained to sprint for 100 meters; whereas those of 50 Meter Schools are trained to sprint for 50 meters only.

The students of both schools run equally fast and are great sprinters. However, as the students from 50 Meter Schools are never trained on how to run on a 100 meter track, they could not run the full 100 meters. They have to stop after 50 meters or otherwise, they will run out of air and faint.

Every year, the sports committee of that village selects 5 sprinters among all the schools in the village to represent the village in the state-level tournament. The 5 sprinters selected will be given new sport shoes, personal trainers, training allowance etc.

Unfortunately, the state-level tournament does not have 50 meter dash event– it only has 100 meter dash event. Naturally, only students from the 100 Meter Schools are selected to represent the village.

After a few years, the students from 50 Meter Schools become very unhappy and protest. They claim that the selection process is unfair as they, who could not run the full 100 meters, do not stand a chance to be picked by the sports committee. They demand that the selection process and criteria be amended, so that they could also represent the village and, in return, receive the perks that come with the representation.

The sports committee quickly holds an emergency meeting to discuss this matter and find a solution. After some lengthy discussions, they come out with a brilliant idea.

The chairman of the sports committee announces that, from today onwards, all the 100 meter tracks built on the 100 Meter Schools must be demolished and replaced with 50 meter tracks. All students from that village, regardless of whether they are originally from 100 Meter Schools or 50 Meter Schools, will not be allowed to be trained to run 100 meters. They could only sprint for 50 meters and must stop thereafter.

The chairman explains that these new measures are to ensure that each and every student stands an equal opportunity to be picked by the sports committee.

Can you see the problems with the committee’s decision?

Instead of building 100 meter tracks for the 50 Meter Schools so that the students could learn how to run the full 100 meters and thus compete with the students from 100 Meter Schools, the committee decides to demolish the 100 meter tracks and force everyone to run 50 meters only. When you already have students who have the capability to run 100 meters non-stop and bring glory to the village, why stop them from doing so and limit their capability purportedly in the name of fairness?

If you are now laughing at the committee chairman, please don’t. It is not funny.

The above story may be fictitious but it happens in the real world. Let’s look at what our Education Minister said recently.

It was reported in the Star (22 May 2009) that students sitting for the SPM examination may not be allowed to take as many subjects as they like in future to make the scholarship selection process fairer. The Govern­ment might limit the number of subjects taken by students in the SPM for fairer Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship selection.
The Education Minister said the idea was raised as students in fully residential schools were only allowed to take a maximum of 9 subjects and those in rural areas too had to take fewer subjects due to a lack of facilities.

He said that when students from residential or rural schools who scored 9 As were given PSD scholarships, those who scored a higher number of As in other schools became displeased, but not selecting those from the first two categories would be unfair as they could not take more subjects even if they wanted to.

So, as a conclusion, instead of finding ways to help the students from residential or rural schools to take more subjects, the Government tells those who are able, “Don’t take so many subjects and score so many As ar… not fair ar…”.

Funny?