The Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS) has innovated a new education system to all high schools nationwide in this 2009-2010 academic year, so as to better the education quality. However, it has made some students very worried especially about the decision to choose class to study.
“It is a dilemma. I cannot decide what class to study,” say Sam Y Learng, 16, a grade-ten student at Son Thor Muk High School after given the information of the new education system.
“I’m still not sure what are science and social science, and what are the jobs related to them,” he continued.
Some students claimed that they were still very young and did not know much about the society. Therefore, it was really hard for them to make a righteous decision.
Kang Kim Chhun, 16, who just transferred his school from Kratie province to Phnom Penh this year said, “I just come from the province and don’t know what the preferable jobs are so it is difficult to me to make decision.”
Sok Sovanna, a Bak Touk High School principal, said “some students still did not know how important their decision was, and did not even care about the class they were going to choose. They tended to depend on their friends.”
Heng Theara, 17, said “I don’t know what class I should choose. But I have heard that most of my friends will choose the Science Class; perhaps I choose it too.”
Mr. Sovanna added that some students choose the class not because of their own decision but their parents’, and “sometimes they are forced by their parents.”
Kean Lim Hout, a Mathematics teacher at Son Thor Muk High School, also showed his concerns of this problem. He said some parents were uneducated or had low education so the decision on class selecting may not be very effective. Consequently, students would face difficulties.
“If students who are not really good at mathematics and happen to choose High-Level Mathematics Class [Science Class], they will find it difficult to understand the lessons,” said Mr. Lim Hout.
After choosing and studying in either class, students will not be given another chance to choose or to swop their class; therefore, they would regret, he added.
Son Thor Muk High School principal, Mark Chor Reaksmey, also acknowledged the problem. However, he said that MoEYS have already prepared some measures to deal with this.
He said all schools would start explaining the new system to all the grade-ten students since the beginning of the academic year and tell them to prepare themselves for specialized subjects.
“Schools are supposed to have a meeting with students at least twice per year to explain the system to them,” said the principal.
Before the semester two exams, schools would remind students again and ask them to consult with their parents, he said. “Teachers will also help give advice,” continued the school principal.
The new education system is created since 2008, and applied to only grade 11 and 12. Unlike the old one, it is more specialized requiring students to study specific subjects that gear them for universities.
When finishing grade 10, all students must study thee compulsory subjects: Khmer Literature, English, and Sport. They also have to select other additional courses, forming two different class categories – High-Level Mathematics Class and Foundation-Level Mathematics Class.
The High-Level Mathematics Class refers to the Science Class taken by only the outstanding students. In High-Level Mathematics Class students have to choose three subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
The Foundation-Level Mathematics Class can refer to both Science and Social Science and is taken by any level of students. Students can choose any four subjects they like including two new subjects – Economics and Computer.
“Students must make a cautious decision,” said Mr. Reaksmey, the principal.
By Veng Rachana
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