In the field of science, I am still young. Yes, at this age, still young. What's more, I believe the day I think I am fully equip with the knowledge; if that day arrive, it is the day I am supposed to die or I am no longer needed in this world. Why? We are here in this world for something, for a reason. People who fail to see the reason of living will have no reason to live. And as long as we’re here living, we then shall find the reason.
On a lighter note, I am really young….always…at heart.
Besides me, the science in Malaysia itself is young.
Today, there is an article in a newspaper stated that the number of Science steam students in Malaysia is decreasing. The statement is not shocking news to me. I will not start the blaming game but I will say that we do not have an optimum system to support the cause of our education system for the future generation. This means that the system that we have now just let it get by without realizing it soon enough whether the trending is going south or north or the benefit of going for it.
Let me give a few examples of the havoc that we have been dealing so far.
Not so long ago when I was one of the pupils, out of sudden the headmaster of the school announced that because the ministry wants more science stream student, thus, there will be an element of science in one of the primary school subjects. My batch then was that guinea pig batch.
Then, when I was a student in a university, suddenly there was a statement that the country didn't have enough engineers. In order to accommodate the need, we shall have them passed after 3 years. After sometimes, there were too many engineers. Down the road, it was lacking again.
Another time, there was a statement of not enough accountants and thus, more students studying in this area were recruited. The same cycle repeated.
Then there were rumors of neglecting Art stream students where History or Literature or Acting is part of the subjects. This was followed with months of discussion openly in the newspaper until it was dying off.
Those situations showed that there was no proper planning of the system. I believe that in Mathematics courses there is one subject where we can project the future trending. If it ever difficult for a graduate in business to evaluate it manually, we have computer science expert for that purposes.
The latest example of this situation is the nurses who had graduated but without jobs. Prior to this, our country was said to be in shortage of nurses. Many schools start offering the course and at the end, no one is taking them in.
Just a reminder, no blaming but we shall come out with a solution.
To study science is not an easy task. As a science stream student, I spent more time in classes compared to my peer who took Art stream. I still vividly remember that while we Science stream students had to attend extra classes in Biology, the Art students were attending extra drama classes for year-end school performances.
At the end of the day, as a PhD holder, I only make quarter compared to them who some work managing other people’s money. One of my friend who shifted from the Science Stream to do accounting for her degree spent quarter of the year last year visiting other countries with her husband, just for sightseeing. I, in the mean time had to fight with my ex-boss who thought that I didn't deserved the rank because I just a basic science lecturer among the dental/medical lecturers, that to even with a PhD degree. When it comes to the new government scheme, the pay offered (before being review) was much less then the dental/medical lecturers. Theirs come with extra allowance which the basic science lecturers can only dream of.
If the country wants more students in Science stream, the perk of being one at the end of the day must be very good. I will not suggest that anyone go for science except they want to do medical, dental or engineering. Other than that, you’ll have a long way to go before getting the PhD and be at the best of you. If not, just do it for the sake of loving the science and see where it will take you forward. The system now has a very minimal effect in supporting your interest.
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