Please read the following advertorial published by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn on the 23rd of August 2008. For better reading, I have taken the liberty to copy the transcript that is provided by Lim Kit Siang.
ADVERTORIAL
New Straits Times
23 August 2008, page 43
HONORARY DEGREE AWARD
7TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY UNIVERSITY TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA
TO
YANG AMAT MULIA RAJA ZARITH SOFIAH BINTI ALMARHUM
SULTAN IDRIS AL-MUTAWAKIL ALALLAHI SHAH
D.K.II, S.P.M.J., S.P.C.M.Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah has born on 14th of August 1959 in Hospital Batu Gajah, Perak. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith is a third son to Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzwan and Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Mazuwin binti almarhum Raja Arif Shah.
Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah get early education in Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Datin Khadijah Kuala Kangsar in the state his birthplace namely in Perak. After end of the education in primary school, Yang Amat Mulia continue the education to form one at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Raja Perempuan Kalsom Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
In the month of September 1972, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah have set forth to England for further education in Chaltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire to form six. Then, Yang Amat Mulia continue learning it in Davies College London in September 1977 and his following year in receive enter to Somerville College, London after having passed Oxford Entrance Examination.
After graduated at Oxford University with Bachelor of Art in June 1983 and follow the traditional University of Oxford, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith will receive Master of Art after three years in 1986. Yang Amat Mulia also is a linguist follow several courses including language Mandarin at the tertiary level, French and Italy language.
As his father, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah is a person that talented in picture arts. Refinement of soul, Yang Amat Mulia always watching natural beauty environment immortalize in the form photograph and painting to make look and reference. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith performance become guide to deliver the message education to general public. Yang Amat Mulia concern on women and natural world and it custody aspect in become deep theme in painting.
Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah comply have interest profoundest field documentation. Apart from producing book, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith doubled up guest writer in the The New Straits Times newspapers and in personal column it “Mind Matters” in The Star newspaper. Besides writing, Yang Amat Mulia comply active presenting a working paper at the conference national level and international.
Education from her father and mother over concern to the people, make Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah likes engaged in voluntary activities about as Deputy President of Majlis Wanita Johor (ROSE), Chief of Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia Johor branch, Chairman of Nationalistic Community Service Red Crescent Malaysia, Patron of Spastic Children School in Johor Bahru, Patron Rotary Club of Tebrau Foundation, Advisor of Traditional Arts School International in London and become Pro Chancellor University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and becomen Royal Felllow Faculty of Language and Linguistic University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
As the appreciation towards her contributions of ideas and efforts in the development of education in Malaysia, Chancellor of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku lbrahim lsmail lbni Sultan lskandar, Tunku Mahkota Johor, has approbation to presented the awards to Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at 7th Convocation Ceremony of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in this year. Congratulation from us, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia members.
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I rest my case.
Henry Yew
The problem at hand, however, is whether making English a must-pass subject will *actually* translate to higher level of proficiency. For students who get crappy teaching and barely any exposure to English outside English lessons, making English a must-pass subject will not do any good to them. Many people will fail not because they don’t want to learn but they just don’t have a conducive environment. And in the end the ministry may be tempted to artificially lower the passing score to gloss over the statistics (just like what they have been doing for ages for other subjects), and in the end making it a must-pass may not necessarily do any good at all.
We need an overhaul in the whole grading system, and we need to make passes and A’s count. That’s more important than making it compulsory to pass an artificial threshold, IMHO.
True… but at least if they make English a must-pass subject, then it will be a stepping stone, hopefully, for better grading and making sure that the A’s count.
At least, we can ensure that we will not have English language-idiots in institutions of higher learning writing advertorials of inferior quality and grossly spoilt with poor English from the beginning till the end.
I don’t believe that we don’t have a conducive environment to do well in our examinations. Otherwise, how could you explain the increasing number of passes and A’s? The government lowered down the standards every year? Perhaps so, but still it isn’t that easy to score an A in any examination if you do not put in any effort.
Honestly, I couldn’t care less if the students are lazy to improve their English or otherwise; I am more concerned about having people who are English language-idiots working with me in the future and unable to comprehend every single thing that I say.
That is a pathetic scenario that I don’t intend to be in at any cost.
Of course, when we say that English should be a must-pass subject, we don’t expect them to put the passing mark to be at 20%. I would expect it to be at least 40%.
In my opinion, it is only fair that the government utilises the grading system that is used in schools during examinations (>84% – A1; 80% to 84% – A2; 75% to 79% – B3 etc.) Otherwise, we cannot say that our results reflect the real standard of education that we have because the gradation used by the government is lower than that set by schools.
Funny stuff! Let’s just hope UTP does not do anything (as bad) like that.
my gosh.. that really is atrocious