Form 1 & 2 in SMK USJ 12 and 13 are afternoon sessions in Year 2006

[pcyeoh]

For those who have kids in Form 1 and 2 in SMK USJ 12 and 13, please be aware that these classes will be conducted in the afternoon in Year 2006 onwards. I was told that many secondary schools will have afternoon sessions for Form 1 and 2 due to lack of classrooms and teachers. I wonder why the schools or even the Selangor Education Dept are not making this annoucement public. Parents need to plan for their transportation and other logistics. I guess many will be caught by surprise when they assume that these classes will be conducted BAU- Business as usual and that is in the morning. Plesae call your respective schools if you have further enquiry.

[Alya]

By the way, my dad is in the transportation business and if anyone need transport to send their kids to school please let me know.

[jayan]

Actually, we can add SMK USJ4 as well. My daughter who is due to attend Form 1 at SMK USJ4 will also be attending in the afternoon. As usual, no announcement was made and the news came to us via the grape vine which we subsequently confirmed with the school. Aiya ..... typical Malaysia Boleh style

[pcyeoh]

Some years back, our government said that it was promoting a single session schooling for our schools and I thought it would be a very good idea but looking at how things are going now, it looks like we are walking backwards.

I hate my kids to attend school in the afternoon session. By the time we are back from work and even we wanted to spend time going through their homework, they themselves are dead tired. I prefer them in the morning session. I am worst off now having two kids in the morning and one in the afternoon. If finance is a problem for our Ministry of Education to have all students in one session, then why are they pumping in billions of ringgit in financing the tuition. They must have got their priority wrong.

[kwchang]

Correct me if I am misinformed.
I did hear that ALL secondary schools in Subang Jaya/USJ will run their Form 1 and 2 classes in the afternoon. This is apparently to prevent parents transfering their children to schools which have morning sessions for those classes.

In a way it will alleviate some traffic problems in the morning rush hour but the traffic will be crazy in the lunch time as well as evenings.

[pcyeoh]

I was in the SMK USJ 12 school this morning for the new intake orientation and had the opportunity to take a quick look at the notice board. What I could see is that the school has opened up 10 classes for Form 1 and the average number of students per class is 47. I also noticed that at least 70% of the enrolment there are non Malays and a majority are the product of Lick Hung School. I wonder how my daughter who is from the mediocre SK USJ 12 able to compete with these high flyers from SJKC. From my reliable source, most of these Lick Hung students are 5 A's achievers which places this school as a pressure cooker as these students will spread their hard work culture here. But this may not happen. In fact I am afraid the the opposite may happen. After 6 years of 'mental torture' at Lick Hung where it is study study study, they let themselves go here what Hokkien says 'pang seh" (release and be free)

[peterkkchong]

After 6 years of 'mental torture' at Lick Hung where it is study study study, they let themselves go here what Hokkien says 'pang seh" (release and be free)

This is what i heard too from past source. But it not due " pang seh" but more on difficulties in coping up with changes in language taught, majority of subject in Mandarin into English & Bahasa.

[libra]

My kid had a tough time when she was in Form 1 together with the lick hung students esp during language lessons. Some of them don't really like to contribute in any group activities. In fact there was 1 girl whom the student hardly hear her converse in any language except Mandarin

[kwchang]

I beg to differ from yr opinions that Lick Hung students are Mandarin skewed. My kid is from there and when he had his classmates over for his birthday party earlier in the year, they were ALL speaking English most of the time. Yes they do converse in Mandarin but English is what they are quite comfortable in. I think Libra's observation of "one" girl is the exception rather than the norm. By the way, most of them also scored A's in the Bahasa Malaysia and in Lick Hung, they take the same BM paper as that taken by Kebangsaan school pupils. I don't think they will have language as an obstacle but I do agree that they may be in for a "cultural shock" when they find less pressure in the kebangsaan school.

[TOOB]

I believe what KWChang said is more relevant. My kid's friends communicate among themselves in English too, though they all went to SJKC. I recalled my young days, it is more of cultural shock than anything else that is affecting the studies or communication.

And my neighbour said Form 1 seems to be too easy for her kid(formerly Lick Hung). It was a breeze and the kid did well. comparing to Standard 5 & 6, it is just too relax and not challenging.

BTW, I was told SK Bahasa Malaysia paper is easier to score, compare to SJKC BM. That is why it is common to have SJKC pupils sits for SK BM.

[peterkkchong]

I agree, my kid speak english too with his group of school friends and at home. But being able to converse in english or Bahasa daily does not necessary able to help to answer exam questions set in English & Bahasa.

Questions in Math & Science for UPSR last year paper are set in dual language, English & Chinese. My kid answer all questions in Chinese and scored A's. I later tested him on same question in English and i believe he could not been able to score even a "B" for both paper.

I am shock myself, he read encyclopedia and other reading material in English during his spare time at home. My wife & myself are none Chinese educated, myt wife help him with all homework except chinese in English at home. As expected, he did not do well in both chinese paper.

Today is the first day of school for Form one, my son has two neighbourhood friends who insisted to follow my son to school. Why? Because both his friends hardly converse in english or bahasa and not confident enough to go on their own.

But at the end of the day, i will agree to all factors stated that could affect the child performance in secondary school. If i would have not tested my son in English on UPSR paper, i would be one of contended parent who are confident that secondary enviroment would be a "breeze" after being "presure cooker" and scoring string of A in UPSR.

[TOOB]

Peter, I don't think you should worry about your child not being able to score even a 'B'. Some vocab/terms have to be learnt, I am sure if your kid can score 'A' in UPSR, he would have no problem getting A in Form 1 if he works equally hard. If he is an everage kid, he should be able to pick up the terms quickly. My kid did quite well for Form 1 test after 1 month of prep course for Form 1 Math & Science. He is not even among the top in his Kampung school.

I have problem speaking and understanding BM too when I first get into secondary school, but I did well in Exam!

[TOOB]

Up to yesterday, I was told the form 1 teachers hasn't started teaching in full force. Yesterday, one of the class in SMK USJ 13 only have two lessons in the day. slightly better than last week.

According to a friend, her son who is in USJ12 was told that not to bring books for the last whole week, because classes are only starting this week.

Those who are in the PIBG? do you know why the school seems to be moving at snail pace at doing their job - teaching? They are all graduate teachers right? Shouldn't they be more capable and organised than those in Primary schools(Primary school started teaching on the first day!)? Could this be one of the reason that encourages "lepak" culture among the teenager(since they have nothing to do except lepak in the class.)?

[alex28]

Yea the whole of last week in uSj 12 didnt have any learning going on.

they were apparently having a program called Program Maju Diri..

The teachers were giving out some quizzes about the students self confindence, memory skill..etc.