The Development Of Mathematics Curriculum In Malaysia

1.0 Introduction Our Mathematics Syllabus started to develop before The Second World War until now. As we go back several years back, we acknowledge that our syllabus before the Razak Report was not a standardised syllabus. Students only learn what they wanted to learn about without text books and proper teachers. After the Razak Report, the syllabus was standardised to all primary schools and started to implement in 1956. After a while, the Mathematics Syllabus was revised again and again to improve the weaknesses in the old syllabus and now, the Smart School project was implemented when the schools reopen in January of 2003.

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2.0 The Development of Mathematics Curriculum in Malaysia The development of Mathematics Curriculum in Malaysia had started before the Second World War (WW II: 1941). Before that, our mathematics syllabus in Peninsula Malaysia was not standardised, which means that all type of school were freely to choose any text books and topics which considered suitable for the students. The mathematics curriculum become standardised and officially only after the year of 1956 when the Razak Report suggested that there should be a formal curriculum for all government schools. In the respect, an official common syllabus for mathematics curriculum was planed and later was implemented after 1956. However, this common syllabus was only a slightly change in some arithmetic topics and certain topics. It was not until 1970’s when the Special Project was implemented. This Special Project was set up by the previous Ministry of Education of Malaysia and headed by En. Abu Hassan bin Ali in the year of 1968. The objective was to improve the standard of mathematics and science in primary level following the trend and development of Modern Mathematics in advanced countries. This project was funded by the Asian Foundation (Yayasan Asia) and some of the American Peace Corps members were invited as advisers of this project. Materials for the teaching and learning of mathematics were designed by lecturers and mathematics teachers who had their training overseas. There were only minor changes in the contents of the mathematics syllabus in the Malaysian primary school in this Special Project. However, new approach, strategy and method of presentation were introduced which is the pupil-centered strategy and the inquiry-discovery method. This Special Project was being launched as a pilot project in the year 1970. About 30 schools in Kuala Lumpur were chosen as a trial centers. Eventually, this programme was modified and improved from time being and was adopted in primary schools until it was replaced by KBSR Mathematics syllabus which was fully implemented in 1983.

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In 1983, the Modern Mathematics Curriculum was modified become the KBSR Mathematics. The difference was the arrangement with reduction of some mathematics contents to suit the pupils’ ability to master the skill. The mathematics syllabus was divided into two levels. Level 1 (Year 1 – 3) emphasized the mastering of the basic concepts of numbers and their four basic operations. Level 2 (Year 4 – 6) emphasized application of the basic skill in solving mathematics problems. This programme was aimed at providing equal opportunity for every pupil to acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, rules and desired common social practice in society. The main aim of KBSR was to enable pupils to develop their counting skills. To achieve the aim, pupils must first attempt to master the basic mathematics skills. The Primary School New Curriculum (KBSR) was changed to Primary School Integrated Curriculum in the respect to achieve the noble ambition envisaged in the National Education Philosophy. The aim of KBSR Mathematics could be expressed as follow: “The main aim of Primary School Mathematics Education was to improve and develop the understanding of number concept and acquiring basic calculation skills. These would help pupils to solve daily problems effectively. In addition, pupils would learn to appreciate mathematics. The mathematical knowledge gained would also help pupil to manage their daily activities systematically, thus fulfilling the requirements for our society and nation to progress as well as to help our pupils to further their studies in time to come” (The Primary School Mathematics Syllabus: April 1993) The Primary School Mathematics Syllabus which was revised again in 1998, allowing all pupils to acquire basic mathematics skills and to us the acquired skills in daily situations at all levels. The Syllabus Committee responsible for KBSR Mathematics has grouped all the required learning skills into 9 main topics, which was listed according to their sequence as follow: 1. Whole numbers and their operations 2. Fractions and their operations 3. Decimal and their operations 4. Money 5. Measurement of Lengths and Weights 3

6. Space 7. Average 8. Percentage 9. Graphs Modification and changes in the mathematics curriculum were not only able to overcome problems related to weaknesses found in the old syllabus, but also helped to achieve the objectives and aspirations of the National Education Philosophy and Vision 2020. With the introduction of Smart School Project and challenges of Vision 2020, the Mathematics Syllabus was further revised and implemented its first year programme when schools reopen in January 2003. The medium of instruction is changed from Malay to English so as to keep up with the current trend.

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Reflection

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