Underachievement may mean differently to different people. For example Bill Gates was considered to be an underachiever in his university as he dropped out. But today you see what has happened to him? So the term is a relative one bringing its own specific meaning at its wake. But for our purpose of effectively steering Project Plus 8 towards a maximum impact, we need to have a common understanding and definition of our target group.
Even when we define underachievers as academically weak students it may mean differently in different contexts. So for our purpose of the project we identify underachievers as those in lower or upper secondary schools and who have scored ‘D’, ‘E’ or ‘F’ in their UPSR and/or PMR exams in critical subjects such as Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics and Science. While this can be the very minimum entry point for them to take part in our activities, there can be other considerations as well.
Their educational underachievement may be the least of all problems. But more often it is coupled and compounded with other complex issues such as socio-economic disadvantages, anti-social behaviour, family background and psycho-social factors such as low self-esteem, inferiority complex, aggression and hopelessness. This is where the Project Plus 8 module components are built to cater for these needs.
But the modules, lesson plans and creative administering of materials alone cannot produce the desired effect and impact in the lives of the young underachievers. These need to be further strengthened through other efforts. For that we need to ask certain critical questions. This mind of enquiry and discovery to find new and in-depth answers alone can establish a long term positive impact.
The questions are,
Are we running the activities well in financial, administration and activity dimensions?
How are we monitoring the impact in the target participant?
What are some best practices? Did we do anything differently and uniquely just to reach out to the young people effectively? Let us reflect and collate these resources.
Are there any special dynamic stories and profound experiences to share? Reflect on them.
Can this programme be replicated? The leaders can share their opinions and views to enhance the module further.
While finding answers to these are very essential to mould and engineer the desired outcomes towards a holistic transformation, to sustain and multiply the effect further one cannot leave out the policy formulae for policy input and recommendations. What are those essential answers that need to emerge and evolve out of our critical questioning?
What are some root problems for underachievers at the individual, family and community levels?
What are some of the problems the underachievers are encountering in schools? Are there stories of teachers or the education system hindering the underachievers or reaffirming their inabilities and low self-esteem?
What new education policies that need to arise in the educational system to arrest this serious and severe problem of underachievement?
Reflect on these crucial and pertinent questions and post your views to us. Together let us make a new, new world for our young people who are academically challenged but otherwise gifted.
(This article is a summary of the points raised by Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria at the Opening of the Project Plus 8 ToT held on 16&17 June 2007 at the Second College of University Malaya)
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