What is so good about the UK education system?

What is so good about the UK education system? Well, I have seen the differences between Malaysian education system where in the UK, students are given the responsibility to take charge of their own learning. I know it too well if I start comparing, I will end up writing with few entries, too many things to share I guess. Anyway, let's just say, apart from its awesomeness, UK education system also has the negative side of it:

1)  Teachers in the UK do not have the authority in the classroom. 

Teachers follow everything what administration asks. They cannot punish their students who are disruptive in the class  They have to follow what the school discipline policy says. I have seen this one particular teacher in WS college where teacher didn't do anything when the student being so rude and he even caused a serious disruption to the class. The teacher just looked at him, and said something like "can you please be quiet?" I was like, "this is not the right way to handle misbehaved students, it is not right!" what? no action? well, I must say they have their own warnings and parking system but then it doesn't work, or maybe it would never work.

2) Students are just too rude with no respect to the teachers and other people.

Students pay no respect to the teachers. They are playing and chatting around while teacher is teaching in front. Students who sit at the back will have phone with them, listening to the MP3 or whatever Ipod. And sometimes when teacher gives them the warning, they will throw bad words to the teacher. Bad words which are not like "bodoh" "bengong" but then "F***" "Sh**". Fuhhh, that's too much to absorb!

3) Above all, teacher cannot touch their own students. Not at all. 

Teachers cannot make physical contact to the students, or else the teachers will be in trouble. That's why, teachers in the UK seem to have no control over their own students because the policy itself forbids the teachers to do so. They cannot do even a single pinch. Maybe that explains why the students in the UK take advantage for it. Teachers may get angry, but it affects nothing. And the students just don't care.

So yes, whatever it is. Malaysia should really think of how the students in the UK get actively engaged in the classroom instead of focusing too much on disciplinary problems. Maybe that school that I observed is one of the problematic schools, and my friends who observed great schools in the UK really impressed me. The way the students get engaged and react toward their own learning is really interesting. They have so many interactive approaches and the teachers also offer full support to the students. Learning from our own experience can be fruitful. Most importantly, take what is positive from it. That's how we learn. =)

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