Friday, January 07, 2005

EPT : Error Prone Team or English Placement Test ?

You really can't blame people for the English Placement Test acronym EPT as the Error Prone Theme, but all in all it shows the inefficiencies of a large department like SITM in Sunway College. What am I exactly talking about ? Read on, I will explain.

Recently it seems that SITM has been more strict with its intake of students, requiring them to take an English test as an assessment on their English language proficiency. It seems that it is required to enter a course and if you fail in the exam you will be placed under a 3-month English course. So far so good, as I definitely see this as a start for ensuring better quality courses from the department of SITM (the college as well) while it strives to improve assessment of its new students.

The problem here is that lecturers and coordinators says that it is COMPULSORY for all students while the brochure that the college distributes varies widely.

In the brochure it states, "Students are required to take an English Placement Test (EPT) except if the have the following results". This statement is then followed by a list of examinations and their minimum required marks, in which the student has to fulfill any one of them to be exempted form the EPT.


Picture scan of the particular part on the brochure.

Now, I and along with a few of my friends who have gained distinction in our SPM/O'Levels English subject was still required to take this exam. Why? I assume this would be the inefficiency of communication between the department of SITM and the marketing department. God knows.

At the very least when you place standards or regulations, adhere by it. Or at least if you do not plan to do that, do not advertise it to the public. While it was alright for me to take the exam but I wonder what inconvenience it would have caused those who really had important arrangements at that particular time? Maybe the programme is still new and in time they will slowly enforce it correctly. Only time will tell.


Document Scans (Click on link to view)
Complete brochure :
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/lordshadow-brochure.jpg

Timetable stating EPT is compulsory :
http://server3.uploadit.org/files/lordshadow-tt002.jpg


Monday, August 16, 2004

Confusion

It has been more than a week since we resumed our studies in this compurting course in Sunway College Malaysia. Unfortunately, we are in the School Of Information Technology, Telecommunications & Multimedia.

Why do I say that? Well consider the following :-
  • Time-tables for every intake weren't out until the first day of the start of semester itself and they expect every student to be on time !!!

  • There were confusions on the elective subjects as to which major will be taking on what subject. (They eventually sorted this out, guess it was a god thing as students were able to have time to cnsider what subject they would be taking)

  • Practical classes are still not divided up until today.
Well, I guess all these faults aren't too bad but considering this is the School of IT, t is a bit of a disgrace when all is amock and the administration is divided up unto so many levels. This isn't so much more of a complain ut a plea to ask the department to evaluate itself and improve.

Buck up people !!! You are going for a university status and an ISO certification and you are all stll uncoordinated and what more the department full of paper work ????

Though I may give them the benefit of the doubt that they may not be solely responsible for this and the uper management is. Let''s just pray hard that they will do something about this.

Sunday, August 08, 2004

The Birth

This will be the begining and mark the hallmark for all comments to come on this blog. Look out for exceptional and controversial comments, information and insights on matters that you will not even begin to imagine yourselves.

Embrace yourselves for the future!