Many in Malaysia, especially educationists and parents, are deeply concerned about the state of the education system in Malaysia.
It has reached a stage that prompted Aliran’s K Haridas to wonder if Malaysia’s education system is failing its children
It is worrying to learn that huge numbers of students even refused to turn up for the SPM (Year 11) exams. Of those who took the exam, 25.9% failed science and 23.2% failed maths. About 30% failed to even get an SPM certificate.
The only thing left to boast about was “Quran and Sunnah”, with a pass rate of 84%.
This leaves us wondering whether there is too much emphasis on religious studies at the expense of other key subjects.
With billions of ringgit in public funds spent on education, is this the direction that is intended? Yet we continue to do nothing but let that trajectory take its course, leading us to further doom?
Earlier this year, the education minister revealed that 435,858 students experience learning problems in reading, writing and counting – the basic living skills.
- Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both
- Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB a/c 8004240948
- Make a regular pledge or periodic auto-donation to Aliran
- Become an Aliran member
Reports have highlighted several serious issues. Among them are the serious lack of investment in early childhood education, and the problem of underqualified teachers and their inadequate training. So too the outdated curriculum, assessment methods and lack of new resources, especially in rural areas.
The Ministry of Education claims it has introduced various intervention programmes to tackle these issues. But these problems are not new.
Representing the parent teacher association of Malaysia, PIBG Malaysia, in 1994-95, I had an intense debate with then Education Minister Najib Razak for over a week on TV3’s Malaysia Hari Ini (Malaysia Today) programme, exposing the reality that about 20-25% students at Form 1 (Year7) level still cannot read and write.
Najib termed it “masalah pelajar lembam” (slow learners).
The ministry was forced not only to reopen technical and vocational schools but to expand them for students who were not academically inclined so that they could learn skills.
With no UPSR (Year 6) and PMR (Year 9) exams, what are we really doing? Promoting incompetence to both students and teachers? Allowing the deteriorating standards of teaching in schools to continue to rot?
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg, in a TikTok video, expressed incredulity over the removal of exams. “Bodohkah, pintarkah, you don’t assess!”
He questioned the rationale for the move – to reduce pressure on students. “I thought you should educate your children to face challenges.”
Sarawak plans to proceed with its own standardised assessment for Year 6 pupils to gauge their level of learning
Shouldn’t we prepare our children to face challenges? Or are we just happy with a university education system that can mass produce PhDs by the thousands each year?
The better question to ask the federal government would be: don’t we love our children? Without excelling in Stem subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths – what will become of their future? Or the country’s future, without a mastery of science, technology and artificial intelligence?
What legacy are we leaving for future generations? Or are we happy and settled with the basement standard we are in? Perhaps we are jubilant that our education systems that sucks is ‘good enough’ for us to boast to the Taliban?
After all, a Taliban education ministry delegation recently paid our education ministry a visit recently. Given the sorry state of our education system, we wonder what attracts people from other countries to come to learn about our education system.
The Taliban visit was not just shocking, it raised numerous questions. First, why was there a news blackout about this visit in Malaysia? The Taliban delegation’s visits to several universities, schools and meeting with senior Malaysian government officials and educationists were not initially reported.
DAP leader Lim Guan Eng was shocked that even the Deputy Education Minister, Wong Kah Woh from the DAP, was not kept in the loop.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had to go on defensive mode to quickly calm public concerns. She said the visit had concluded and her ministry had only shared insights on education in Malaysia with them – whatever that means.
Interestingly, the ministry also claimed the Taliban visit was part of an effort to support Malaysia’s foreign policy approach towards Afghanistan. It was carried out under the guidance of the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with support from other relevant ministries. Here, the plot thickens.
The second question that rises is, who invited them? To start with, we don’t have diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
A public backlash ensued that included fake news that quickly went viral, claiming that Malaysia would accept 3,800 Afghan Taliban lecturers and students into local universities here. This was denied.
How did it all begin? The UN pointed out that Afghanistan is the most repressive country especially in terms of girls and women’s education and their rights, describing it as an ‘gender apartheid’. This was something Afghanistan have kept promising but not honouring.
So, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Saudi Arabia early last year promptly announced that Malaysia was willing to assist Afghanistan.
At the press briefing that followed, the PM pointed out the problem of the Taliban’s attitude towards education for the female gender. In defending women’s right to education, he even suggested it was their choice whether to build education institutions specifically for women.
This was quickly followed by a high-level delegation from Malaysia to Kabul earlier this year to develop diplomatic, religious, cultural and economic relations with Afghanistan.
The Malaysian delegation comprised representatives from the education, foreign affairs, defence and home affairs ministries, as well as from the prime minister’s office. Interestingly enough, it was led by a woman, Dr Shazelina Zainul Abidin. Perhaps this would have sent a message that educated women are just as capable.
So, the Taliban delegation led by its education ministry director, Shahabuddin Saqib, headed here not only to accept the generous offer our prime minister made to them but also to reciprocate the Malaysian delegation’s visit to Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Education then boasted about Malaysia’s education system, claiming it had given the visiting Taliban delegation insights into the best education practices of a modern Islamic country.
Not to be left out, Abim quickly proclaimed the Taliban visit was a recognition that our education system is a model to be emulated by foreign countries.
Don’t laugh!
Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan
Co-editor, Aliran newsletter
15 December 2024
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Is it wise and safe for me to comment is in my thoughts? Bless all
Too sensitive subject to comment on. Apologies. Bless all
The writer is correct to ask readers not to laugh after reading the article.
But, I must say, I enjoyed my Sunday dose of levity