Education dialogue with public
Malaysians asked to give opinions to improve education system
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the state-level launch of the 1Malaysia community programme in Johor. NSTP/Shahrul M.Zain.
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday invited Malaysians from all walks of life to give input and views on how to make the education system better.
The National Education Dialogue, scheduled to begin next month, will provide a platform to gauge the opinions of various levels of society on ways to improve the quality of teaching, learning and co-curricular activities, among others.
Muhyiddin said ministry officials would chair the dialogue from state to state.
"This dialogue is an opportunity to hear views, suggestions, ideas and thoughts that could be gathered from different segments of the society and those from various racial groups, and the stakeholders.
"Any parties concerned with education and interested in giving their suggestions are encouraged to attend the dialogue," he said after handing out Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia vouchers to 516 recipients at Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) here.
All views gathered during the series of dialogues will be forwarded to a panel, which will discuss the input before it is implemented, or translated into policies.
The panel is expected to comprise of experts in the field, together with high-ranking ministry officials.
Muhyiddin said the dialogue was in line with the 1Malaysia spirit, which was to allow the engagement of the people on policy matters.
"This is the best time to hold such a dialogue as it is in line with the prime minister's 1Malaysia concept.
"The various races will be able to determine policies, teaching programmes, teachers' competency and all aspects of education from district, state to national levels. Anyone can give their views."
Muhyiddin said the dialogue was an engagement process to empower the people to determine the future of the country's education system.
"The Chinese can give their views on the sekolah kebangsaan. So can the Indians and other races."
Muhyiddin said the complete schedule of the dialogue would be released by the end of the month.
The first series would run for two to three months to gauge its response, before continuing further.
In Segamat earlier, Muhyiddin said community colleges should become pillars in providing a skilled labour force with the potential of enhancing the nation's economy.
He said under the National Lifelong Learning Master Plan 2011-2020, announced in November last year, community colleges had been given the responsibility as hubs for lifelong learning by implementing skill-based and apprenticeship training programmes for those who lacked good academic background.
"The comprehensive lifelong learning policy that was introduced consists of strategies that are effective, extensive and befitting the role of community colleges, which have a close relationship with the community.
"This is in line with the objective of the masterplan which is making lifelong learning a way of life for Malaysians; that they will equip themselves with knowledge and skill."
Muhyiddin said this when opening the Segamat 2 Community College in Batu Anam, near here, yesterday.
At the function, he also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Higher Education Ministry and the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat).
Present at the event were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also Segamat member of parliament.
Muhyiddin said in order to ensure that Malaysia achieved its target of becoming a developed and high-income nation by 2020, the field of education was not exempted from having to undergo a transformation which was in line with the current needs and demands.
"The transformation that is currently being undertaken will make quality education a base in producing human capital which is creative, innovative and highly skilled.
"This is in line with the country's aspiration to improve Malaysia's competitiveness through enhancing the quality of the human capital produced through our education system," he said. Additional reporting by Rizalman Hammim
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