NEAC makes a comeback to tackle issues

PUTRAJAYA: The National Education Advisory Council (NEAC) is making a comeback.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the revival of the council is important for her to have the support needed to tackle issues facing the sector including school dropouts and extremism in schools.

“It is hoped that this council will be able to contribute views and ideas to the ministry in formulating and improving the direction of education in the country.

“We need it to come back in full force,” she told reporters here yesterday, adding that the presence of the council is provided for under the Education Act 1996.

The council will also be tasked with figuring out the continuity of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2012-2025, which ends in 2025, she added.

New team: Fadhlina greeting her deputy Lim Hui Ying before the start of the media conference. Also present is Education director-general Datuk Pkharuddin Ghazali. — Bernama

Fadhlina said they are in the midst of selecting the 15 council members, and their names will be announced soon.

NEAC was disbanded when the previous education minister, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, took office.

Fadhlina also said the ministry has set its sights on tackling issues facing the sector, especially racism, extremism and gangsterism in schools.

She said this will be done by focusing on human dignity (karamah insaniah) through the formation of manners, morality and integrity.

“The ministry is confident of creating an atmosphere of harmony that will avoid social ills such as sexual harassment, bullying, extremism, gangs and vandalism,” she said, adding that there won’t be any compromise on racism and extremism in schools.

At the same press conference, Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Yusran Shah Mohd Yusof said the ministry is studying the possibility of implementing the free breakfast programme for students that was mooted by Dr Maszlee Malik, another former education minister.

However, there will be an increase in the allocation for cooked food under the Supplementary Food Plan (RMT) from RM2.50 to RM3.50 per head for Peninsular Malaysia, and RM3 to RM4 for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.