Education system still wanting

THE recently released World Bank report titled “Bending Bamboo Shoots: Strengthening Foundation Skills”, should be a wake-up call to the present administration on the need to take quick action to improve our education system.

“With Malaysia aspiring to become a high-income economy, it will need to prioritise improving human capital outcomes to match those of high-income countries,” notes the report.

Malaysian students spend an average of 12.5 years in school but learn the equivalent of only 8.9 years, according to the report.

It also said 42% of Malaysian students fail to achieve reading proficiency by the end of Standard 5, a figure that is higher than other countries with similar gross national income per capita (34%).

For decades, our education system has been a victim of dawdling and political interference, causing it to fall behind even Vietnam and Brunei as revealed in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).

In the past few years, more and more parents are sending their children to international schools and subsequently to foreign colleges/universities just so they could receive quality education.

Unfortunately, only a small fraction of Malaysian parents can afford this expensive route.

Many of our ministers and Members of Parliament are aware of the situation, but winning an election is more important than nurturing the intellectual well-being of our younger generation.

Furthermore, they can afford to send their children to elite private schools for their early education and a foreign college for their higher education.

Upon their return to Malaysia, they will have little problem landing a job in a multinational company while a large number of local graduates are struggling to be employed.

It’s a fact that thousands of local graduates remain jobless six months after graduation.

Our education system has to undergo a structural revamp in line with the rapid technological changes taking place worldwide.

China seems to be competing well in the race, hence learning Mandarin would only enhance one’s career potential.

Bear in mind that China is looking to Malaysia to assemble its high-end microchips soon, as reported by Reuters in December last year, “Chinese firms look to Malaysia for assembly of high-end chips, sources say”.

We should feel proud that the Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, Pang Sock Tao, achieved straight As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination in 2010. As a student of a vernacular school, it is remarkable that she managed to obtain A in Bahasa Malaysia and A+ in English.

She must have been an extremely diligent and smart learner, as not many students are capable of achieving such outstanding results.

Malaysia needs more students like her if it plans to enhance its development in the technological field. If one aspires to become an outstanding engineer, he/she must be strong in STEM subjects.

Students, irrespective of race, religion or location, must be given ample opportunities, including scholarships, to pursue their education and gain the necessary qualifications that the country needs in order to transit to high-income status.

PATRICK TEH

Ipoh