A Blueprint or Continued Mediocrity
A Blueprint For Continued Mediocrity
First posted on Malaysiakini February 2, 2007
On the day when Prime Minister Abdullah unveiled the new Education Blueprint 2006-2010 (Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan 2006-2010) last month, the Ministry of Education had already posted the entire document on its website. That was a welcomed change, considering that the earlier Education Blueprint 2000-2010 was soon made unavailable within only a few months of its release. Those Ministry folks can learn after all. Beyond that immediate posting however, I am unable to discern any other improvement.
Poor Presentation
The report leaves much to be desired in its presentation. I had expected an English version so I could assess the English competency of ministry officials, but none was available. After all, if they expect our students to master English, then these officials ought to at least demonstrate their own competence.
Apart from the two forewords by Abdullah and Education Minister Hishamuddin, there were no other introductions or acknowledgements. The writers have chosen to remain anonymous. They must have consulted numerous experts in making the report, but you would not know it. Now I know why; no one wants to get the blame for this shoddy paper. There was not even an executive summary.
The first few chapters were devoted to general discussions on educational philosophies and government’s non-educational policies. Many of the ideas were extracted from other sources, yet there was no acknowledgments or references. This omission of standard practice is unacceptable. Worse, it handicaps readers who may wish to pursue a particular topic further.
The report is full of data presented in endless monotonous tables. Many could have been better presented as bars, line graphs, and pie charts. The authors were obviously “graphic-challenged.” Many of the figures are presented without their proper context. For example, the ministry proudly notes the increase in the number of new schools but fails to put that increase in perspective. Did it match the population (specifically, the enrollment) growth? It took some effort and much searching to compare the two figures. No wonder! The seemingly impressive increases in physical facilities no longer look so as they do not even keep up with the enrolment expansion.
With the crowded tables, key figures and trends are easily missed, as with the declining participation rates at all levels (except for preschool) since 2000. This alarming trend would have been picked up easily had the figures been presented as line graphs. As the trend was missed, this important issue was not addressed. Had ministry officials detected this declining participation rate and analyzed it further, they would have discovered that the figures for non-Malays in South Johore had declined even more. The reason? They have abandoned our schools for the more superior ones across the causeway.
The page layout has two columns, with one inexplicably twice as wide as the other. At first I thought the narrow column was a summary, but it was not. The rationale for this difference in column breadth escapes me; it makes the layout visually distracting and irritating, making for a hard read.
Long on Diagnosis, Short of Prescription
The report duly lists the obvious deficiencies of our schools. No marks for that! The Ministry does finally acknowledge one salient point: in education, one size does not fit all. This is also true with much of everything else, except perhaps condom marketing!
The ministry wants to encourage “clusters of excellence” among our schools but does not elaborate on how to achieve that goal. In tandem with its one-size-does-not-fit-all philosophy, the Ministry would like some schools to offer the International Baccalaureate. I am all for that, but then the report does not address the fundamental issue: Does this mean that some schools can be English medium?
Where the report rightly identifies the problems, it offers the wrong solutions. It acknowledges the declining quality of teachers and suggests making their recruitment more rigorous. That is putting the cart before the horse. The problem is more upstream. Teaching no longer attracts the bright and talented for among other reasons, the pay is lousy. Toughening the recruitment criteria would do nothing to change that reality. The pay would have to be increased substantially to make the profession competitive. Once you have a surplus of applicants, then you could be choosy and have higher standards.
The report duly notes that non-Bumiputras are abandoning the national stream. The government hopes to attract them back by offering electives in Mandarin and Tamil. That however was not the reason they are abandoning national schools in the first place, rather that these schools have become Islamic institutions and thereby turning off non-Muslim parents.
Had Ministry officials conducted surveys, they would have discovered this crucial fact. This brings out another weakness of this report: it lacks empirical data and findings to support its recommendations. Consequently its recommendations have that seat-of-the-pants quality.
A major failing of Malaysian schools is the curriculum: too examination oriented, emphasis on rote learning, and not enough emphasis on science and mathematics. Thus one would expect substantive recommendations on the matter. Instead curricular reform would have to wait till the next blueprint on some indeterminate future date! As an aside, it is pathetic that four years after introducing the teaching of science and mathematics in English, it is only now that the Ministry is assessing the English competency of the teachers!
Ministry officials have obviously not learned from reform efforts elsewhere. For example, Malaysia gives stipends so poor children could attend schools. Why not tie it to actual school attendance, meaning, you would get paid only if you were in school, as with Mexico’s Progressa program. On another area, Chile offers many workable models for private schools as well as for school-based management.
National Schools With Various Languages of Instruction
It is a national tragedy that today Malaysian schools are deepening instead of reducing the racial divide. They are designed to appeal to racial identities. In my book An Education System Worthy of Malaysia, I suggested that Malaysian schools should instead focus on their language of instruction. Thus instead of Sekolah Kebangsaan Jenis China (National-Type Chinese school), meaning a school primarily for Chinese, characterize them as national schools that use Mandarin as the language of instruction. That would immediately change the focus. Such schools could then attract non-native Mandarin speakers like Malays by for example, serving halal foods and having Mandarin-speaking Malay (or at least Muslim) teachers to serve as role models. There are millions of Muslim Mandarin-speakers in China who would gladly teach in Malaysia. We could also have French- or Swahili-Type National Schools, meaning, schools using those two languages as their medium of instruction.
As for the obvious poor physical conditions of our schools (as evidenced by double sessions), the report suggests nothing beyond recommending more funds be devoted. That does not address the root cause. Our schools are in such a poor state because the funds are used less to improve the facilities and more to provide jobs for favored Bumiputra contractors. Apart from unnecessarily inflating the costs, such constructions are often shoddy and dangerous, as attested by buildings collapsing soon after their completion. Unless the tender mechanism is revamped to ensure that only the most qualified and efficient contractors get the job, we will never improve our school facilities no matter how much money we pour on them.
The Education Blueprint 2000-2010 (the preceding one) had a shelf life of only a few months. This one too would soon be forgotten, and a good thing too for this Education Blueprint 2006-2010 is nothing more than a blueprint for continued mediocrity.
February 4th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
This will be a good topic to discuss … Is there freedom of religion in Malaysia?
http://thestar.com.my/news/...
“By the time I was in primary school, I knew I was different from the rest of my family members as I could tell the difference between their features and my obviously Chinese appearance,” he said at a press conference.
After a chance meeting that reunited him with his biological family eight years ago, Zulhaidi now wants to change his name to a Chinese one.
Zulhaidi is hoping the authorities would allow him to state his religion as Buddhism on his MyKad.
Bandar Baru Tampoi MCA branch chairman Michael Tay said Zulhaidi was never given the chance to choose his own religion because of a mistake made at birth.
“Under the Federal Constitution, everybody is allowed the freedom to choose his own religion, but Zulhaidi was never given that chance.
“We will try the diplomatic method first through negotiations with state officials and the hospital where he was born. If that fails, then we will have to seek legal recourse,” he said, adding that might even include a suit against the hospital for negligence.
State religious officials were unavailable for comment.
February 4th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
“The report duly notes that non-Bumiputras are abandoning the national stream. The government hopes to attract them back by offering electives in Mandarin and Tamil. That however was not the reason they are abandoning national schools in the first place, rather that these schools have become Islamic institutions and thereby turning off non-Muslim parents.”
En Bakri, once again you have hit the nail smack in the head!
How is it that you are miles away yet you see this?
I enrolled my daughter to Primary One, she is the only Chinese girl in the class of 36. On the first day of introduction / briefing, we were all in the hall, when the doa was read. I have nothing against this, as it is the prayer of the muslims. But why ignore the rest? Can’t we have a priest, a Taoist priest, etc saying their prayers too???!!
What the school authorities should have done was just to give a short pause for prayer, period! This was no one will be marginalised!
As a devout Catholic, I have to take her to Sunday school to attend Cathecism classes. Gone were the days, when I was in School (St Johns KUala Lumpu) when we had Catechism classes, and during that time, The muslim students will go for their Agama, and the Buddhist to their religous classes. Atheist were left to review their studies.
To deprive the others, is to do so in a biased fashion. The Education ministry has chosen to stand on the sidelines, creating this widening divide.
I chose to send my Daughter to this National School, because I want her to grow up discarding the kind of mentality! But yet, she is forced into thinking that this is the way!
I can’t afford private education, nor can I afford to send her to Sinagapore, but keep this up, Malaysia, I am seeking employment there for the betterment of my girl(s)!
I don’t know how else to address this, but each day when I am home afer work, we run through the day’s events just so that she understands, because throught he day, Malay is used, and half of that is lost on my poor little girl!
tony yew
a.k.a. alliedmartster
February 5th, 2007 at 6:09 am
Dear Tony Yew:
What you described is mere a symptom of the overall cultural malaise and I am not so sure if the current political leadership in the country has enough sense in their heads let alone guts to reverse their own screw-ups.
Yes, I agree that everything in Malaysia seem to be turning Islamic ever so gradual but turning it does. Of course, the way how politic is played in Malaysia now, the players have to be “racists” in order to be so recognized on the political stage. Malays take dominant roles here. I am dismayed at others though. Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, especially those in Barisan Nasional are playing the roles of enablers to those Malays. Hence we have what we do now. I read that during pre-merdeka days, how non-Malays were more “assertive” in demanding what they wanted relative their meager, weak and sorry state of affairs they are now. So, whose to blame (not that blaming would solve all these)?
When I was in sekolah kebangsaan in Kelantan in the early 1960s, there was no such thing as baca doa during school assembly. That does and never make people of my generation any less islamic than the present one. I don’t think God really want us to wear our religion on our sleeves but that present Malaysian cultural milieau is all about. One has to exhibit one’s religion more than the next fellow. For example, Abdullah Badawi has to show the world that he is more “Islamic” relative to Mahathir, Hussein, Razak and the Tunku. Why the hell for? Therefore, all those goaties, and white caps etc. And, more importantly, exactly what do we get out of his premiership?
I think that Bakri is not the only one who has thought of this. Many have. It is only that Bakri is more articulate plus he has no vested interest to protect. He got nothing to loose. Others may loose their directorship appointment upon retirement from civil service if they do not kowtow - the same enabling behavior that Chinese, Indians, Kadazan, Ibans, and others perpetually and continually doing. Hence we have a vicious semo semo but downward spiral, I might add!
February 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
To HawaiiChee
“Under the Federal Constitution, everybody is allowed the freedom to choose his own religion, but Zulhaidi was never given that chance. ”
There is no freedom of choice for Malays. They have the constitutional freedom to practice their religion - which is Islam since S. 160(2) defines who a Malay is.
So it’s inaccurate to say our Federal Constitution allows for freedom of religion as far as Malays are concerned. It’s true for non_Malays.
February 5th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Tony Yew: Can’t we have a priest, a Taoist priest, etc saying their prayers too???!!
No, since Islam is the “religion of the federation” according to the Federal Constitution of 1957 - giving it, therefore, the status of ‘official religion’ of the nation.
February 5th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I agree with Al Jihad, actually. Personally, I see little issue with the doa - Tunku himself said the express and only reason he supported the establishment of Islam as our national religion was so that we could have doa at public functions, etc. What I would be more concerned about is the real displays of extremism seen in some schools, where principals show little concern for the religious affairs of non-Muslims, and where the religious teachers actively discourage efforts to encourage interaction between Muslims and non-Muslims. These things are far more worrying than a few minutes of public prayer.
February 5th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
I too had always wonder how Bakri knows about the happening in our schools.
Let me add to his keen observation that our school are becoming Islamic insitutions.
The doa at the assembly is one thing.
There are many more pseudo Islamic elements that are creeping subtly into our schools and non-Malay children are being marginalised. They loe the sense of belonging when these happen.
1.There is a dress code in school that does not permit students, including boys, to wear shorts within the school premises. Sleeveless blouses for non Malays girls is a NO! NO!
2. Woe betide any Malay girl (and teacher) who does not wear the head scalf.
This head gear is needed even during sports practice.
3. I know of one university that forbids a girl and a boy from being seen talking or walking together.
4. In national schools, canteens are closed during the fasting month and non-Malay students are not allowed to bring “COOKED FOOD” and “NON HALAL FOOD” to school. They are to survive on biscuits, cookies or cakes.
5. Non-Malays are not supposed to eat in the presence of Malay students during the fasting period. (They must hide behind the dustbin, I suppose)
6. Malay students in the afternoon session schools can leave the class for their prayers. Sometimes more than half the class is away and the teacher too disappears or stops teaching. Non-Malays are told to do their own work.
7. If there are two or three non-Malay students in a Malay dominated class during Agama lessons ( 6 times a week) they miss valuable learning time.
(Unless they have Chinese lessons.)
8. Some schools have weekly Koran lessons for teachers that sometimes takes more than an hour. Classes are left unattended during this period.
9. Then there are the Islamic calligraphy all over the walls. Not a big issue but supports Bakri’s “Islamic institution”claim.
10. Even during normal lessons Malay teachers often talk about the “superiority” of Islam and disregarding the non Malay presence and sensitivities.
Tell me , why should I send my children to these schools!
February 6th, 2007 at 3:01 am
dr bakri,
yes..with 2 uneven columns the report is difficult to read…
February 6th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I heard that the student who broke all records with 17 A’s in the SPM 3 years ago failed to gain admission into British Medical Colleges and is now back in Malaysia. If that is true it reflects badly on our education system.
February 6th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Dear Taksin:
I am not sure that you could indict a system with such an anecdote. Even in America we have students with top scores who could not get into med school. Academic achievement is only one of the many criteria. Med schools here, like elsewhere, can afford to be choosy as they get many applicants.
Your observation however, is important for another reason. Why was she in Britain in the first place before she was accepted into medical school? Presumably she went there to do her A level (matriculation). This a common and unnecessarily expensive practice of JPA, Petronas, and others. Why not stay in Malaysia and do the A level or IB locally at a fraction of the cost?
SPM is not a good preparation for nor a good predictor of college performance. The A level (and other equivalent matriculation examinations) is much better on both counts. The two years spent in Form VI or Junior college prepares one better for university.
M. Bakri Musa
February 6th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I think that the value of this blueprint is signifcantly affected by the fact that we do not know who wrote it, who had input, who was consulted, etc. There tend to be vested interests involved in the development of such strategic documents and without knowing who was involved … we will be left to decide on our own. Contrast this blueprint with that for the Government of Alberta’s Education Ministry (http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/commission/).
The MoE in Malaysia’s top-down approach (which is referred to in a quote from The Star’s VK Chin “The public is confident that the Government knows this only too well and can be expected to do the right thing for the people.”) no longer satisfies the public. We need to have input and we need to be consulted because without our (as parents, educationists, teachers, headmasters, etc.) direct involvement any reform is bound to fail.
February 6th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Very true statement as said by Libra. Such actions by ministry’s officials/school authorities certainly a turn off to parents and potential non muslim teachers .
Wonder what visions are more importants in school - to learn more of religious rituals or to gain more intellectual knowledges.
February 7th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I only wish this, that the environment in schools today be what it used to be
when I was back in school - early 80’s.
As for school attire, my daughter is allowed to use shorts. As she is not muslim, she has the option to use shorts. I also note that the primary students are not compelled to wear tudungs, though some choose to do so, then it is entirely up to them.
However, I do face this difficulty, getting the right shorts for her in terms of colour! I have visited at least 3 department stores, non of them carry shorts, only track bottoms (and how does that actually help in getting the best out of the students during their runs, I honestly don’t know!) and school uniform stores too!! So that gives you an idea , I suppose, here it is supplies meet demands???
February 7th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I only wish this, that the environment in schools today be what it used to be
when I was back in school - early 80’s.
As for school attire, my daughter is allowed to use shorts. As she is not muslim, she has the option to use shorts. I also note that the primary students are not compelled to wear tudungs, though some choose to do so, then it is entirely up to them.
However, I do face this difficulty, getting the right shorts for her in terms of colour! I have visited at least 3 department stores, non of them carry shorts, only track bottoms (and how does that actually help in getting the best out of the students during their runs, I honestly don’t know!) and school uniform stores too!! So that gives you an idea , I suppose, here it is supplies meet demands???
February 7th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
When I was in school at her age, the girls were wearing skirts higher than their knees. The Malay girls were wearing the same uniform. In fact there were no separate for non-Malays. The Malay girls were not wearing the hijab as tudung is called. Only the hostelites attended Friday prayers, marching ever so smartly in their white and green and songkok but they were shun upon by the rest of the Malay students who continued their classes. Religious and Bahasa Kebangsaan teachers were looked down upon and unpopular. We spent only 45 minutes per week studying Bahasa Kebangsaan.
How times have changed.
February 7th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I only wish this, that the environment in schools today be what it used to be
when I was back in school - early 80’s.
As for school attire, my daughter is allowed to use shorts. As she is not muslim, she has the option to use shorts. I also note that the primary students are not compelled to wear tudungs, though some choose to do so, then it is entirely up to them.
However, I do face this difficulty, getting the right shorts for her in terms of colour! I have visited at least 3 department stores, non of them carry shorts, only track bottoms (and how does that actually help in getting the best out of the students during their runs, I honestly don’t know!) and school uniform stores too!! So that gives you an idea , I suppose, here it is supplies meet demands???
WHy cant they just revert back to what it was duting our time?
February 7th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
How could things revert back?? The world has changed forever. Innocence once lost is never regained.
February 9th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Don’t you guys remember the 1979 Iranian revolution.It’s wave hits Muslims’ shores around the world, Malaysia included. The wave pulverising all the systems, believes and institutions that we held dearly in our education system at that time. There was one person who surfed on the wave and became politically famous overnight and climbed on the political ladder so quickly that never happend before to a person who came from outside the ruling party. May God save our country before it gets out of hand from these politicians.
February 9th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
I am often amazed at the understanding and consideration given by US schools and the education system in matters which require deviating from the norm to accommodate the diversity of the student population and the willingness to be flexible.
This term my daughter’s school in the US has started swimming sessions which are part of the curriculum and attracts points for grading. We were a little apprehensive being Muslim, about the attire she would have to wear during the swimming sessions. My daughter consulted her teacher who said he understood and gave her a choice. If worried about infringing the muslim dress code, she could just either sit on the bleachers, the seats at the pool, during lessons or stay in class without jeopardising her grading. Alternatively she could join in the lessons by wearing a swimming outfit that would be acceptable to her as well as the school.
While respecting the sensitivities of other religions, the school was also able to provide non punitive and non discriminatory avenues for the student to exercise her religious obligations.
February 10th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Good of you Mr Bonjales to bring this matter up. See how civil a developed society can be. Such a thing will never happen here with the kind of teachers and administrators we have. No Malay teachers will allow their charges to go anywhere near a swimming pool or be seen in a swimming attire.
The latest survey on education in Malaysia has this to say about the attitude of Muslim and non-Muslim parents. Non-Muslim parents feel that national schools are too Islamic so they resort to Chinese and Tamil schools. Muslim parents on the other hand, feel that national schools are not too Islamic enough so they resort to “sekolah pondok”. And this is most alarming. 67 per cent of Malays feel that the country is not Islamic enough.
BritishMalaya you are right. The 1979 Iranian revolution has impacted the way Malays view religion.
I got another rude shock today. A relative of my wife called and enquired whether she was invited to a neice’s wedding next weekend. She replied in the affirmative. Her relative did not so she would not attend because her ustazah said attending a “kenduri” without being invited was “haram.”
This is a common belief among Muslims here if one attends a reception without being invited whatever he/she consumes is considered “tak halal”.
See how low our Muslim society has degenarated.
It is indeed a sad day for Malaysia and Malay Muslims in this country.
February 10th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
“This is a common belief among Muslims here if one attends a reception without being invited whatever he/she consumes is considered “tak halal”.”
Muslims borrowed this concept from Christians who call it “gate crashing”.
February 11th, 2007 at 12:59 am
Speaking of swimming pools and swimming attires, I was speechless just weeks ago when this muslim lady just jumped into the swimming pool fully clothed with her tudung on while her male companion was in long shorts and tees. The club’s lifeguard approached them and there was quite an exchange of words and I heard them kept repeating quite loudly, “we are muslims”.
So what if you are a Muslim? Muslims must also be properly(decently) before entering a pool. Muslims must be rule abiding too. They must learn to co-exist with non-muslims and most important have consideration for others otherwise they may opt to stay home and soak naked in the privacy of their long baths.
There are Rules and Regulations for swimming pools and it’s an accepted norm that when one goes into the pool, one needs to be properly attired which means in most cases, a decent spandex attire. Before entering the pool, one is expected to go under the shower to wash off whatever dirt that clings on to one’s body but when one is fully attired, tudung and all, perhaps after a visit to the pasar tani, how is that going to work?
Yes, Al Jihad it’s a sad day for Muslims in this country.
February 11th, 2007 at 2:14 am
This is another shocking news. At a function a few days ago this well known Umno politician on my table said in jest that at one time it was Chinese parents who insisted that their children study overseas and to migrate after graduation. Today Malay parents are doing the same. Most have no faith in the education system. Fear for their offsprings’ future and a general feeling of despondency have affected the way they think.
Religion is creeping into the system making Malays apprehensive and uneasy. They don’t want to be second class citizens in their own country.
February 11th, 2007 at 5:10 am
Sorry a correction, should read:
“So what if you are a Muslim? Muslims must also be properly(decently) attired before entering a pool.”
April 17th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
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