EDUCATION Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s remark linking the continuation of the matriculation quota to the low private sector employment of Bumiputeras is a first casualty to the prime minister’s recent announcement on “Shared Prosperity”. Private corporations put their money in their mouths. What politicians spill is often hot air giving meaning to rhetoric that is accustomed in the profession.
While a person’s capabilities, character and language proficiency – including to some extent the Mandarin language – are all realistic, market-driven and time-tested demands of the private sector, policies on matriculation and its ethnic quota system are erratic, changeable and determined by the whims of politicians. Linking the two, like mixing oil and water, shows naivety, insincerity and non-conformance to the voices of change that swept the last general election, and even exudes racism on the part of Maszlee.
By priding himself over the matriculation quota system, the education minister has his priorities misplaced. His ministry should work hard to show that matriculation is not a back door or side road into university. There is a common perception that matriculation has easy passing marks for students. Nothing is visible on the efforts taken to erase such perceptions.
Instead, teaching standards at the undergraduate level are generally poor. From matriculation to the first year in university, most students do not even know how to write a simple letter. Undergraduates do not know how to write a simple essay. Postgraduate students do not know how, or are incapable of, writing an academic paper. There are those who have already obtained PhDs, but have yet to get a single paper published. Plagiarism is common, not just among students, but also academics. The outsourcing of assignment-writing is also common among students. This is a colossal damage compounded over the years and a crying shame to our education system, where no rectification measures are seen.
To be fair, our universities do have good lecturers. But they are uncommon, hard to come by.
The Education Ministry is fickle about teaching Science and Mathematics in English. Maszlee cares more about being politically correct rather than being a statesman leading the Malaysian people armed with knowledge in science and technology towards being a progressive nation. Waste no time expecting such a leader to right the ills of our education system.
By justifying the matriculation quota system with the argument of jobs denied to Bumiputeras because they do not know Mandarin, the minister shows himself either shallow in critical thinking or someone with little knowledge on how the profit-oriented system works in the extremely competitive private sector. When one’s outlook is myopic and blinkered with parochial views, one is handicapped when it comes to such critical thinking and knowledge.
By emphasising on the matriculation quota, the minister has given priority to quantity instead of quality. Needless to say, even with ten of thousands of matriculation students churned out, even with Bumiputera students occupying 100% of the slots, if quality education is not prioritised, they will not only be useless to the private sector, but to the public sector as well. They merely occupy space instead of being useful and productive.
A good mix of students of all ethnicities is the ideal learning environment. Furthermore, institutions of higher learning should zealously welcome and keep very bright students, so that they become a catalyst to learning and help raise the overall standards.
Ironically, in our institutions of higher learning, we are averse to competition and phobic to being seen as less bright and incapable. Over the years, those in the Education Ministry harboured a ridiculous attitude that has caused many thousands of our very bright students to feel unwelcome, and depart to our gleeful southern neighbour.
Maszlee appeared confused about our nation’s reconstruction continuum when he expressed that the government would one day be able to fix inequality and provide equal opportunities for all, in line with “Shared Prosperity 2030”. The agenda announced by Dr Mahathir Mohamad on May 9 is for a duration of 10 years, and it is a journey to start now. There is no better place to start than the Education Ministry.
The sooner Maszlee is conscious of merits and applies them in his ministry, the sooner there will be true transformation into a better education system. His view of education through racial lens, and not based on merits, confirms that he is the first failure of the “Shared Prosperity” vision. – May 23, 2019.
* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He has a burning desire to do anything within his means to promote national harmony. Captain Wong is also a member of the National Patriots Association.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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Comments
Posted 7 years ago by Witzi Leong · Reply
*Nelson Mandela replied that he will not allow any type of Reservations in any sector i.e. in education sector, in govt sector & in private sector at any cost, because Reservations & the products of Reservations will destroy the whole nation!*
*The famous statement of Nelson Mandela is displayed at the entrance of the University of South Africa thus:*
*"Destroying any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs or the use of long range missiles. _It only requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by the students._"*
*Patients die at the hands of such quack doctors.*
*Buildings collapse at the hands of such dubious engineers.*
*Money is lost in the hands of such bankers, economists & accountants.*
*Humanity dies at the hands of such pseudo religious scholars.*
*Justice is lost at the hands of such corrupt judges...*
*"The collapse of education is the collapse of a nation."*...
*How relevant to todays Malaysia
*When South Africa got independence from white rulers in 1990 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, his supporters, mainly African Tribes, demanded Reservations in education sector, govt sector & in private sector!*
*Nelson Mandela replied that he will not allow any type of Reservations in any sector i.e. in education sector, in govt sector & in private sector at any cost, because Reservations & the products of Reservations will destroy the whole nation!*
*The famous statement of Nelson Mandela is displayed at the entrance of the University of South Africa thus:*
*"Destroying any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs or the use of long range missiles. _It only requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by the students._"*
*Patients die at the hands of such quack doctors.*
*Buildings collapse at the hands of such dubious engineers.*
*Money is lost in the hands of such bankers, economists & accountants.*
*Humanity dies at the hands of such pseudo religious scholars.*
*Justice is lost at the hands of such corrupt judges...*
*"The collapse of education is the collapse of a nation."*
Posted 7 years ago by Witzi Leong · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad pauzi md yusof · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad pauzi md yusof · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply
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Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply
They are many among us sensible Malays who aspire to have a fair and equal Malaysia and are fighting for it. You tarred all of them with the same brush. Are you a racist? Shame on you too!
Posted 7 years ago by No Gostan · Reply
NGOs can be as valuable as ideas people as the private sector is to building economic muscle.
Posted 7 years ago by K.C. BOEY · Reply
Mediocrity knows no bound. What a silly billy for a Minister. Dr M must have really scraped the bottom of the Bersatu barrel.
Posted 7 years ago by Yok Foo Yap · Reply
Posted 6 years ago by Chong Choong Kian · Reply