THE next education minister should focus on preparing young Malaysians to meet the needs of the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0), said Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.

“He should not get involved in petty matters like learning Jawi,” Abang Johari said today after Maszlee Malik quit as education minister on Thursday, only 20 months into the job.

“We need to provide a training that can match with the demand. We are going to 4.0,” he said after presenting national diver Pandelela Rinong with her new apartment at P. Residence in Batu Kawa today.

Sarawak is pushing for new towns and cities, like Batu Kawa, a satellite town of Kuching city, to be a “smart city” with IR 4.0 technologies for automation and data exchange.

“Education is an important ministry. You (the minister) must have a vision where you want to go.

“Once you know where you want to go, then you must train people towards it. Our policy should be geared towards that.”

Abang Johari said to meet the needs of the 4.0 economy, the next minister should place emphasis on subjects like mathematics, science and even language.

“They are important.”

He said in the state, the government had already set in motion plans to meet its needs.

“As far as Sarawak is concerned, we are gearing towards that,” he said.

The state recently announced it is building five international schools in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri for the smartest and brightest children from the B40 families who could not afford expensive schools.

Students will be taught in English and the students are geared for the UK’s International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGSCE) examination.

“That will provide our people with opportunities to define what their future is like – towards digital economy, not the petty things.”

While the chief minister praised Maszlee for his effort in getting the thousands of dilapidated schools in the state repaired, he also criticised him for not consulting the state on the appointment of the new Unimas board of director’s chairman.

“Like most people, he has his weaknesses.” – January 4, 2020.