The miseducation of Maszlee Malik

Julia Yeow Julia Yeow Updated 5 years ago · Published on 15 Oct 2018 8:30PM · 19 Comments

Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has said or done very little to address the problems of our laughable national syllabus, overcrowding in classrooms and the shockingly low level of English proficiency among our graduates. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 15, 2018.

A REPORT by the Khazanah Research Institute issued today on the sorry state of our schooling system is, perhaps, one of the most damning assessments of the quality of our education.

According to the research house, thanks to the low quality of education, out of the 12 years of schooling that our children have to go through, only nine actually count for something.

That’s one-quarter of our children’s lives – three years – totally wasted, before they even reach 21.

Before Malaysian parents could even begin to let that sink in, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik announced that he is in talks with “stakeholders” on the colour of socks that pupils will wear starting next year.

This, presumably, is to complement the black shoes that students will wear beginning January 2021.

An Utusan report said the minister is holding the important talks to make sure they come up with the best solution for pupils.

But perhaps, the best solution for our students is for Maszlee to stop wasting his time with inconsequential and superficial policies, and actually start addressing the real disease that plagues our education system.

There is no doubt that Maszlee has one of the most problematic and challenging portfolios.

He has to correct a deep-rooted and highly complicated problem stemming from decades of politicking, which has all but destroyed our education system and once-respected universities.

He was meant to fix a system that many parents have lost confidence in, and one that has drained the passion and enthusiasm of once-dedicated teachers.

He was supposed to make Malaysians entrust public school educators with the future of their children, so that our schools can once again be places teeming with ethnic and religious diversity.

Instead, Malaysians have been dealt with death by superficiality – from shoe-colour rulings to free swimming lessons and most recently, the socks policy.

After five months on the job, it has become painfully clear that Maszlee either does not have a clue as to what the real problems plaguing our education system are, or he lacks the wisdom or desire to correct them.

While Maszlee has made references to decreasing teachers’ administrative burden, he has said or done very little to address the problems of our laughable national syllabus, overcrowding in classrooms and the shockingly low level of English proficiency among our graduates.

Perhaps, before Maszlee sets out on his next important meeting with “stakeholders”, he should be re-educated on the actual task entrusted to him as education minister.

He would do well to start addressing the fundamental problems of our education system, and focus his efforts on bringing all of our universities – not just the one that he presides over – to a level of global respectability.

Malaysians have had enough of fluff and triviality.

If Maszlee is not serious about setting our education system on the path of recovery, maybe it is time for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to hand the job to someone else. – October 15, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • Youthful Ministers and Leaders are the Future. I am afraid Maszlee isnt one of them. This guy is a joke, if not a consummate jerk.
    He suffers from a constipation of sorts.

    Posted 5 years ago by [email protected] · Reply

  • Maszlee... focussing on the form and not the content! Get down to work on the inherent issue within the current education system execute your revamp plan.

    Posted 5 years ago by Jasvinder Kaur · Reply

  • Too early to judge. Revamping a system cannot be done overnight. Behind the scenes there have been in place data gathering. So don't knock people just because you don't see what they're doing.

    Posted 5 years ago by Shaik Azrin Daud · Reply

    • if it cannot be done overnight, then why are they wasting time on inconsequential things?

      Posted 5 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

    • How long would you suggest we should wait before taking stock on Maszlee's performance? Don't you think after been nominated for over 3 months into the job, Maszlee should have by now come up with at least one policy in rectifying the so many problems faced in our education system

      Posted 5 years ago by Witzi Leong · Reply

  • So what's next Maszleee.....underwear of students......go do your job properly laaa...if not just bloody get lost......idiot

    Posted 5 years ago by Hantoo Blacklord · Reply

  • They'll set-up task force to study & come up with proposals, then set-up more task force/committees to study earlier task forces recommendations...before u know it, 5 years up. Let the new in coming Education Minister to propose.

    Posted 5 years ago by CW L · Reply

  • Granted he is a replacement. Granted he is new and nobody expect him to do miracle. Break it down into phases, some quick wins and medium to long term plan. Probably it's just me, I really don't see the colour of shoes and socks engaging stakeholders has anything to do with quick wins.

    Posted 5 years ago by Jebat Hebat · Reply

  • Dann Umno-BN for downgrading English to the detriment of the poor Majays who may never recover from this travesty!..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • The noble thing for Mazlee to do and achieve the respect is to pass the baton to someone competent. No need the supercficial actions to improve the outlook of student in making them look smart thru' shoes and socks. Get real and resign please.!!!!!!

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Unless of course, this was one of them manifestos that err... PH didn't intend to fulfill...

    Posted 5 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Dr. Mahathir wanted the education portfolio? Does he still want it? Pakatan manifesto can take a back seat, like in the case of the toll issue?..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • The Education and Home ministries are in a contest to see which is the worst performing of the lot :-(

    Posted 5 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply

  • Soon the white head cover of the female Malay students will be targets.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Soon the white head cover of the female Malay students will be targets.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Mazlee should do the country a favour by stepping aside as the Education Minister. He is indeed out of his depth in this critical area of Makaysia Baru. Even a bum like Najib is laughing at him. So thats tell us as much about Mazlee.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Maybe Julia (and others) should first speak to MM and confirm if what was reported by Utusan is correct. She should also read and understand the 100-day assessment report that MoE has done post May 9th. In addition, she should talk/interview and get feedback from any of the 7 National Education Advisory Council Members (MPPK), chaired by TS Dr Wan Mohd Zahid, before writing a trash piece like this. This is not journalism.

    Posted 5 years ago by Yuzaidi Yusoff · Reply

  • So sad that the like of Julia Yeow is also duped by Umno-mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia who only focussed on socks issue of all matters raised by the Minister yesterday.

    Although it has to be admitted that Maszless as an inexperienced minister has some issues in terms of his communications, media relations and appearance, but it seems we neglect to highlight some major policy announcements/steps inthe right direction made by Maszlee since taking over the MoE few months ago e.g granting autonomy status to all our public universities, empowering undergraduates by having their reps in the university senates, appointments of highly qualified persons from diverse backgrounds to sit in National Education Advisory Council Members (MPPK), decision to relieve teachers from the burden of clerical duties as early as the beginning of next year and many more.

    Posted 5 years ago by Abdullah Abdul Karim · Reply

  • Dr Mazlee,

    Pls do not waste your time on petty issued that any ordinary prrson in the street finds it trivial. You should be focussing on core issues such as currculum, examinations, special needs pupils, teachers concerns and numerous other issues. Dont play merry go round like previous education ministers. Be different, act different and listen to elder ministers advise, like Kit Siang
    Pls act or you are no different.
    Retired educationist

    Posted 5 years ago by Wee Kok leng · Reply