YES, there are many successful models of education being developed by other countries.

Japan has its own success stories. So does Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and all the Nordic countries.

But that does not mean for Malaysia to re-invent the wheel on education, it has to adopt one of those models.

This is the opportune time to formulate the new recipe, at the time our educational system is in a complete limbo.

So much damages have been inflicted and it is about time the entire system to be overhauled. Or else, the national education will be nuisance to the nation building and to the national prosperity.

But nevertheless, we can take into consideration all those successful models to formulate our very own and unique educational system.

Ours has to be completely different from all those models, simply because the ingredients we have are different in nature.

First and foremost essential ingredient is our political system.

Under the present political climate, regardless which party governs the nation, the general composition of the ruling coalition party shall remain the same, it is composite in nature.

Even if Barisan Nasional were to win back the government and Umno is the majority, its voices are still as weak as the minority of Bersatu in Pakatan Harapan.

That is how unique is the politics in Malaysia and yet they are regarded as the sole determinant in shaping the future of our education.

The political institutions are the ones that abuse the most the national unity agenda in search for political popularity for themselves.

Hence, the only window left to repair these damages is via education.

Sadly to say, too little opportunity being created for nation building by the educational system, just because the hands that damage the national unity are the same hands that control the educational agenda, the politicians.

Assuming that they are willing to compromise for the sake of our future generation, the educational system has a tall order to squeeze into the already packed educational curriculum, the formal subjects or courses on nation building.

No choice but they have to find the best way out.

But that is not the end of the problem. The set of characters of students enrolling into various types of schooling system are as diverse as their racial or religious polarisation already in existence.

Most parents especially among the B40 community as so weak and poor in their parenting skill and culture.

As such, they expect the school is the one that will shape and discipline their children.

Again, this factor is another burden to the schooling system.

This is a complete contrast of the parenting culture of parents of those developed nations being quoted.

In their case, the children go to school with a set of mind and character fully prepared by their parents.

Indeed, in the Malaysian educational system, this is another high expectation that burden the educational system. What a pity.

Only when this burden, the character building, is resolved then only we can expect the teachers have the time and energy to teach, guide, groom and impart knowledge to the students, the knowledge building process.

But at the higher level of education, especially at the tertiary and post-education stages, education and training are not just a process of completing the learning curve.

The icing of the process is the talent building.

Here are the challenges to those who run the technical and vocational centres as well as the other tertiary and post educational institutions.

Their challenges are to create, develop and groom talents.

It is simply because the survival of the fittest in the future are those who are equipped with talents, including talent in acquiring and managing the technology.

Hence, the real and practical challenges in formulating our very own educational recipe, is to blend these four main ingredients to be in one menu, namely the nation building, the character building, the knowledge building and finally, the talent building.

The rest of the issues such as the crisis on Bahasa Melayu vs English, introduction of several more second languages, Jawi writing, etc are the spices that will make the recipe tastier. – January 16, 2020.

* Hasan Mad reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.