THE symptoms have been evident for some time. National schools have lost their status of preference. Increasingly, Malaysian parents in some states are opting for Private Schools or Chinese schools to ensure that their children get good quality education.

Yet the denial continues. The Education Ministry (MOE) that has received its fair share of budgetary provisions is yet to meet the needs of our diverse society. The option of private education gives a window of opportunity for some Malaysians while others suffer in silence.

Many like me are disappointed with the lack of priority given to address the challenging issues facing Primary and Secondary School Education. Many students recently have not even turned up for the SPM exams. 

No one is held accountable and flimsy reasons are provided. The SPM results tell the story with 25.9% failing in Science subjects; 23.2% failing in Mathematics and overall 30% who will not receive their SPM Certificates. The best score seems to be the subject ‘Quran and Sunnah’ achieving 84%.

What does this say about our education system? 

If this report on social media is accurate then what about the passing grade. In Maths the indication is that with 20%, one secures a passing grade and I wonder what is the passing grade for English and Science!

All exams have since been removed. 

We neither have the UPSR nor the PMR so the idea seems to be just to promote incompetence from one stage to another until students reach thew SPM stage. We need objective standards to evaluate both the performance of students and the commitment of teachers. Without exams we are left to the subjectivity of performance evaluators.

These are not held accountable for the quality of teaching. Yes, the claim that teachers are hard pressed has to considered but we must also not overlook the amount of leave and teaching days they have. Teaching days rarely exceed 200 days in a year.

Then you have private education to consider, nearly 185 private International Schools, with 80% of these being in the Klang valley providing wide ranging facilities and opportunities. These have to compete with tuition centres and the like.

Everything is allowed presently. About 15 years ago things were stringent and standards had to maintained to qualify as an International School. Private sector groups then responded and established schools of repute in response to the call to make Malaysia an education hub in the region.

Today these are very regulated and it is a paradox. 

It is private money, risk and marketing, and yet these are controlled by the MOE in terms of enrolment of both foreign staff and students. They have under ten staff to manage these schools.

So rigidity and control is the order of the day.

The fact that scores of parents are opting today to send their children at great cost to themselves to these private schools is a reflection on the state of the national school system. They are perceived as “suraus” and this mix of religion and education has been found to be wanting.

We must respect diversity and interdependence for the alternative is very costly in the long run. In the areas of both health and defence it is about diversity and race should not be a factor for opportunities in these sectors. 

There is a negative mindset at play and one wonders when Malaysians will wake up!

Religion is the primary responsibility of parents. 

Schools can help but they must not be held accountable. If parents are opting out of this responsibility, then schools will take over this parental obligation. Doing so is not going to benefit either the parents nor the children.

Even in a syariah compliant state like Brunei the medium of instruction is in English and it is most embarrassing to see our political leaders and their command of the Language. One can understand the sentiments from both Sabah and Sarawak in this regard. We are all for bi-lingual proficiency.

With every change of leadership in the MOE, government policies were compromised in the name of democratisation of education. Not only has our international reputation been impacted but the situation internally has likewise been compromised.

We now have a dual language programme that aims to balance the language crisis but this again adds to injustice between rural and urban schools. We need to create a new vision for Malaysian education that is fair and just and one that is not based on race and fear. It must promote equal opportunities and quality with standards that are objective and measurable.

Language is a medium of communication and understanding. The more languages one is able to command gives an individual greater capacities in an inter-dependent world. 

As soon as we politicise language as an issue, education suffers.

My singular disappointment with the Madani Government is its failure to address the challenges faced presently and this will continue to have serious implications on the future of the nation.

Move away for politicising education. Get a qualified technocrat well versed with national and international education to steer this key Ministry. This is not to say that the present minister is not doing her best but she has challenges that she has inherited and being a first time Minister does she have the experience to turn things around.

This requires a person with a clear vision for education both immediate and long term that is clearly spelt out and to which society as a whole buys into. Let him or her be a senator and aim to do what is right for the future of the nation. Education remains an instrument for enhancing inter-racial understanding and goodwill. We have to move away from the polarised situation that we now face at all levels of Education.

We need new and fresh thinking otherwise today’s problems will ferment tomorrow’s crisis. The thinking that has created today’s crisis cannot be the basis for any solution. We need to move away from fear and race and consider an inclusive approach to education that makes us competitive and respected.

While education is a priority in many countries, this area has been singularly devalued in Malaysia. One of the greatest bulwarks against change is the civil service and the MOE. Be inclusive and move forward and implement the ideas from all sectors of Malaysian society.

Do not be imprisoned by racist and bigoted ideas. Let the responsibility of teaching religion be in the hands of parents. The schools can have a part but not at the expense of the teaching, learning and the exammination process. This could be done after school from 3pm onwards.

When you raise questions and suggest ideas for change, the common response is that this issue is a political decision or that we need direction from above. Imprisoned by their rigid departmental rules which are non-negotiable these ‘napoleons’ imprison themselves and protect themselves from change and progress.

There is far too much rigidity and ministries have become more regulatory in nature rather than ones that facilitates change, progress and response. Overall the civil service remains the most entrenched sector. In Putrajaya they are all to themselves living in Ivory towers and regulating everything.

As a parent whose three children went through the government school system I can only look on with sadness as to what parents today have to face.

Being polarised and compartmentalised, racism will destroy this nation.

The sad reality is that there is no opportunity to make a difference. It is difficult to even have dialogues with officials of the MOE. They do not respond to such opportunities. Unless they become more professional and confident, the hopes for the future seem dim.

Wake up and realise that education is the legacy you will leave behind for the future. – July 7, 2024.

• K. Haridas 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.