New government must surely realise the root cause of nearly all the issues: education and upbringing

By MT Webmaster On Jun 5, 2018

From the perspective of a simple thinking, realistic Malaysian citizen who is not a rocket scientist and doesn’t believe in reinventing the wheel.

Amrul Zeflin Anim

It’s been just about four weeks or a month since the historic day (or shall I say couple of days) when Barisan Nasional crumbled and a new coalition took hold of the nation helmed by the much loved Tun Mahathir Mohamed.

Up to the time of writing, the full ministerial cabinet remains unnamed which is probably a wise move indeed. Rushing into such appointments and getting “mismatched” personalities and appointments would be setting the ship on the wrong course, and surely detrimental to the country. As it stands, a number of the comments made and issues raised by some of the already appointed ministers do not bode well amongst those wiser to such issues and scenarios. Let us look at one of the simpler examples.

When our Saudara Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport was commenting on the matter of younger aged drivers causing more fatal road accidents, the hastened reaction was to look at increasing the age for those who can hold driving licences. Seriously? Most countries adopt the age range of 16 to 18 in any case. Most developed nations use 17 as the benchmark, either for supervised of fully licenced car drivers. Are we saying that experts here in Malaysia have researched in more depth than those in UK, Germany, USA and the likes, to conclude that 17 is too young an age to drive and 18 year olds or even 20 year olds will cause less fatality on the roads?

Is it not more obvious that education and training prior to obtaining the licence is the actual problem? Is it not more obvious that driver attitude is more likely the cause of the problem? Is it not obvious that civic mindedness through better upbringing and socio-cultural change would be more effective than changing the age of driving?

Education is just about the most important issue and biggest problem in hand that we are facing as a nation. Of course the cleansing of the corrupt system and people is important, but can be categorised as a short term issue in comparison to our education system. It seems and feels like we have dug a grave-like hole so deep over the past 15 to 20 years that it will take just as long to get it back on track and in line with real needs to take Malaysia ahead in the next decades. Essentially, in heading towards the goal of becoming a developed nation, there is a big mismatch between our infrastructure and the people.

Let’s be honest with ourselves, we know that the general quality of our people is poor in almost every sense. Instead on thriving on quality, we are rather more proud of being the heaviest users of social media like facebook and the likes. Hence, the issue of fake news is so bad that our tireless Prime Minister (and the current cabinet) has resorted to carrying out regular press conferences and issuing press releases at a rate no other government would do. Think about it. With all the technological advances in the world, we now resort to PCs and PRs to disseminate information!

Again, most of the issues and problems arising in the past years would all not be a so bad if our education system was ‘up there’ per se. Well, a good education system coupled with a wholesome upbringing that is. Mind you, the latter wouldn’t be possible without the former.

Let us now look at education. The new Minister of Education, Saudara Maszlee has indicated that the existing education system will be maintained. The question that immediately should be asked is WHY? Why in the world should the current system be kept? Just about the whole country knows, feels and agrees that the education system does not work. More importantly everybody was hoping that with the change in government, it is now the best time and opportunity ever to make a change. A number of articles have already been seen in circulation, all suggestive of a single school system. Why not? In fact, this change into a one school system should be ‘numero uno’ on the list. In fact, we should all go onto the streets and demand for such. This is the extent of how seriously I opine such a move.

Talking of opinion and how everyone can now give their opinion, here’s my opinion and suggestion on what we should embark upon.

We need not re-invent the wheel. Many good, successful and proven systems can be seen around the world. Of course, not one system fits all, in particular here in Malaysia. But nothing stops us from using a hybrid system combining multiple systems that have worked elsewhere. Of course, this should include things that have worked for us in the past. As the Malay saying goes, ‘ambil yang jernih, buang yang keruh’.

Without going into too much of an academic, theoretical and rhetoric discourse, the following is what we should be looking at:

Halt all education for six months to start implementing changes.
Single type school – No SRJK, SJK, SRA, SKA and the likes. Just one single national school. Core subjects (in English) to be determined, with any other subjects that students may wish from a list of subjects available, including the various language subjects.
Boarding schools must be opened to all, including MRSMs that can be renamed.
First years (formative years) key subjects to be Civics (“how to be a good person”), Cleanliness, Moral studies and everything basic.
Schooling shall be completed at age of 16.
At age of 18 (pre tertiary education or training), everyone joins the military for a service of at least 18 months.
Number of universities to be reduced significantly (drastically), and apportioned between “white collar” and “blue collar” universities.
The concept that ‘not everybody should go to university’ must be embodied in the education system.

The above may cause distress and upset some parties here and there, but such drastic changes that may well take us back a few years, is needed, to take us forward over the next 100 years.

What is being suggested here will not only prepare our young ones education wise, but also will attend to the matter of unity and sense of belonging to our beloved country. It will not favour one or the other, and will allow the natural development of people to take place.

It will be difficult at first and will be for a few years, but the fruit at the end of it all, will surely be worth the effort, sweat (maybe blood) and time.