Najib: Changes to education system needed to meet challenges

Prime Minister Najib Razak says the education system is set for realignment after GE14 to prepare the people for the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will likely realign the education system to be able to meet the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0), says Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He said this could be achieved if the government continued to enjoy the people’s mandate at the coming 14th general election (GE14).

“This is one of my concerns and post-GE, with the mandate of the rakyat, we’ll have to look closely at this and probably make the changes,” he said at the townhall session with Axiata and Celcom employees at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, near here yesterday.

Najib said such a move would ensure that future generations were equipped with knowledge and skills to face IR4.0.

Also present were Axiata Group president and group chief executive officer Jamaludin Ibrahim.

Queried on the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) agenda, Najib said the 30-year timeframe from 2020 was enough to effect changes and see outstanding results for the future.

On another matter, the prime minister said Malaysians should continue to respect one another with a view to strengthening unity in the country.

“We need to impart certain core values like learning to interact with one another and learn to respect each other so that Malaysia can progress as a harmonious country.

“If you can create more moments of unity, we can strengthen our unity, and we have to fight any form of extremism,” he said.

Questioned on concerns over the rising cost of living, Najib said the government had taken various measures to address the issue.

Among others, he said, the government had introduced programmes to meet the people’s needs including the establishment of Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) 2.0, Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat as well as the implementation of the Mass Rapid Transit transport system and various subsidised schemes. -FMT