Former education minister Maszlee Malik has urged the government to take urgent, comprehensive and focused action towards rescuing a cohort of "lost generation" affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Maszlee said serious impacts of Covid-19 on the lost generation have been documented by global bodies including the World Health Organisation, Unesco and World Bank.
In the Malaysian context, Maszlee pointed out an estimated one million students will be impacted and sidelined from academic progress, particularly those in pre-school, Primary Year One and Year Two.
"These children are struggling with basic skills like reading, speaking and writing.
"The truth is, the absence of normal teaching and learning in nearly a year has stunted the whole process," he said in a statement today.
"A majority of the students are still unable to read, write and count at the expected level for their age," he added.
The Simpang Renggam MP said he had raised the issue in Parliament during the committee stage debates on the Education Ministry's budget yesterday but did not receive a response from Senior Minister (Education) Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.
"I had asked whether the ministry has prepared a masterplan for these children when they enter Year One next year. No answers were given."
As such, Maszlee said he had proposed the setting-up of a National Education Action Council for Radzi to proactively engage all stakeholders with expertise, concern and awareness on education issues.
"I think a comprehensive solution can be reached if the minister is prepared to open the door for cooperation across parties, ideologies and expertise.
"Because until today, despite repeated calls from MPs and the public, there is still no clear answer from the ministry to save this lost generation.
"The issue is about education and the future of more than one million of our children. It is unreasonable for this issue to be trapped by our political differences," he added.
According to Education Ministry data updated as of July 31, there are 2,741,837 students enrolled at the primary level and 2,037,433 at the secondary level.
The Covid-19 outbreak and various phases of movement control orders enforced since March have seen thousands of students nationwide being kept out of schools for online classes conducted from home.
A recent survey jointly commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) - targeting urban poor families in the Klang Valley - found fewer children returning to their classrooms when schools reopened in July.
As Malaysia battles with a third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, it was announced last month that all learning institutions under the Education Ministry will be closed for the rest of the year and only reopen on Jan 20. - Mkini
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