Harapan Education Committee outlines proposals for reforms

 

The Harapan Education Committee has outlined several proposals for reforms of the country's education and higher education system.

The committee in a statement today said their proposals were made for consideration and implementation by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's new administration.

"Going by the prime minister's 'Keluarga Malaysia' spirit as outlined in his maiden speech, we view this would be the best time to go through all proposed reforms, with cooperation from all parties towards a more relevant education system in these trying times," they said.

"The committee urges for the prime minister's consideration on all the proposals, along with the education minister and higher education minister to end our country's current education crisis," they said.

Harapan's education wing is chaired by Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik, who is also a former education minister.

Its members comprise Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PKR-Setiawangsa), Dr Hasan Bahrom (Amanah-Tampin), Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai), Natrah Ismail (PKR-Sekijang), Steven Sim Chee Keong (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) and Rusnah Aluai (PKR-Tangga Batu).

The proposals for education and higher education reforms are as follows:

Primary Education Reforms

a) Draft an education master plan that comprises primary, higher and vocational education, as well as a long-term plan guided by, among others, a policy statement titled 'Education in times of the Covid-19 pandemic: A Solution for Malaysia' written by Maszlee.

b) Form a National Education Action Council that comprise stakeholders including MPs, representatives of the teachers union, Unicef, World Health Organization, the Health Ministry, academics and others.

c) Decentralise the decision to open and close schools due to Covid-19 concerns to the schools and district education departments, with parental consent and based on WHO's guidelines.

d) Permission for MPs and state-assembly members regardless of political backgrounds to be involved with schools, academic institutions and Education Departments in their area, to develop educational infrastructures and not for political mileage.

e) Implement recommendations of the 2019 National Education Policy Committee, particularly on the New Education Model.

f) Revive the Education Ministry's Big Data Committee.

g) Provide a one-off incentive for teachers or tax exemptions on their income used throughout the online learning period.

h) Reviving the free breakfast programme for all school children.

Higher Education Reforms

a) Reinstating the National Higher

Education Council as provided for under the National Higher Education Act 1996.

b) Memberships of public universities management must be free of political appointments and limited to only two terms.

c) Systemic handling of plagiarism issues and the tarnished image of Malaysian academics over publication in predator journals.

d) Amendment of the Statutory Bodies (Discipline and Surcharge) Act 2000 as a guarantee for academic freedom and protecting the integrity of academicians.

e) Continuing efforts by the committee to abolish the University and University Colleges Act 1971 and to be replaced with a more comprehensive law, along with the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996.

f) Continuing efforts to set up student unions at all higher learning institutions. - Mkini