DAP parliamentarians have questioned the involvement of international consultant McKinsey and Co in drafting the National Education Blueprint.
According to a parliamentary reply by the Education Ministry, the firm was paid some RM20.56 million to prepare the document.
Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming (right) said this was a waste of taxpapers’ money.
He said McKinsey is a general management consultancy firm without expert knowledge in education, especially if compared with the experts in the task force for the project.
“As far as I know, this is the first time external consultants have been used to draft a Malaysian education blueprint and at this cost,” Ong told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
According to a parliamentary reply by the Education Ministry, the firm was paid some RM20.56 million to prepare the document.
Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming (right) said this was a waste of taxpapers’ money.He said McKinsey is a general management consultancy firm without expert knowledge in education, especially if compared with the experts in the task force for the project.
“As far as I know, this is the first time external consultants have been used to draft a Malaysian education blueprint and at this cost,” Ong told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He said the money could have gone to other projects that could directly benefit students and teachers, and urged the ministry to explain McKinsey’s appointment and whether the ministry intended to continue using McKinsey’s services.
In addition, Ong said, McKinsey’s appointment was not noted anywhere in the blueprint, and its involvement was only made public when he asked the ministry about it.
“This goes against one of the 11 ‘shifts’ in the National Education Blueprint, which is to ‘Increase Transparency for Direct Public Accountability’.
“It does not give us confidence in the ability of the ministry to publish a transparent and accountable annual report to track the progress of the National Education Blueprint, as promised,” he said.
In addition, Ong said, McKinsey’s appointment was not noted anywhere in the blueprint, and its involvement was only made public when he asked the ministry about it.
“This goes against one of the 11 ‘shifts’ in the National Education Blueprint, which is to ‘Increase Transparency for Direct Public Accountability’.
“It does not give us confidence in the ability of the ministry to publish a transparent and accountable annual report to track the progress of the National Education Blueprint, as promised,” he said.
'Duplication of responsibilities'
Meanwhile, Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari told the same press conference that McKinsey’s appointment has created duplication of responsibilities between itself and several government agencies, such as Pemandu and the Education Ministry’s Educational Policy Planning and Research Division (EPRD).
Zairil said the trend now appeared to be for ministries to appoint consultants to make policy recommendations, and then appoint consultants to implement recommendations.
He pointed out that the World Bank and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has already made recommendations for Malaysia’s education system that only needed to be implemented.
“It is as if the government’s job is only to appoint consultants at a very high cost,” Zairil added.
Zairil said the trend now appeared to be for ministries to appoint consultants to make policy recommendations, and then appoint consultants to implement recommendations.
He pointed out that the World Bank and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has already made recommendations for Malaysia’s education system that only needed to be implemented.
“It is as if the government’s job is only to appoint consultants at a very high cost,” Zairil added.
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