Use video in classrooms instead of relying on teachers - Mahathir

 

PARLIAMENT | Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Pejuang-Langkawi) has suggested the government move towards video-based education in classrooms, instead of relying on teachers who may not be competent.

Modern technology has changed the way knowledge can be imparted, he said.

“In education, we still rely on teachers in the classrooms to convey knowledge but in this era, we have the ability to record all this knowledge and we can play it over and over again.

“We can have recordings played in classrooms and the teachers are there to guide only.“This is a new way… but all these new methods are rejected and we are still relying on teachers. I feel uneasy because there are some teachers who are not that competent, especially those teaching English,” Mahathir said.

The two-time former prime minister was speaking during the debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan in the Dewak Rakyat today.

He said he has learned a lot through YouTube, which he said has a lot of competent lessons presented by experts.

Old technology, that is having a teacher teach in a classroom, is no longer sufficient or suitable in these modern times, he said.

“We need to acquire even more knowledge than last time. Back then, a little bit of knowledge is enough but now we need a lot more, especially in the times of IT and artificial intelligence (AI) and so on,” he said.

Technology to overcome poverty

The agriculture sector in the country should also start using the latest technology to increase the income of smallholder farmers who only own one or two acres of land each, Mahathir said.

New methods of agriculture such as mixed farming can be introduced or they could combine the land of smallholder farmers to have a larger piece of land that is handled professionally, he said.

“So I want to suggest for the government to have a more open mind towards modern technology because as long as we force farmers to plant paddy in a small piece of land, they will never be able to overcome the issue of poverty in villages,” he said. - Mkini