PETALING JAYA: Sixth Form education should not be too bound by school rules but should give room for students to be free to interact, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He said the environment in Form 6 must be changed as Sixth Form education was more like matriculation, after the end of secondary schooling in Form 5, Bernama reported.
“I will bring it up with education minister Fadhlina Sidek so that Form Six isn’t treated just like school, in the culture and environment. I agree because I also went to Form Six,” he said in a dialogue session at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia here today.
He spent two hours with almost 3,000 university and Form Six students answering various questions and proposals, and praised the students for showing maturity in their questions and suggestions.
“For Form 6, we need to determine the methods for the way teachers treat students and the environment. More space needs to be given so that they (the students) can interact freely,” he said.
He added that many sixth formers at previous dialogue sessions had complained about the rules and culture and urged for it to be changed during previous dialogue sessions.
Anwar was also asked about suggestions to change the Sixth Form calendar to a semester system instead of following the current school term system. He said the matter should be discussed with education experts, as well as teachers and students.
He also urged universities to make changes in knowledge-based curriculums to include subjects such as digital technology and artificial intelligence.
“Change has to be quick and fast. Changes must be made without having to go through a two-year study process before being brought to the university Senate,” he said, adding that world-class universities such as Oxford and Georgetown University in Washington moved very quickly, based on his teaching experience there.
In addition, he said industrial training was needed so that there was no mismatch and overdependence on the old curriculum, in order to reduce unemployment rates.
PM notes need for new uni hospital
Anwar said the government has taken note of the need for a university hospital for USIM as a training facility for its medical students. He said he would have to discuss the matter with the university leadership and the higher education ministry first.
The government would also study a proposal to have more residential colleges at USIM. Students said the existing single hostel could only cater to 20% of the 14,000 students.- FMT
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