PM: End 'old bureaucracy', let universities decide priorities

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today instructed the Higher Education Ministry to stop the “old formal bureaucracy” of deciding on matters on behalf of universities.

Speaking at the launch of the Global Intellectual Discourse 2024 at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, he said the ministry must give some space and allow universities to decide on their priorities and programmes.

“I’m suggesting this mainly because of the urgency and recognising the fact that some areas in the Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) report to me are very disturbing.

“If you use normal pace, you will be left behind,” he said.

In his speech, Anwar also urged the ministry to implement clear policies to allow higher education in the country to improve.

He also encouraged universities to expand certain programmes, particularly in artificial intelligence studies, and do more in the years to come.

“We don’t have enough resources, but whatever is available must be done now, as I told the ministry I want at least some measures, some forms of implementation to be taken now, this year, without excuse.

“We talk about AI, and although we have small funds outside the budget to start with one faculty, I would certainly encourage the universities to expand that programme, and probably give some years to do a little more that would render the discourse of the future relevant and meaningful.

“That means to undertake measures not at the normal pace of broad studies and going back and forth with the ministry,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar also urged for a review of the preschool education system to prevent disparities in the community.

“If we say that only 80 percent (of children) attend preschool with different categories, perhaps 40 percent of them are good, 40 percent are somewhat mediocre, and about 20 percent are very weak, it means less than 50 percent (are good).

“This means that in discussing justice, we are actually widening the gap between urban and rural areas, urban rich and urban poor, rural poor, and remote poor,” he said.

As such, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said preschools under the Education Ministry need to provide additional facilities to all students in the country, even if it means the government has to bear new costs.

“Let’s start with the basics. Just like last year when we spent RM1 billion just for refurbishing school toilets,” he added.

- Bernama