Government Needs Support Of Private And International Schools
The government needs the support of private and international schools to realise its agenda to make Malaysia a centre of excellence for education, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. He said such schools could enhance the relationship with international schools in other countries.
He said the total number of international schools in the country is still small at 32 against 91 in Thailand and 82 in Indonesia. In terms of population ratio, Singapore has more than Malaysia with 16 international schools, he said. Hishammuddin said international schools in Malaysia have an enrolment of 10,653 students -- 2,608 locals and 8,055 foreigners. The locals at these schools only make up 0.05 per cent of the total 5.1 million students in government schools, he said.
He said Malaysia also has 64 private primary schools and 75 secondary schools, with a student enrolment of 15,284 and 15,049 respectively.
"In realising the national education agenda, the ministry will identify excellent private and international schools and promote them to further enhance the country's competitiveness in education in Asia," he said. This would simultaneously open up opportunities for private higher learning institutions to accept the enrolment of foreign students should they decide to further pursue their studies here, he said.
**** It is good that the minister and by extension the ministry of education and the government realise the important role that private and international schools have to play in the context of creating a truly recognised centre of education excellence. There is no use in simply setting down guidelines, implement some cosmetic changes and then claim that we are already there.
However if we are to rope in private and international schools, there has to be a genuine desire to give them the academic freedom and leeway that is essential to excel. Realistically speaking there is no way that the government is going to release its iron grip on public educational institutions in the realisation of its ethno-centric policies. However the engine of growth of the so-called agenda will be private sector driven, provided government interference is kept to a minimum and stultifying conditions which discourage foreigners are not imposed.
Malaysia can, if the government really wants it to, become a world class educational hub. All the facilities are in place. What is essentially required is a change in official attitude that has persisted for the past more than three decades, which pits the Malay against the non-Malay in every decision taken by the authorities. This practice of one-upmanship and catering shamelessly to the lowest common denominator is what has been holding us back from becoming a top-drawer nation of world-beaters instead of being just an also-ran in the developing world.
Even if belatedly the government should realise this, it will be good. But I personally won't pin much hope on that happening any time soon.
He said the total number of international schools in the country is still small at 32 against 91 in Thailand and 82 in Indonesia. In terms of population ratio, Singapore has more than Malaysia with 16 international schools, he said. Hishammuddin said international schools in Malaysia have an enrolment of 10,653 students -- 2,608 locals and 8,055 foreigners. The locals at these schools only make up 0.05 per cent of the total 5.1 million students in government schools, he said.
He said Malaysia also has 64 private primary schools and 75 secondary schools, with a student enrolment of 15,284 and 15,049 respectively.
"In realising the national education agenda, the ministry will identify excellent private and international schools and promote them to further enhance the country's competitiveness in education in Asia," he said. This would simultaneously open up opportunities for private higher learning institutions to accept the enrolment of foreign students should they decide to further pursue their studies here, he said.
**** It is good that the minister and by extension the ministry of education and the government realise the important role that private and international schools have to play in the context of creating a truly recognised centre of education excellence. There is no use in simply setting down guidelines, implement some cosmetic changes and then claim that we are already there.
However if we are to rope in private and international schools, there has to be a genuine desire to give them the academic freedom and leeway that is essential to excel. Realistically speaking there is no way that the government is going to release its iron grip on public educational institutions in the realisation of its ethno-centric policies. However the engine of growth of the so-called agenda will be private sector driven, provided government interference is kept to a minimum and stultifying conditions which discourage foreigners are not imposed.
Malaysia can, if the government really wants it to, become a world class educational hub. All the facilities are in place. What is essentially required is a change in official attitude that has persisted for the past more than three decades, which pits the Malay against the non-Malay in every decision taken by the authorities. This practice of one-upmanship and catering shamelessly to the lowest common denominator is what has been holding us back from becoming a top-drawer nation of world-beaters instead of being just an also-ran in the developing world.
Even if belatedly the government should realise this, it will be good. But I personally won't pin much hope on that happening any time soon.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/22/2006 11:05:00 AM
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