Public varsities produce only jaguh kampung.
The following article is from The Sun. It is authored by B.A. Hamzah, who is a Professor at the Centre for Global Studies, Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim, Perak.
Some forty thousand Malaysians have recently gained admission to eighteen public universities. All public universities have pledged balanced education which is critical to support the country's economic growth, democracy, political stability, cultural diversity and national unity. In short, they promise skills to sustain robust nation building as well as a reservoir of agile human capital to sustain Malaysia's competitive edge in a global economy.
Of course, after four years of tertiary education and twelve years of schooling one expects graduates to possess adequate transferable skills to land them any job anywhere in the world. Transferable skills are a higher order than core skills; they are highly marketable because they are needed for a wide variety of jobs and can be transferable. This versatility seems missing among our non-employable graduates.
They refer generally to four competencies: people skills, mind skills, applied/practical skills and adaptability skills. People skills include interpersonal skills, which enable them to interact successfully with a wide range of people with different cultural and racial backgrounds, effective communication skills especially in English, motivation and leadership skills.
Skills like analytical and logical thinking, critical and creative thinking, problem solving, organisational skills and planning skills form the core of mind skills.
Applied skills include the ability to write well, research skills, financial and basic accounting skills as well as computer skills. Adaptability skills refer to the ability to adapt and work well in a new environment or workplace and be able to tolerate change.
Graduates with transferable skills are more likely to become world champions; those without will remain jaguh kampung.
The evidence of a crisis in public universities is everywhere.
The number of unemployed graduates in the country has been steadily rising. The latest figure shows 60,000 graduates from mainly the public universities (70%) still cannot find jobs - not even those that require less formal education.
The dismal achievement of public universities in world ranking mirrors another chronic crisis. The low ranking speaks volumes of the quality of education in these institutions. Of course, against universities in central Africa, we stand out.
Many foreign universities no longer provide equivalent treatment to holders of our degrees. Many foreign universities require our students to sit for an equivalent test of proficiency before they can be admitted to advanced degree programmes.
The following have contributed to the crisis:
>> The best brains in the country no longer join academia. Persons with excellent academic qualifications prefer to work in the private sector.
>> The education curriculum is primarily determined by the so-called educationists in the Ministry of Higher Education with little inputs from other stakeholders like parents and industries. Moreover, there is very little consultation between educationists, public officials and the private sector on the core curriculum.
>> Similarly, the bureaucratisation of university administration has made a mockery of any residual intellectual or academic freedom. With bureaucratisation come Little Napoleons with rigid rules for faculty and students to comply.
Important as they are, the administrators should not interfere with academic matters like course content or promotion of academic staff. The widespread practice of micro-managing by university administration is unhealthy and can be a hindrance to academic excellence.
>> The politicisation of education has resulted in mediocrity. A serious conflict of interest emerges when politicians and bureaucrats interfere with the management of the education system. In my view, political interference in the management of the education system has resulted in sterile product. Politicians should stay out of campus.
>> Reforming the Universities and University Colleges Act, 1971 is a step in the right direction, but by itself it will not transform the quality of education. The real challenge lies in the implementation of policies and activities that can promote core skills, self-confidence and transferable skills.
The university authorities should also ensure that courses offered have a high degree of industry relevance and are offered by competent staff.
Steps should also be taken to restore academic excellence. The best brains will find academic life worthwhile if they are given freedom to exercise their intellect in a productive way and financial benefits are commensurate with their skills and qualifications.
The commercialisation of education has also brought about the decline in the quality of higher education as a public good. As a rule, private institutions are less rigid and pay better; public universities tend to be spacious and have better libraries, science laboratories and outdoor amenities.
Funding for existing public universities will be reduced further when the government elevates the status of 27 institutes and colleges to university level. The quality of education in public universities will be further undermined with the reduction in their funding.
Emphasising merit over need for places in public universities has worked against the hardcore poor. Over-emphasising merit has another adverse side-effect; it has resulted in more women in universities.
This gender imbalance (7:3) is not necessarily bad for societal development; but public universities must offer more places to boys for balanced growth. They must also redesign programmes to produce graduates with strong transferable skills.
Some forty thousand Malaysians have recently gained admission to eighteen public universities. All public universities have pledged balanced education which is critical to support the country's economic growth, democracy, political stability, cultural diversity and national unity. In short, they promise skills to sustain robust nation building as well as a reservoir of agile human capital to sustain Malaysia's competitive edge in a global economy.
Of course, after four years of tertiary education and twelve years of schooling one expects graduates to possess adequate transferable skills to land them any job anywhere in the world. Transferable skills are a higher order than core skills; they are highly marketable because they are needed for a wide variety of jobs and can be transferable. This versatility seems missing among our non-employable graduates.
They refer generally to four competencies: people skills, mind skills, applied/practical skills and adaptability skills. People skills include interpersonal skills, which enable them to interact successfully with a wide range of people with different cultural and racial backgrounds, effective communication skills especially in English, motivation and leadership skills.
Skills like analytical and logical thinking, critical and creative thinking, problem solving, organisational skills and planning skills form the core of mind skills.
Applied skills include the ability to write well, research skills, financial and basic accounting skills as well as computer skills. Adaptability skills refer to the ability to adapt and work well in a new environment or workplace and be able to tolerate change.
Graduates with transferable skills are more likely to become world champions; those without will remain jaguh kampung.
The evidence of a crisis in public universities is everywhere.
The number of unemployed graduates in the country has been steadily rising. The latest figure shows 60,000 graduates from mainly the public universities (70%) still cannot find jobs - not even those that require less formal education.
The dismal achievement of public universities in world ranking mirrors another chronic crisis. The low ranking speaks volumes of the quality of education in these institutions. Of course, against universities in central Africa, we stand out.
Many foreign universities no longer provide equivalent treatment to holders of our degrees. Many foreign universities require our students to sit for an equivalent test of proficiency before they can be admitted to advanced degree programmes.
The following have contributed to the crisis:
>> The best brains in the country no longer join academia. Persons with excellent academic qualifications prefer to work in the private sector.
>> The education curriculum is primarily determined by the so-called educationists in the Ministry of Higher Education with little inputs from other stakeholders like parents and industries. Moreover, there is very little consultation between educationists, public officials and the private sector on the core curriculum.
>> Similarly, the bureaucratisation of university administration has made a mockery of any residual intellectual or academic freedom. With bureaucratisation come Little Napoleons with rigid rules for faculty and students to comply.
Important as they are, the administrators should not interfere with academic matters like course content or promotion of academic staff. The widespread practice of micro-managing by university administration is unhealthy and can be a hindrance to academic excellence.
>> The politicisation of education has resulted in mediocrity. A serious conflict of interest emerges when politicians and bureaucrats interfere with the management of the education system. In my view, political interference in the management of the education system has resulted in sterile product. Politicians should stay out of campus.
>> Reforming the Universities and University Colleges Act, 1971 is a step in the right direction, but by itself it will not transform the quality of education. The real challenge lies in the implementation of policies and activities that can promote core skills, self-confidence and transferable skills.
The university authorities should also ensure that courses offered have a high degree of industry relevance and are offered by competent staff.
Steps should also be taken to restore academic excellence. The best brains will find academic life worthwhile if they are given freedom to exercise their intellect in a productive way and financial benefits are commensurate with their skills and qualifications.
The commercialisation of education has also brought about the decline in the quality of higher education as a public good. As a rule, private institutions are less rigid and pay better; public universities tend to be spacious and have better libraries, science laboratories and outdoor amenities.
Funding for existing public universities will be reduced further when the government elevates the status of 27 institutes and colleges to university level. The quality of education in public universities will be further undermined with the reduction in their funding.
Emphasising merit over need for places in public universities has worked against the hardcore poor. Over-emphasising merit has another adverse side-effect; it has resulted in more women in universities.
This gender imbalance (7:3) is not necessarily bad for societal development; but public universities must offer more places to boys for balanced growth. They must also redesign programmes to produce graduates with strong transferable skills.
posted by The Malaysian. at 8/02/2006 02:59:00 PM
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