An Excellent Example Of Why Education Should Be Left To The Experts And Not State Governments.

Politicians tend to screw up everything that lies in their destructive paths. Their prime motivation is self-enrichment and preservation of power and if along the way they do some good, it is purely incidental and unintended. The way that educational institutions in this country have been wrecked by these very politicians is a testament to the amateurish fashion in which such a crucial component of our nation's future and well-being has been tinkered with. Read of the goings on in Selangor, the land that gave the world that now notorious term - 'Toyolism,' in this Bernama report.

The Selangor government has taken over the management of Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel) and INPENS International College from its investment arm Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB).

Effective Jan 2, both Unisel and INPENS were under the purview of Menteri Besar Inc, comprising the State Secretary and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.
Unisel and INPENS formerly known as Kolej Industri dan Pendidikan Negeri Selangor had been placed under the KDEB stable since 2003 following a directive from Khir Toyo for KDEB to revamp the institutes' management.

State Education, Sports and Human Development Committee Chairman Datuk Ahmad Nawawi M. Zin confirmed the development but did not elaborate.

An education observer said the move would allow the state government to be involved directly with education, one of the subjects that was close to the government's heart.

The observer said that the institutes would be better managed under the direct state government supervision and made funding easier.

"They can be run better. Problems can be solved faster," he said.

Sources also said that INPENS was in the midst of searching for new operation site as its current location in Bandar Armada Putra of Pulau Indah, Port Klang would be rented out to the International Islamic University (UIA) for their matriculation programme.

INPENS is currently renting the building from Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor Bhd, a subsidiary of KDEB.

Prior to the relocation in Pulau Indah in 2004, INPENS was located in Section 7 here.

It is believed that the majority of INPENS community are in favour of returning to their previous campus in Section 7 here, largely viewed as more strategically located for a higher learning institution.

The education observer said should INPENS return here, it was likely that the college could improve its current sagging students intake.

INPENS diploma intake is said to have declined to about 600 now from 1,600 students previously.

***** I find the reasoning for this transfer of power, strange. If the move is to get easier access to funds what better source than the state investment arm? Yet it is being taken away from them! Why? Inefficient management? Heavy cock up somewhere along the line? Or is there a lot of money to be made by some if the management is taken over by the state government?

Why has the intake of students dwindled so badly? And why are the current premises being taken over and rented out to another institution of higher learning? When such action is taken by the Selangor state government without any details or refusal to elaborate you can bet that there is something sinister going on. Call me paranoid, but I don't trust the 'toyolism' infecting the sick patient that is Selangor.

Image Source - TOYO
Image Source - TOYOL