Now Felda Plans To Set Up Own University!
From Bernama comes this interesting report.Felda has plans to set up its own university to ensure opportunities for its settlers' children to further their studies, the Dewan Rakyat was told Wednesday.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department senator Datuk Abdul Raman Suliman said, however, that the matter was still under negotiation.
"If all goes well, Felda intends to set up a 'Felda University' in keeping with the third clause in the authority's mission for settlers' families to have a suitable level of education," he said.
He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN-Larut) who wanted to know whether Felda planned to set up its own university in view that it has over 2 million hectares of land and has spent more than RM100 million on programmes to send the settlers' children to institutions of higher learning.
Earlier, in replying to Raja Ahmad Zainuddin's original question, he said the Felda Tuition Scheme introduced in 2004 had succeeded in helping to raise educational excellence among the settlers' children.
This was evident from the fact that 72,062 children of Felda settlers had graduated from institutions of higher learning as of last year.
"Of this figure, 46,873 have obtained diplomas, 24,269 basic degrees and 920 post-graduate degrees," he said when asked about the effectiveness of the scheme in helping the settlers' children reach university level.
Abdul Raman said Felda would review the scheme periodically in terms of its achievement and effectiveness and proposed to bring in skilled and knowledgeable teachers from outside to give the tuition.
***** Is this really a good idea or are we indiscriminately turning the setting up of universities into a Kentucky Fried Chicken type of franchise? I remember the hue and cry in the early seventies over MCA's proposed Merdeka University. Now every Tom, Dick and Khairy seems to be easily able to get the required approval to set up varsities. I wonder where all this is going to lead to? As it is our local degrees are not well received or respected even within the country, let alone overseas. If this idea catches on, it looks like we shall in future have graduates who would be recognised only within small areas in Malaysia like Felda plantations, oil palm estates and Army cantonments. Malaysia truly Boleh!
Image - Source
Interesting read: Graduates Who Cheat May Lose Diploma, Degree.
Labels: Malaysia - Education.
posted by The Malaysian. at 6/20/2007 03:48:00 PM
3 Comments:
I was a Felda scholar ! University of Melbourne, Australia, Engineering, First Class Honours.
A lot of city people do not understand the many obstacles, difficulties and inconveniences which rural kids face with their education. My parents, being typical Chinese, gave full support to my education. Malay parents tend not to be so supportive. But all the Felda kids face the same issues growing up in an isolated place far from the nearest town. The school library, extracurricular activities, 24 hours electricity, all the things which town kids take for granted were a problem for me growing up.
So I fully support the special help given to Felda kids.
But building a separate university is a bad idea. They shouldn't create a ghetto these kids - the exposure to students from other backgrounds is crucial for their future.
The more the merrier. Local councils and city municipals can also set up their own universities on local governance. Cabinet should also set up its university teaching MPs how to address in parliament and good speaking manners. Associations of hawkers and coffeeshops should also set theirs on consumerism and on cleanliness etc. Every state should have one too. Great idea.
I agree the more the merrier too. Infact every town and city should have a university to cater for the needs of each district. Say for example in KL, there should be a Universiti Ampang, Universiti Bangsar, Universiti Cheras, Universiti Jinjang, Universiti Ulu Klang - UUK from UK. How about that? Every district should have a university just like those in London. Every Kampung should have a university college and every corporation should have their own similar model to Burger University by McDonalds. This way education is open to all. Also prior experience and life long experience should be encouraged. In the Netherlands people with experience can pursue a Postdoctoral Program in various disciplines with the Open University Netherlands. That would allow people without the traditional qualifications to get an education. It should open the flood gates to all those willing to learn and put in the effort. Self-regulation should be the norm as really accreditation should be done by an overseas board to moderate standards if the degree were to be globally recognised. Finally, accreditation boards should be set up in each state to monitor their own standards thus freeing up the MOE from having to regulate each university without adequate manpower. This will give jobs to regulators too.
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