Vice-chancellors, rectors told to review A-G’s report
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants vice- chancellors and rectors of public institutions of higher learning ( IPTA) to seriously review the AuditorGeneral’s reports and comments to improve the management’s efficiency.
“These comments are needed as guidelines in managing their respective IPTA,” Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said in his speech before chairing a meeting with the IPTA vice chancellors and rectors committee here yesterday.
The 2013 AG’s report was presented in Parliament last April 7 and has, among others, commented on the Education Ministry relating to its basic research fund to produce new ideas, concepts and theories in which expenditure was incurred without producing any studies.
The ministry was also asked to give an explanation on the construction of the Sultan Azlan Shah’s campus, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris ( UPSI), which did not comply with specifications and did not obtain the certificate of fitness (CF).
During the meeting, Muhyiddin also directed the IPTA vice chancellors and rectors to emphasise on their respective universities’ financial capacity and sustainability.
He said the matter was needed to ensure IPTAs could face the fierce competition in the current higher education ecosystem.
IPTA also needed to have a financial framework that was more practical and did not depend on development grants and government operation and, as such, all views and ideas to improve the country’s higher education was most welcomed, he said.
Vice chancellors and rectors were also urged to work closely with the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) and the Department of Higher Education in preparing for a replacement plan in the IPTAs.
On the 11th Malaysia Plan, he said, the government was in the process of obtaining input in all economic sectors and cooperation with these focus groups.
As such, constructive ideas from vice chancellors and rectors in preparing the input would be most welcomed. — Bernama