43 education plans carried out
Minister says initiatives implemented within 100 days of Pakatan Harapan taking over federal government
PUTRAJAYA: A total of 43 initiatives on education have been implemented by the Pakatan Harapan ( PH) government within 100 days of its administration, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said yesterday.
He said some of the initiatives were those promised in the PH election manifesto, such as removing the names of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation ( PTPTN) borrowers from the Immigration Department’ s black list, which was fulfilled on July 8. The move brought relief to 429,945 borrowers, he said in a statement.
He said the ministry was also working to make possible for those in the low-income group to postpone their repayments through the Income- Contigent Loan Repayment ( ICLR).
The ministry, he said, had taken a more holistic approach in upholding the integrity of the country’s educat ion system by giving autonomy to institutions of higher learning and more freedom of expression to students by reviving the speakers’ corner.
Maszlee said in tandem with the PH manifesto, the ministry, through a special committee, had also embarked on an inclusive study to abolish the Universities and University Col leges Act, while public universities were encouraged to organise more debates and dialogues with interested parties.
Ef forts to enhance higher education also saw suggestions by stakeholders being accepted by the government, such as in t he appointment of t he university board of governors and candidates for the posts of vice- chancellors and deputy chancellors, he said.
Maszlee said his focus during the 100 days of helming the ministry included reducing the burden of teachers from administrative work, enhance national schools and special education school s, ensure students no longer carry heavy bags to school, enhance the use of Bahasa Malaysia and encouraging students to master more than three languages.
He said the ministry had abolished the audit process for the ‘Standard Kualiti Pendidikan Malaysia Gelombang 2’ last June 7 in a move to reduce the burden of about 500,000 teachers in the country.
Other initiatives carried out by the ministry during his 100 days of helming it, he said, included setting up a committee to review the national education system in keeping abreast with the 4.0 Industrial Revolution; to launch a national reading campaign and set ting- up of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training ( TVET) Empowerment Committee.
He said the ministry also carried out internal investigations on huge contracts such as the solar hybrid genset in Sarawak and the provision of 1Bestarinet, as well as take action to enable the opening of Malaysian Arts School next year.
On the welfare of people with disabilities ( OKU), Maszlee said the ministry is collaborating with non-governmental organisations to improve special education and also to improve the academic performance of Orang Asli students nationwide.
He said religious education institution, such as the tahfiz schools, were also empowered with discussions being held with several countries in the Middle East to enable students from Malaysia to further their studies there.
The ministry, he said, had also allocated RM30 mil lion for government- aided religious schools and also offered training package fort ahfiz school teachers.
He said focus was also given to Tamil national- type schools where they were now placed directly under the minister and deputy minister.
As for the Chinese nationaltype schools, Maszlee said the government had agreed to build six new schools, comprising four in Johor and one each in Selangor and Penang.
On the transfer of students in under- enrolled schools, he said it would be carried out and the ministry had been allocated RM30 million this year for the purpose.
The ministry was also allocated RM50 million in 2018 as Special Fund which would be chanel led to government aided schools depending on their needs, he added. — Bernama