Get better literature textbooks for students

I WAS in a state of shock when I spotted several Form 5 students in Sabah using a textbook supplied by the Education Ministry titled Captain Nobody.

I immediately obtained a copy of this textbook and passed it to several senior friends of mine for their evaluation and review. They all had a jolly good laugh. Do I need to explain any further?

I’m not sure if the key decision-maker in the Textbook Division of the Education Ministry was hallucinating after consuming psychedelic or magic mushrooms during the selection process for an appropriate Form 5 literature textbook.

What is the next mission of the ministry? Is it going to select textbooks with titles such as Captain Failure or Captain Flop? Whatever decisions these little Napoleons in the ministry make, are they complying with the basic standards spelt out in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025?

No matter what the intentions are, first impressions count! The word “nobody” means a person of no importance or authority.

Furthermore, this textbook published by Lestari Knowledge is riddled with grammatical errors and priced at RM23.

If the MOE is concerned in improving English and reading proficiency among secondary school students, why not promote popular classics that are available in an abridged version? Titles such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Treasure Island, Pride And Prejudice, Robinson Crusoe, The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, Oliver Twist and Gulliver’s Travels would fit the bill.

Concerned parents may want to get in touch with the new education minister about this.

Based on the initiatives taken in drafting the Malaysia Education Blueprint, steps have been taken to address language proficiency.

Let me conclude with this inspiring quote from Helen Mary Caldicott, an Australian physician, author and anti-nuclear advocate: “Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.”

If students are provided with high-quality and accredited text- books, then teachers can guide them to become important members of society.