Zahid’s call gets mixed response

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s call to review the Malaysian education system has received mixed reactions from those in the industry.

Education expert Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi said a few things should be prioritised if the government was serious about implementing one-stream schools.

“People will subscribe to this if they are managed by competent principals regardless of race. They will support if there is quality and at the same time ensure that all native languages are taught as a subject for all. The bigger issue here is quality.”

The National Union of Teaching Profession president Kamarozaman Abd Razak said although Zahid’s intentions were good, there were certain parties that would not agree to this as it involved race and religion.

He said this was a sensitive issue, thus before any decision was made, discussions must be carried out and impact studies conducted.

“The most important thing is to gather those who are directly involved in this, the experts.

“Let them sit down and have a comprehensive discussion. Then we will get a decision on whether it is possible to apply a single system,” he said, adding that politics should not be involved.

Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the Education Ministry had always advocated the idea of “one size does not fit all”.

“We are a diverse society and our education system should reflect that.

“Our education system was liberalised when the Malaysian quota for international schools was lifted. This is the direction our education system should be heading.

“Our strength is our diversity. “A single school system will fail us. As it is, we are at the bottom third in PISA 2012,” she said.

Malaysia, she said was not a homogenous society.

Countries such as Japan, South Korea and China, she added, had great admiration for our cultural diversity and command of the English language.