July 30, 2012
Brutal Truths About Our Education System
by Dr. Ranjit Singh Malhi@http://www.thestar.com.my
The fact that our education system needs immediate and drastic transformation is evident. In the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) around 20% of Malaysian students failed to meet minimum benchmarks for both Mathematics and Science, compared to only 5% in Science and 7% in Mathematics in 2003.
According to the Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) 2009+ report, Malaysian students ranked 55th out of 74 countries in terms of reading literacy, 57th in Mathematics and “only marginally better” in 52nd position for Science literacy.
The number of unemployed graduates with either a diploma or degree from local institutions of higher education has risen since the 1980s to a record of 24.6 % in 2010.
Our educational system generally promotes surface and passive learning instead of deep and 
active learning which is crucial for creating a quality learning environment. The products of our school system are generally ill-prepared either for higher education, work or life in general.
Our students lack critical and creative thinking skills because our education system promotes conformity and uniformity.Worse still, they have been “conditioned” to be spoon-fed.
Our graduates lack soft skills sought by employers, particularly communication skills, a strong work ethic, achievement-orientation, proactivity (initiative), planning and organising skills, problem-solving and decision-making skills, and human relations skills.
Mediocrity has also crept insidiously into our universities. A 2011 World Bank study has found that the academic standards of the Universiti Malaya have fallen due to race-based quotas and political interference in the university’s management.
Based on my recent interactions with hundreds of university lecturers (including numerous professors) from four local public universities through my workshops on effective teaching and graduate employability, the vast majority of them have a poor understanding of critical thinking and lack basic presentation skills.
W
hat we need is to face the stark reality and brutal truths of our education system. We have sacrificed meritocracy and quality teaching for mediocrity, politics and an overdose of social re-engineering.
We have sacrificed “quality” of graduates for “quantity” of graduates. The first step in transforming our education system is to “begin with the end in mind”.
The million-dollar question is to ask what should be the desired attributes of our students and graduates i.e. what kind of knowledge, skills and personal traits should they have to meet the challenges of the 21st century world.
Malaysian students and graduates should possess adequate disciplinary knowledge; self-confidence; be achievement-oriented; persuasive and effective communicators; demonstrate integrity and a strong work ethic; be self-directed, self-reflective and lifelong learners; be resilient; demonstrate good interpersonal and teamwork skills; be good problem solvers with analytical and creative minds; computer literate; and productive and responsible citizens with inter-cultural tolerance.
Towards this end, schools and universities should provide a high quality, broad-based and holistic education with emphasis on cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence, moral intelligence, spiritual intelligence and physical well- being.
Various measures are needed to transform our education system. First, the main driver of the variation in student learning at school is teacher quality. Research shows that over 30% of the variance of school student achievement resulted from professional characteristics of teachers, teaching skills and the classroom climate.
Indeed, students placed with high-performing teachers are likely to progress three times faster as those placed with low-performing teachers. In this regard, it is crucial to get people with the right competencies to become professional and highly motivated teachers who practise self-reflection, self-correction and continuous improvement.
Next, transformational leadership with a strong focus on instructional leadership (enhancing the quality of teaching and student learning) is the second most important determinant of student learning. Transformational leaders are visionary, inspirational, change-adept. More importantly, they nurture a high-performance school culture which brings out the best in others and transform them into peak performers.
Third, high-performing schools generally have high and realistic expectations of teachers and students; a nurturing and motivating classroom climate; effective assessment (primarily formative) and feedback; a close community-home-school partnership; and adequate funding and resources.
Fourth, it is important to adopt an integrated and systemic approach (and not a piece-meal approach) towards transforming schools.
School transformation efforts must encompass clear educational outcomes, a broad-based and holistic curriculum, competent teacher recruitment and development, effective school governance, varied and student-centric instructional strategies, optimisation of e-learning, appropriate assessment and feedback, and a high-performance school culture committed to excellence and continuous improvement.
May my frank and sincere commentary stir up a healthy and frank discussion among fellow Malaysians. The destiny of our country lies squarely in our hands.Failure to transform our education system based upon systemic and brutal change will erode our nation’s global competitiveness, organisational productivity and individual well-being.
I am glad my sikh brother, Dr Ranjit, a well known motivator and management consultant, has spoken frankly about the state of our education. Yes, we have mediocre teachers and incompetent headmasters, most of whom are NEP Malays. I know because I left the teaching service because a minority person like me stood no chance of promotion had I remained in the education service.
I am happy to be in Australia where I have set up a private consulting business for clients in Qatar, Bahrain and the Emirates. My clients told me that Malaysia has bad reputation when it comes to education and training.
Can any one name a non-Malay who is heading our local university. All Vice Chancellors are Malays chosen by UMNO leaders so that the party can control them and tell them what to do. Academic freedom means toeing the UMNO line. Unless, we take drastic action the standard of Malaysian education will deteriorate further.
But Muhyiddin said our universities are world class and that there’s nothing wrong with our education system? Surely he knows better. He is after all our education minister.
I have raised many shortcomings with our education policy and systems at primary, secondary and tertiary levels since eight years ago but they have all fallen onto deaf ears, so far. However, at the three-month National Education Dialogue series that began in PICC, Putrajaya on 28th April this year and ended on 14th July in KSL Resort, JB, I managed to get many of the shortcomings, including all that Dr. Ranjit Singh Malhi raised in the article in the Star quoted here after participating in eight out of sixteen Townhall series of the dialogue sessions held throughout the country. Besides me, many others have also raised similar issues too at the respective sessions they participated in. I was informed by a very senior MOE officer that all the points that the people and I have raised have now been included in the blueprint which is being prepared by MOE. The blueprint, when completed, will be made public next month for the public to view and comment and after that, it will be tabled at the Parliament for approval. That will be in either September or October this year.
I noticed, the problem was, many people have many complaints and/or opinions about our education policy and systems but when they were given the opportunity to voice them out officially at the National Education Dialogue sessions held throughout the country, many did not attend them. This is strange and why they did not attend puzzles me.
I also wrote a complaint and submitted a proposal to the Minister of Higher Education directly about their New English language programme which is to be introduced to IPTA undergraduates in 2013 and surprisingly, he directed actions to be taken immediately and at a meeting with the DG of MOHE Professor Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa and some university (IPTA) deans and their representatives at his office in Putrajaya two weeks ago, to discuss my alternative proposal, they agreed to make some changes to the programme and upon his request and invitation, I have now been appointed as a non-academic member of the Council of Deans for English language. I feel greatly honoured to be one.
Sometimes, it is best to deal with them directly than writing to newspapers, like I have experienced, and maybe Dr. Ranjit Singh Malhi should do likewise.
Mr Hak, these people in MOE don’t listen. They are stuck in a time trap as they think everything is honk dory. It is better to be open about this serious national problem than to be polite about it. There is no will to deal with the issue head on. Let us admit that we don’t have quality teachers and school administrators.
Race should not be the issue ,merit and qualification are the yardsticks. When you punched and slapped your face in order to present oneself as fat . “sign of prosperity ” Keep it up for the world don’t care. I don’t. Do you???
We can talk till we are blue in the face but I say the starting point is going back to an English medium system. All else will follow relatively easily.
Dr Ranjit and Telochand Singh are correct. Before they listen to you, you need a feudal prefix of sorts. To them, that is credibility. Doctorates and postfixes tak cukup.
Haha, this also happens to be a Brutal or izzit Bald truth. Entitlement, rent seeking behaviour, idiocy and iodine deficiency at birth:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/indian-students-want-quotas-restored-for-their-benefit/
You guys can dream all you want, but the reality says to change the whole effing politico-socio-cultural-legal system. Reform not enough. Maths and science? Nah.., the new generation of kids are only fit to fly kites. Now if they can do it without a wind, then only Malaysia Boleh.
”The products of our school system are generally ill-prepared either for higher education, work or life in general” Ranjit Singh.
so what are they good for? for the baucar system only?
the slide downward started in the early 70s with the change of language (medium of teaching). the education ministrys mode was set at ‘don’t listen to critiques’ and bulldoze through a ‘malaysian’ type of education with a new language and methods and the integration of religion into it and thus ill prepared for the demands of the society.
the new system was solely crafted for the benefit of a certain portion of the population. that section of the society does not neccessarily need meritocracy and discipline and what not virtues to ascend the ladder of success and rewards.
so the result? useless graduates and school-leavers.
okay, that is old story. would anything change for the poor malaysians? not until the present sial government is booted out!
oh yes didi, our education system WAS world class in the 60s and early 70s but no more now. soon we’ll be competing in the final league with countries like Kazachstan and Zimbabwe.
Dr. Ranjit Singh,
Janji Ditepati. They have done to the Education System what they have done to Universiti Malaya, or should I say ‘Malay-dia’, and Victoria Institution. They have done the same thing to the minorities by importing workers from all over Southeast Asia under the ptretext that Malaysians do not want to the the jobs that carry the 3Ds title. We have been all diluted. Now may be we all understand why that National Day Theme was selected.
If you fire missiles and you do not have a target and if the missiles land on inhabited areas, you will cause some damage and maybe kill and injure some people. If the missiles you fire hit the sea, maybe some fishes will be killed and some reefs destroyed and if they land in the jungle, a few trees will be destroyed and you will not care about the damages or the casualties you have caused. So, have a target and if you miss it, fire some more, until the missiles hit the target.
Telochand Singh Bhullar suggested, ‘It is better to be open about this serious national problem than to be polite about it.’ Sorry, I do not agree with you. This is just like firing missiles without a target and you know what the outcome will be like.
I wrote about my experience above dealing with MOE and MOHE and they both took notice of my complaints and suggestions and they actually acted on them. So, to say that, ‘Mr Hak, these people in MOE don’t listen. “They are stuck in a time trap as they think everything is honk dory,” Telochand Singh Bhullar – I am afraid your allegation is not true.
What I am going to say here will disappoint most of you, if not all. Whatever are said by all the respondents here including what are stated in Dr. Ranjit Singh Malhi’s letter in The Star are nothing new. I have heard all of them umpteenth times and i have attended to many of them myself. Those that I didn’t were attended to by people who I know and some were by people who I don’t know.
The most common complaints and criticisms are:
All that are in Dr. Ranjit Singh Malhi’s letter.
“Can any one name a non-Malay who is heading our local university. All Vice Chancellors are Malays chosen by UMNO leaders so that the party can control them and tell them what to do. Academic freedom means toeing the UMNO line. Unless, we take drastic action the standard of Malaysian education will deteriorate further.” Telochand Singh Bhullar
“Let us admit that we don’t have quality teachers and school administrators.” Telochand Singh Bhullar
”The products of our school system are generally ill-prepared either for higher education, work or life in general.” Ranjit Singh.
“The slide downward started in the early 70s with the change of language (medium of teaching). the education ministrys mode was set at ‘don’t listen to critiques’ and bulldoze through a ‘malaysian’ type of education with a new language and methods and the integration of religion into it and thus ill prepared for the demands of the society.” reeperbahn
“Useless graduates and school-leavers (okay, that is old story).” reeperbahn – Aptly said.
“We can talk till we are blue in the face but I say the starting point is going back to an English medium system. All else will follow relatively easily.” Isa Manteqi
You guys can dream all you want, but the reality says to change the whole effing politico-socio-cultural-legal system. Reform not enough. “Maths and science? Nah.., the new generation of kids are only fit to fly kites.” C.L. Familiaris
“They have done to the Education System what they have done to Universiti Malaya, or should I say ‘Malay-dia’, and Victoria Institution.” Thumb Logic
Race should not be the issue ,merit and qualification are the yardsticks. When you punched and slapped your face in order to present oneself as fat . “sign of prosperity ” Keep it up for the world don’t care. I don’t. Do you??? vivatan – I do and I agree that race should not be the issue, merit and qualification are the yardsticks.
I was an exchange student at UM in 1970 and I have visited your campus a few times since that time. The last time was one year ago, the campus was so pleasant in 1970 and how I found the buildings deteriorated and the staff morale was low. What happened to your country? Things have gone down the slope.
The Education Minister says that Malaysia has the best education policies . He does not realise that 28% of local graduates were unemployed since 1980. Under PISA,Malaysia was 52nd among 57 countries in Maths and Science competition and China was top and Finland became 3rd best in the overall competition.
Meritocracy is the only way. Race definitely does not have a part. Currently only the ‘left-outs’ choose teaching as an option thus rendering all arguments invalid. Reason being poor remuneration and lack of recognition.
The quality is lagging in teachers hence even students do not respect teachers and mock them. Teachers too have shown tendencies which goes against the grain of a multi-racial nation.
If we have students of greater ability than exposed by many of the current batch of teachers, it is due to parental initiatives. It is great to talk of ideals at the higher level but to the lay man like me, would like to see drastic changes in the quality of educators and administrators at schools level.
Talking of leaders, our Minister for Education is a perfect example of incompetency.
Please google Dr Ranjit Singh Malhi and see that his PhD is from Warnborough College Ireland. Google Warnborough College Ireland and see that it is said to be an unaccredited institution of higher learning in Ireland. Now, I wonder if you can still glorify his comments considering his academic qualification for higher order thinking (PhD) is from a dubious source.
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Attack his ideas and logic.–Din Merican
I did my Ph.D. (Organizational Behaviour) with Warnborough University (currently called Warnborough College Ireland) in 2003 after getting confirmation from JPA then that its Ph.D degree was recognized. I conducted workshops on Effective Teaching and Effective Academic Leadership for university lecturers with our Ministry of Higher Education in 2006 and was informed by the then Secretary General that Warnborough’s Ph.D degree was recognized by the Ministry. Currently, Warnborough College Ireland is an unaccredited institution under our MQA.
“Anonymous” has expressed doubts about my higher-order thinking skills. Obviously ,he has an axe to grind with me. I would like to enlighten him that two of my books, Enhancing Personal Quality and Make Yourself Employable, are being used as textbooks by our local universities. My research on self-esteem, employability skills and managerial skills have been quoted widely not only by local academicians but also foreign academicians including those from USA, Australia, Puerto Rico and Pakistan.
Indeed, content from my Enhancing Self-Esteem book was used by Pat Pedersen of USA in 2002 to develop teaching materials for students. Two of my books on self-esteem and personal quality have been translated into Arabic and are bestsellers in Saudi Arabia. Currently, three other books are being translated into Arabic. Finally, based upon my “vast experience and expertise in the area of Education”, I have been recently appointed as a Senior Corporate Fellow with a fully accredited multinational university.
I will be most glad to share more details about my academic credentials and higher-order thinking skills with “Anonymous” if he provides me his email address. Thank you.
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Dr. Ranjit, sometimes our readers are cruel. But I know and have listened to you. As far as I am concerned, you know your stuff, and are an inspiring speaker.Keep up your good work. Cheers, Din Merican