Cina Babi (Chinese Pigs) education not good for 1MDB PM Najib’s Malaysia
What is there to worry about Malaysia’s lack of education quality? The country’s education is low or poor, so what?
As long as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minster Najib Razak can find “quality” deputies like Zahid Hamidi, it has served his and Umno’s needs.
Zahid and his speech in English were a laughing stock at the recent United Nation’s assembly, so what?
You poor Malaysians. As long as the Umno-led Barisan Nasional federal government’s education is based on political expediency and needs only, just happily remain at the bottom of education quality and standards.
The federal government just don’t want quality graduates who can then stand up to and argue sensibly and brilliantly with politicians.
Malaysians must remain ignorant with a poor education so that they continue to believe the BN federal government is clean, efficient and trustworthy.
And Umno’s pea brain supporters, especially the racial and religious bigots, can continue to label Malaysian-born Chinese as Cina Babi (Chinese Pigs), Balik Tongsan (Go back to China).
But what’s China’s education quality and standards compared with Malaysia today? Malaysia was far more advanced than China at one time!
In this No News Is Bad News blog posting, we are reproducing three articles on China, Singapore and Finland’s education quality and standards, and a compilation of comments by Malaysians posted in online news portal malaysiakini:
"
China marches ahead in graduate education: Opens a new university every week
China has outstripped the US and Europe in graduate numbers and the gap is growing wider with building of the equivalent of almost one university per week. The report of Andreas Schleicher, OECD education director, reveals this and much more. A silent revolution has literally caused a tectonic shift in the composition of the world’s population of graduates. For decades, the United States dominated the graduate market with the highest proportion of people going to university. Among 55 to 64 year olds in the world’s major economies almost a third of all graduates are US citizens reflecting its supremacy but things are changing fast. China has overtaken the United States and the combined university systems of European Union countries in producing graduates;gradually moving from cheap production to an economy of high skills.
This gap is widening by the day as modest predictions see the number of 25 to 34-year-old graduates in China rising further by 300% by 2030, compared with 30% expected increase in Europe and the United States. In the United States, students have been struggling to afford university costs. In most of the European countries expansion of universities has been stalled as government neither makes public investments nor allowsuniversities to raise money themselves. As West rested on its laurels, China, India andother Asian countries raced ahead
not only in quantitative but also qualitative parameters. Students in China and India take to Stem(science, technology, engineering and maths)- the subjects which are most relevant to innovation and technological advance.
In 2013, 40% of Chinese graduates completed their studies in a Stem subject – more than twice the share of US graduates. So the graduates who are the cornerstone of economic prosperity in knowledge-based economies are increasingly and disproportionately likely to come from China and India who are betting their future on this. Graduate numbers in the US and Europe have been overtaken by China and India. By 2030, China and India could account for more than 60% of the Stem graduates in major economies, compared with only 8% in Europe and 4% in the United States.
With such an increase in people in higher education, conventional wisdom would predicta drop in value of qualifications due to‘inflation’ but that is not happening. The technological advancement and globalisation pushed down the earnings of poorly-educated workers whereas in the OECD countries, in spite of the biggest increases in graduate numbers, earnings continue to rise suggestingthereby that an increase in ‘knowledge workers’ may not necessarily lead to decline in their pay. In the past, OECD countries competed mostly with countries that offered low-skilled work at low wages.
Today, countries like China and India are delivering high skills at moderate cost that the West cannot compete. There is plethora of examples of European countries stagnating over the past century by trying to keep the rest of the world out of their economic systems. The massive investment in education in Asia suggests competition through lower production costs may be merely a transitional strategy for countries on their way to meeting the Western world at the top of the product range. The real challenge for Western countries is to prepare for future competition with Asian economies in the knowledge sector. The quality and relevance of the degrees earned in China may be doubted but ithas shown the world how it is possible to simultaneously raise quantity and quality in education supported by a rapid change in its economic identity.
There are still no direct measures for anycomparison of the learning outcomes of graduates across countries and universities. OECD proposed for international comparisons between institutions of higher education. Surprisingly, objections to the proposal came not from Asia, but from countries like the United Kingdom and the United States who probably feared that Western universities might not live up to their past reputations. In the latest round of the OECD Pisa tests, the 10% most disadvantaged 15-year-olds in Shanghai scored higher in mathematics than the 10% most privileged 15-year-olds in the United States.
China’s rapid expansion in higher education shows the scale of the challenge faced by the West. It is likely that the future will not respect the tradition and past reputations of the West which will be of less referral value. The educational system of the universities and countries that are open to change and swift to adapt, will be successful and respected more. The task for governments is to present an enabling environment to rise to these challenges."
This is a compilation of malaysiakini readers’ comment on Malaysia’s education quality and standards:
"Is our education system still 'world class'?
China has outstripped the US and Europe in graduate numbers and the gap is growing wider with building of the equivalent of almost one university per week. The report of Andreas Schleicher, OECD education director, reveals this and much more. A silent revolution has literally caused a tectonic shift in the composition of the world’s population of graduates. For decades, the United States dominated the graduate market with the highest proportion of people going to university. Among 55 to 64 year olds in the world’s major economies almost a third of all graduates are US citizens reflecting its supremacy but things are changing fast. China has overtaken the United States and the combined university systems of European Union countries in producing graduates;gradually moving from cheap production to an economy of high skills.
This gap is widening by the day as modest predictions see the number of 25 to 34-year-old graduates in China rising further by 300% by 2030, compared with 30% expected increase in Europe and the United States. In the United States, students have been struggling to afford university costs. In most of the European countries expansion of universities has been stalled as government neither makes public investments nor allowsuniversities to raise money themselves. As West rested on its laurels, China, India andother Asian countries raced ahead
not only in quantitative but also qualitative parameters. Students in China and India take to Stem(science, technology, engineering and maths)- the subjects which are most relevant to innovation and technological advance.
In 2013, 40% of Chinese graduates completed their studies in a Stem subject – more than twice the share of US graduates. So the graduates who are the cornerstone of economic prosperity in knowledge-based economies are increasingly and disproportionately likely to come from China and India who are betting their future on this. Graduate numbers in the US and Europe have been overtaken by China and India. By 2030, China and India could account for more than 60% of the Stem graduates in major economies, compared with only 8% in Europe and 4% in the United States.
With such an increase in people in higher education, conventional wisdom would predicta drop in value of qualifications due to‘inflation’ but that is not happening. The technological advancement and globalisation pushed down the earnings of poorly-educated workers whereas in the OECD countries, in spite of the biggest increases in graduate numbers, earnings continue to rise suggestingthereby that an increase in ‘knowledge workers’ may not necessarily lead to decline in their pay. In the past, OECD countries competed mostly with countries that offered low-skilled work at low wages.
Today, countries like China and India are delivering high skills at moderate cost that the West cannot compete. There is plethora of examples of European countries stagnating over the past century by trying to keep the rest of the world out of their economic systems. The massive investment in education in Asia suggests competition through lower production costs may be merely a transitional strategy for countries on their way to meeting the Western world at the top of the product range. The real challenge for Western countries is to prepare for future competition with Asian economies in the knowledge sector. The quality and relevance of the degrees earned in China may be doubted but ithas shown the world how it is possible to simultaneously raise quantity and quality in education supported by a rapid change in its economic identity.
There are still no direct measures for anycomparison of the learning outcomes of graduates across countries and universities. OECD proposed for international comparisons between institutions of higher education. Surprisingly, objections to the proposal came not from Asia, but from countries like the United Kingdom and the United States who probably feared that Western universities might not live up to their past reputations. In the latest round of the OECD Pisa tests, the 10% most disadvantaged 15-year-olds in Shanghai scored higher in mathematics than the 10% most privileged 15-year-olds in the United States.
China’s rapid expansion in higher education shows the scale of the challenge faced by the West. It is likely that the future will not respect the tradition and past reputations of the West which will be of less referral value. The educational system of the universities and countries that are open to change and swift to adapt, will be successful and respected more. The task for governments is to present an enabling environment to rise to these challenges."
This is a compilation of malaysiakini readers’ comment on Malaysia’s education quality and standards:
"Is our education system still 'world class'?
Pemerhati: Around 1957, Malaya’s school education standards were comparable, if not better than Singapore’s as many Malayans with a grade 3 certificate, who could not get jobs as teachers in Malaya, became teachers in Singapore.
A CNN programme revealed that a comparative study of the various education systems showed that Finnish students produced very good results in various subjects when compared to students in United States and other countries.
This was attributed mainly to the fact that in Finland, the very best graduates were recruited to become teachers. Unfortunately in Malaysia, that is not the case.
After May 13, 1969 and especially after Dr Mahathir Mohamad became PM, the standards plunged because the main criteria for selection of teachers and other public servants were race and religion.
Now the whole system is rotten to the core and a lot of money is wasted on half-past-six teachers who are not only incompetent but also do very little work.
Anonymous_1372506588: In recent years, I have the good fortune to interact with Malaysian and Singapore students at an Australian university.
By and large the command of English of the Malaysian students is atrocious, and that of the Singapore students, good.
In addition, most of the Malaysian students produce examination grades that are either fair or poor. Inexplicably, many of the Malaysian students are on scholarship from one of the Malaysian government bodies.
If these are our scholars sent overseas, what would be the standard of students in the local universities?
Cantabrigian: It is interesting when we compare and contrast Malaysia’s education system with Singapore’s education system.
Both governments invest heavily on education and they are known to be restrictive when it comes to democratic rights, including freedom of expression and right to free speech.
However, one system churns out world-class students that are well-sought by every sector, while the other mass produces mediocre students who are marginal in their performance at best.
Damien: Most Malaysians are quick to politicise any issue that comes up.
If OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) ranks Malaysia poorly in terms of Maths and Science education, does it mean that overall our education system is poor?
If it’s poor, why then do we see an influx of foreign students seeking education in our local universities? Last year alone, Unesco recorded a 16 percent increase in international students admission in our institutions of higher learning.
I am a PIBG (Parent-Teacher Association) committee member for my daughter’s primary school and I can attest and re-assure Selayang MP Ong Kian Ming that the quality education that the schoolchildren there receive is nothing short of excellence compared to Ong’s schooldays.
Onyourtoes: The Swedish government has asked OECD to review its education system in 2014 and you expect Malaysia to do the same, Kian Ming?
Do you know the implications if Malaysia were to ask the same? It means we cannot hire nincompoop teachers and lecturers anymore. It means nincompoops can no longer become school principals, deans, heads of department, and even vice-chancellors.
It means consultants can no long con us into buying their blue, pink and yellow prints. It means education ministers can no longer pronounce education policies, rankings and performance at their own whims and fancies.
Abasir: Umno and PAS (yes both) have never really been perturbed by what they regard as fundamentally flawed rankings based on values, concepts, processes and theories totally outside the pale of ‘Islamic thought’.
That is the reason there has never ever been an emergency sitting of state assemblies, the cabinet, the fatwa council, the National Association of Professors or Parliament anytime such humiliating rankings are published.
In fact even the immensely rich ones who live in palatial abodes and frequently travel to OECD countries and who periodically express their ire, do not appear to be rankled by these numbers.
So Ong Kian Ming, please do not expect "our policymakers to acknowledge the weaknesses in our current education system". There are no weaknesses. We have a ‘world class’ education system because we say so.
Vijay47: We can expect a brilliant educated explanation from the minister of education. He will explain that these foreign measures of excellence are not founded on local realities and thus Malaysians should not be unduly bothered by what people with secret agendas have to say. In any case, while Malaysia may not be among the leaders, it is doing much better than numerous other countries, including Albania, Botswana, Montenegro wherever that is, and Ghana. We are even ahead of Saudi Arabia which is a much wealthier country.
Malaysia Ku: Put it another way. Mathematically, we are 24 places above Ghana. So we are still superior, in a certain way, above another 24 nations. Hooray to our Malay-first education minister for a brilliant job done. Singapore and the rest above us don't really matter as they don't use Malay as their medium of instruction. So we are actually No 1 for Malay-medium institutions. So really, it's a matter of semantics, no."
A CNN programme revealed that a comparative study of the various education systems showed that Finnish students produced very good results in various subjects when compared to students in United States and other countries.
This was attributed mainly to the fact that in Finland, the very best graduates were recruited to become teachers. Unfortunately in Malaysia, that is not the case.
After May 13, 1969 and especially after Dr Mahathir Mohamad became PM, the standards plunged because the main criteria for selection of teachers and other public servants were race and religion.
Now the whole system is rotten to the core and a lot of money is wasted on half-past-six teachers who are not only incompetent but also do very little work.
Anonymous_1372506588: In recent years, I have the good fortune to interact with Malaysian and Singapore students at an Australian university.
By and large the command of English of the Malaysian students is atrocious, and that of the Singapore students, good.
In addition, most of the Malaysian students produce examination grades that are either fair or poor. Inexplicably, many of the Malaysian students are on scholarship from one of the Malaysian government bodies.
If these are our scholars sent overseas, what would be the standard of students in the local universities?
Cantabrigian: It is interesting when we compare and contrast Malaysia’s education system with Singapore’s education system.
Both governments invest heavily on education and they are known to be restrictive when it comes to democratic rights, including freedom of expression and right to free speech.
However, one system churns out world-class students that are well-sought by every sector, while the other mass produces mediocre students who are marginal in their performance at best.
Damien: Most Malaysians are quick to politicise any issue that comes up.
If OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) ranks Malaysia poorly in terms of Maths and Science education, does it mean that overall our education system is poor?
If it’s poor, why then do we see an influx of foreign students seeking education in our local universities? Last year alone, Unesco recorded a 16 percent increase in international students admission in our institutions of higher learning.
I am a PIBG (Parent-Teacher Association) committee member for my daughter’s primary school and I can attest and re-assure Selayang MP Ong Kian Ming that the quality education that the schoolchildren there receive is nothing short of excellence compared to Ong’s schooldays.
Onyourtoes: The Swedish government has asked OECD to review its education system in 2014 and you expect Malaysia to do the same, Kian Ming?
Do you know the implications if Malaysia were to ask the same? It means we cannot hire nincompoop teachers and lecturers anymore. It means nincompoops can no longer become school principals, deans, heads of department, and even vice-chancellors.
It means consultants can no long con us into buying their blue, pink and yellow prints. It means education ministers can no longer pronounce education policies, rankings and performance at their own whims and fancies.
Abasir: Umno and PAS (yes both) have never really been perturbed by what they regard as fundamentally flawed rankings based on values, concepts, processes and theories totally outside the pale of ‘Islamic thought’.
That is the reason there has never ever been an emergency sitting of state assemblies, the cabinet, the fatwa council, the National Association of Professors or Parliament anytime such humiliating rankings are published.
In fact even the immensely rich ones who live in palatial abodes and frequently travel to OECD countries and who periodically express their ire, do not appear to be rankled by these numbers.
So Ong Kian Ming, please do not expect "our policymakers to acknowledge the weaknesses in our current education system". There are no weaknesses. We have a ‘world class’ education system because we say so.
Vijay47: We can expect a brilliant educated explanation from the minister of education. He will explain that these foreign measures of excellence are not founded on local realities and thus Malaysians should not be unduly bothered by what people with secret agendas have to say. In any case, while Malaysia may not be among the leaders, it is doing much better than numerous other countries, including Albania, Botswana, Montenegro wherever that is, and Ghana. We are even ahead of Saudi Arabia which is a much wealthier country.
Malaysia Ku: Put it another way. Mathematically, we are 24 places above Ghana. So we are still superior, in a certain way, above another 24 nations. Hooray to our Malay-first education minister for a brilliant job done. Singapore and the rest above us don't really matter as they don't use Malay as their medium of instruction. So we are actually No 1 for Malay-medium institutions. So really, it's a matter of semantics, no."
"7 Things From Singapore’s Education System That Should Be Implemented In Malaysia
Published by Tang Ruxyn — 09 Mar 2016, 12:15 PM — Updated 6 months ago
IMHO, it would be great if every school in Malaysia gets at least one in-house health advisor.When the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released its ranking for education quality last May, Malaysia was ranked 52 out of 72 while our neighbour, Singapore clinched the top spot
The study, conducted by OECD, was an analysis of the test scores of 15 year-olds in maths and science. OECD argues that the standard of education is said to be a “powerful predictor of the wealth that countries will produce in the long run”.Singapore has been making a steady progress up the tables that measure students' ability in reading, maths and science while Malaysia struggles to maintain her rankings.
Many wouldn't be surprised with the result as Singapore's education system has always been highly regarded as the best in the world. But why are they so good?
Here are some things that you probably didn't know about Singapore and how we can possibly learn from them to improve our education system:
1. Singaporean schools have teacher-cops to deal with matters relating to delinquency and law enforcement in schools, taking a key role in reducing youth crime and maintaining order
 |
Robin Chia, an honorary Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) officer posing with his identification card. |
An honorary VSC officer is vested with full police powers, privileges and immunities to deal with student-related matters that occur within the school premises, its immediate vicinity and other venues where school activities are held.
In Malaysia, a report by Malaysian Digest states that the number of juvenile cases has been increasing, according to the statistics from the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM). These cases mostly involve school students. With that said, there is a need to implement intervention programmes to curb these students from delinquency.
Perhaps Malaysia does not need to go as far as Singapore to introduce teacher-cops but the MOE could look into establishing dedicated personnel who will solely handle disciplinary issues in school so that normal teachers can focus on teaching.
2. Singapore's bilingual policy and single-stream education system which uses English as the main language of instruction
The vernacular system is long a subject of debate in multiracial Malaysia, as advocates of single-stream education say all children should integrate under one school system, so as to expose them to the different ethnic communities in Malaysia from young.
On the other hand, bilingualism has been a key component in Singapore’s education system since the 1960s where English is the language of instruction and making "mother tongue" a compulsory subject, as all students are required to reach a “second-language” level of proficiency in their official mother tongue.
Singapore's President Tony Tan said that Singaporeans today are able to leverage on their "bilingual and bicultural edge to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to the world."
Perhaps this could be something that Malaysians should ponder about. Even the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said that Malaysia should adopt Singapore's education system that is based on a single stream last June.
On the other hand, bilingualism has been a key component in Singapore’s education system since the 1960s where English is the language of instruction and making "mother tongue" a compulsory subject, as all students are required to reach a “second-language” level of proficiency in their official mother tongue.
Singapore's President Tony Tan said that Singaporeans today are able to leverage on their "bilingual and bicultural edge to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to the world."
Perhaps this could be something that Malaysians should ponder about. Even the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said that Malaysia should adopt Singapore's education system that is based on a single stream last June.
3. Singapore's initiative to promote healthier lifestyles among students through in-house health advisers
The Student Health Advisor (SHA) Programme was introduced to eight secondary schools by Singapore's Health Promotion Board in 2010 so that trained professional nurses are stationed full-time in selected secondary schools and institutes of higher learning to dish out advice on health and nutrition.
By August 2015, the programme has been implemented in 20 secondary schools and institutes of higher learning. Under this programme, the nurses have helped thousands of students in health-related matters including helping those with conditions like asthma and diabetes, or helping them to quit smoking or lose weight.
Health checks in schools are unheard of in Malaysia, so this is definitely an aspect that we improve.
Given the growing obesity problem among Malaysian students, where 1 out of 10 are either overweight or obese, the Malaysian government should seriously consider introducing health advisors to schools, or at least to ensure that thepasukan kesihatan sekolah (school health teams) make regular visits to every school for check-ups.
Singapore's initiative to promote healthier lifestyles among students through in-house health advisers
4. Singapore has a structured and systematic support for students with mild special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. This helps them integrate better in mainstream schools.
In Malaysia, special needs learners face various obstacles in their formal education. In an exclusive report by local daily The Star, the parents and special needs children struggle in national schools due to the shortage of qualified teachers and the limited support and funding.
Some also claimed that the ministry’s framework for special needs education is “very weakly implemented or completely non-existent”.
Singapore's MOE started a few initiatives in 2004 to support students with mild special education needs in mainstream schools: schools are staffed with Allied Student health adviser Mageswari D.N. Amaderlingam, 40, offering health advice to a student at ITE College Central.
The Student Health Advisor (SHA) Programme was introduced to eight secondary schools by Singapore's Health Promotion Board in 2010 so that trained professional nurses are stationed full-time in selected secondary schools and institutes of higher learning to dish out advice on health and nutrition.
By August 2015, the programme has been implemented in 20 secondary schools and institutes of higher learning. Under this programme, the nurses have helped thousands of students in health-related matters including helping those with conditions like asthma and diabetes, or helping them to quit smoking or lose weight.
Health checks in schools are unheard of in Malaysia, so this is definitely an aspect that we improve.
Given the growing obesity problem among Malaysian students, where 1 out of 10 are either overweight or obese, the Malaysian government should seriously consider introducing health advisors to schools, or at least to ensure that thepasukan kesihatan sekolah (school health teams) make regular visits to every school for check-ups.
Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) [AEDs(LBS)], to support students with mild special educational needs such as dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Meanwhile, all schools also have a core group of Teachers train in Special Needs (TSNs) to support these students.
4. As of July 2015, all primary schools have been staffed with at least one AED(LBS) to support students with mild special educational needs while 81 secondary schools have been resourced with one AED(LBS) each.
5. Singapore's Healthy Meals in Schools Programme (HMSP) encourages students to eat healthily and maintain a balanced diet
In Malaysia, Rancangan Makanan Tambahan (Supplementary Food Scheme) (RMT) and Program Susu Sekolah (School Milk Programme) (PSS) runs simultaneously and have been extended to all schools since 1995. These schemes are designed to help underprivileged children to get a healthy and balanced diet.
However, this is only a small minority as many other students are not eligible for the programme. At the moment, there is no specific programme that is designed to include all students to promote healthy eating or, at least, there is no nationwide implementation.
Singapore's MOE on the other hand, has been collaborating with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to implement Healthy Meals in Schools Programme (HMSP) that aims to enhance the availability of healthier food and beverage choices in schools. This is an integrated programme involving teachers, canteen vendors and students.
Although the MOE did not enforce and make this program compulsory for all schools, it is a good step forward - something that Malaysia can consider emulating.
6. Singapore integrates counsellors into the education system to provide social and emotional support for students' welfare
 |
 Student health adviser Mageswari D.N. Amaderlingam, 40, offering health advice to a student at ITE College Central. |
By August 2015, the programme has been implemented in 20 secondary schools and institutes of higher learning. Under this programme, the nurses have helped thousands of students in health-related matters including helping those with conditions like asthma and diabetes, or helping them to quit smoking or lose weight.
Health checks in schools are unheard of in Malaysia, so this is definitely an aspect that we improve.
Given the growing obesity problem among Malaysian students, where 1 out of 10 are either overweight or obese, the Malaysian government should seriously consider introducing health advisors to schools, or at least to ensure that thepasukan kesihatan sekolah (school health teams) make regular visits to every school for check-ups.
Singapore's initiative to promote healthier lifestyles among students through in-house health advisers
4. Singapore has a structured and systematic support for students with mild special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. This helps them integrate better in mainstream schools.
 |
 Photo for illustration purposes only. |
Some also claimed that the ministry’s framework for special needs education is “very weakly implemented or completely non-existent”.
Singapore's MOE started a few initiatives in 2004 to support students with mild special education needs in mainstream schools: schools are staffed with Allied Student health adviser Mageswari D.N. Amaderlingam, 40, offering health advice to a student at ITE College Central.
The Student Health Advisor (SHA) Programme was introduced to eight secondary schools by Singapore's Health Promotion Board in 2010 so that trained professional nurses are stationed full-time in selected secondary schools and institutes of higher learning to dish out advice on health and nutrition.
By August 2015, the programme has been implemented in 20 secondary schools and institutes of higher learning. Under this programme, the nurses have helped thousands of students in health-related matters including helping those with conditions like asthma and diabetes, or helping them to quit smoking or lose weight.
Health checks in schools are unheard of in Malaysia, so this is definitely an aspect that we improve.
Given the growing obesity problem among Malaysian students, where 1 out of 10 are either overweight or obese, the Malaysian government should seriously consider introducing health advisors to schools, or at least to ensure that thepasukan kesihatan sekolah (school health teams) make regular visits to every school for check-ups.
Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) [AEDs(LBS)], to support students with mild special educational needs such as dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Meanwhile, all schools also have a core group of Teachers train in Special Needs (TSNs) to support these students.
4. As of July 2015, all primary schools have been staffed with at least one AED(LBS) to support students with mild special educational needs while 81 secondary schools have been resourced with one AED(LBS) each.
5. Singapore's Healthy Meals in Schools Programme (HMSP) encourages students to eat healthily and maintain a balanced diet
 |
| West Spring Primary School's canteen offers students a healthy meal programme called Whizmeal, Singapore. |
However, this is only a small minority as many other students are not eligible for the programme. At the moment, there is no specific programme that is designed to include all students to promote healthy eating or, at least, there is no nationwide implementation.
Singapore's MOE on the other hand, has been collaborating with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to implement Healthy Meals in Schools Programme (HMSP) that aims to enhance the availability of healthier food and beverage choices in schools. This is an integrated programme involving teachers, canteen vendors and students.
Although the MOE did not enforce and make this program compulsory for all schools, it is a good step forward - something that Malaysia can consider emulating.
6. Singapore integrates counsellors into the education system to provide social and emotional support for students' welfare
 |
| School counsellor Brinda Kumari Shanmugam Naidu with a group of students in a school in Singapore. |
All the schools in Malaysia has at least one full-time counsellor by 2000. Counselling teachers, however, are burdened by their dual role, having to primarily teach while counselling becomes second priority.
Despite the availability of these counsellors in schools, there is no enforcement or a systematic programme that can enable these counsellors to help students beyond vocational guidance.
Meanwhile in Singapore, the school counsellor works closely with the school management to plan and implement school-wide counselling system and provide direct counselling intervention to at-risk students.
These at-risk students will be identified by the counsellors to participate in specialised group guidance programmes, to provide them additional help in the area of social and emotional development. It is also common for counsellors to get in touch with parents to alert and update them, and to get them to be involved in the counselling process.
7. Appropriate budget allocation
Despite the availability of these counsellors in schools, there is no enforcement or a systematic programme that can enable these counsellors to help students beyond vocational guidance.
Meanwhile in Singapore, the school counsellor works closely with the school management to plan and implement school-wide counselling system and provide direct counselling intervention to at-risk students.
These at-risk students will be identified by the counsellors to participate in specialised group guidance programmes, to provide them additional help in the area of social and emotional development. It is also common for counsellors to get in touch with parents to alert and update them, and to get them to be involved in the counselling process.
7. Appropriate budget allocation
 |
| Malaysia allocated a total RM 267.2 billion with RM41.3 billion (about 15.5 percent of the overall budget) allocated to improve education in Budget 2016, RM1.4 billion lesser than the previous budget. |
Unfortunately, while key development sectors like education saw their resources shrink, the Prime Minister's Department (PMO) received a boost in the recent budget allocation.
The higher education ministry suffered the most as their budget was slashed by RM2.4 billion, getting only RM13.37 billion as compared to RM15.78 billion in the previous year. This resulted in 156 contract professors aged between 61 and 70 years at public universities losing their jobs because their contracts were not renewed as a result of budget cuts at the tertiary institutions.
The lack of resources could be a real hindrance in getting the best for our students, especially in areas that caters to special needs children and teens.
Meanwhile, Singapore has continually invested about 20 percent of the country's annual budget to the Ministry of Education (MOE), second only to the budget for the Ministry of Defence.
This story is the personal opinion of the writer. Submit a story by emailing us at stories@says.com.”
“5 Things Malaysia Can Learn From Finland's Education System
Published by Ronn Yeo — 15 Jul 2015, 07:49 AM
What radical ideas can we use to improve the Malaysian education system?
Out of 72 countries ranked by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) for education quality this year, Malaysia came in at a dismal 52nd
This ranking system is based on the test scores of 15-year-olds in math and science and goes to show just how troubled the local education system is. It has come to a point where nobody believes anything anymore every time a Malaysian minister proclaim that we have a world class education system.
The education system is long overdue for a major overhaul, and in doing so, there are many lessons we can learn from Scandinavian countries like Finland, which placed 6th in the rankings and is well-known for its effective system of education.
So what can Malaysia do to take a major leap towards a more world-class level of education? Below are some of the ideas, which can be pretty radical.
1. Equality for all : No segregation between strong and weak students
Finland: In the 1970's, the practice of separating students based on their grades and scores was eliminated, and every student struggling in school started receiving plenty of help. Their reasoning is that if teachers learn how to help students that struggle, they will be able to teach all students more effectively and, ultimately, leave no child behind. The effect of this is that the differences between the strongest and weakest students in Finland are the smallest in the world.
Malaysia: There is a distinctively wide gulf between the 'smart' and 'weak' students and they are often segregated by different classes. And because state funding is tied to academic performance, schools become motivated to push their better students to perform excellently, assigning better teachers to better students only and treat the weaker students as potentially harmful outliers to their overall performance, instead of actively working on improving how these students learn.
2. More trust, less bureaucracy
Image via 
Finland: Society trusts the school to hire good teachers and the school trusts the teachers to be highly trained individuals. Teachers trust the students to learn for the sake of learning, and the students trust their teachers to give them all the tools they need to be successful. For instance, there's no dress code in Finland's schools and students are allowed to bring gadgets to the school. Plus, they get to have very frequent breaks to play and socialise in the classroom. In a nutshell, society trusts the system and gives education the respect it deserves.
Malaysia: This is in high contrast to our own system, where the language for math and science alone has been bouncing between English and Malay for the better part of a few decades and students are regulated arbitrarily. Teachers are constantly worried about students getting into trouble but nitpick issues like students wearing ankle socks in addition to doing paperwork that impedes their actual job of teaching. All this can't be conducive for the teaching and learning process.
3. No more exams! (until you are 16)
Finland: Students are not measured at all by exams until they are 16. Why? Because exams segregate people! They reduce every student's learning efforts to a single letter in the alphabet. Worse? They make students think that being defined by that letter is okay! So you get demotivated students thinking that they'll never amount to more than their C's, while A students believe wholeheartedly in their own intelligence instead of seeing that all they've done is score well on what is essentially a memorising test.
Malaysia: Here's how we structure exams in Malaysia: almost all papers focus on reiterating definitions or answers according to a certain pattern of questioning. So we churn out students that look fantastic on paper, but are fairly clueless at honing in on issues and solving them without a given formula.
Finland recognises this and has done away with standardised exams, and we should too. It's time that we foster students that learn for the sake of learning - not for the sake of scoring well in an exam.
4. Teachers are the 'heroes' of society
Finland: All teachers in Finland have a masters' degree, which is also fully subsidised. And the standards are upped even further by the fact that teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates. Teachers in Finland are well-paid and carry similar status to doctors or lawyers, and the occupation is highly sought-after. This rigorous selection process ensures that all children are being educated by some of the best minds in the nation.
Malaysia: Teachers generally have to go through training courses in order to qualify, and must hold either a diploma or a degree. The path to becoming a teacher is rather accessible, which is excellent for those that really want to teach but bad news for students since just about anyone, even those only vaguely interested in teaching, can qualify. On average, teachers in Malaysia only earn a little under RM47,000 a year. These facts seem to provide an explanation for why all of us have stories to tell about that one bad teacher we get at least once a year.
So if Malaysia wants to produce world-class students, it must first focus on producing world-class teachers. Not only that, but it's important to figure out a more rigorous system so that only those with a true passion for teaching step into classrooms with that authority. Educating the future of the country is no meager task, and it starts with making sure our educators are up to it.
5. Making Arts subjects to be as important as Science subjects
Finland: Subjects such as arts and crafts are taken as seriously as the sciences in Finland. Teachers recognise that encouraging creativity aids the development of problem-solving skills and there is no discrimination between vocational students and the more academically-traditional inclined students.
Malaysia: The segregation between the arts and science streams in schools are very, very clear. For reasons unknown, the majority opinion is that the arts and vocations are for 'stupider' students while the sciences can only be studied by 'smart' students.
Echoing the sentiment of Sir Ken Robinson, not every student is gifted academically, but every person has their strengths and that should be leveraged on. Instead of glorifying only the achievements of science students, schools need to focus on advancing the skills of individuals gifted in other areas as well.
Ultimately, the Malaysian education system has much to take from the words of Helsinki principal Timo Heikkinen: "If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect."
The national goal of education must shift from producing students with strings of A's to preparing children for the most important test of all: life.
This story is the personal opinion of the writer. Submit a story by emailing us at stories@says.com."
The higher education ministry suffered the most as their budget was slashed by RM2.4 billion, getting only RM13.37 billion as compared to RM15.78 billion in the previous year. This resulted in 156 contract professors aged between 61 and 70 years at public universities losing their jobs because their contracts were not renewed as a result of budget cuts at the tertiary institutions.
The lack of resources could be a real hindrance in getting the best for our students, especially in areas that caters to special needs children and teens.
Meanwhile, Singapore has continually invested about 20 percent of the country's annual budget to the Ministry of Education (MOE), second only to the budget for the Ministry of Defence.
This story is the personal opinion of the writer. Submit a story by emailing us at stories@says.com.”
“5 Things Malaysia Can Learn From Finland's Education System
Published by Ronn Yeo — 15 Jul 2015, 07:49 AM
What radical ideas can we use to improve the Malaysian education system?
Out of 72 countries ranked by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) for education quality this year, Malaysia came in at a dismal 52nd
This ranking system is based on the test scores of 15-year-olds in math and science and goes to show just how troubled the local education system is. It has come to a point where nobody believes anything anymore every time a Malaysian minister proclaim that we have a world class education system.
The education system is long overdue for a major overhaul, and in doing so, there are many lessons we can learn from Scandinavian countries like Finland, which placed 6th in the rankings and is well-known for its effective system of education.
So what can Malaysia do to take a major leap towards a more world-class level of education? Below are some of the ideas, which can be pretty radical.
1. Equality for all : No segregation between strong and weak students
Finland: In the 1970's, the practice of separating students based on their grades and scores was eliminated, and every student struggling in school started receiving plenty of help. Their reasoning is that if teachers learn how to help students that struggle, they will be able to teach all students more effectively and, ultimately, leave no child behind. The effect of this is that the differences between the strongest and weakest students in Finland are the smallest in the world.
Malaysia: There is a distinctively wide gulf between the 'smart' and 'weak' students and they are often segregated by different classes. And because state funding is tied to academic performance, schools become motivated to push their better students to perform excellently, assigning better teachers to better students only and treat the weaker students as potentially harmful outliers to their overall performance, instead of actively working on improving how these students learn.
2. More trust, less bureaucracy
Image via 
Finland: Society trusts the school to hire good teachers and the school trusts the teachers to be highly trained individuals. Teachers trust the students to learn for the sake of learning, and the students trust their teachers to give them all the tools they need to be successful. For instance, there's no dress code in Finland's schools and students are allowed to bring gadgets to the school. Plus, they get to have very frequent breaks to play and socialise in the classroom. In a nutshell, society trusts the system and gives education the respect it deserves.
Malaysia: This is in high contrast to our own system, where the language for math and science alone has been bouncing between English and Malay for the better part of a few decades and students are regulated arbitrarily. Teachers are constantly worried about students getting into trouble but nitpick issues like students wearing ankle socks in addition to doing paperwork that impedes their actual job of teaching. All this can't be conducive for the teaching and learning process.
3. No more exams! (until you are 16)
Finland: Students are not measured at all by exams until they are 16. Why? Because exams segregate people! They reduce every student's learning efforts to a single letter in the alphabet. Worse? They make students think that being defined by that letter is okay! So you get demotivated students thinking that they'll never amount to more than their C's, while A students believe wholeheartedly in their own intelligence instead of seeing that all they've done is score well on what is essentially a memorising test.
Malaysia: Here's how we structure exams in Malaysia: almost all papers focus on reiterating definitions or answers according to a certain pattern of questioning. So we churn out students that look fantastic on paper, but are fairly clueless at honing in on issues and solving them without a given formula.
Finland recognises this and has done away with standardised exams, and we should too. It's time that we foster students that learn for the sake of learning - not for the sake of scoring well in an exam.
4. Teachers are the 'heroes' of society
Finland: All teachers in Finland have a masters' degree, which is also fully subsidised. And the standards are upped even further by the fact that teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates. Teachers in Finland are well-paid and carry similar status to doctors or lawyers, and the occupation is highly sought-after. This rigorous selection process ensures that all children are being educated by some of the best minds in the nation.
Malaysia: Teachers generally have to go through training courses in order to qualify, and must hold either a diploma or a degree. The path to becoming a teacher is rather accessible, which is excellent for those that really want to teach but bad news for students since just about anyone, even those only vaguely interested in teaching, can qualify. On average, teachers in Malaysia only earn a little under RM47,000 a year. These facts seem to provide an explanation for why all of us have stories to tell about that one bad teacher we get at least once a year.
So if Malaysia wants to produce world-class students, it must first focus on producing world-class teachers. Not only that, but it's important to figure out a more rigorous system so that only those with a true passion for teaching step into classrooms with that authority. Educating the future of the country is no meager task, and it starts with making sure our educators are up to it.
5. Making Arts subjects to be as important as Science subjects
Finland: Subjects such as arts and crafts are taken as seriously as the sciences in Finland. Teachers recognise that encouraging creativity aids the development of problem-solving skills and there is no discrimination between vocational students and the more academically-traditional inclined students.
Malaysia: The segregation between the arts and science streams in schools are very, very clear. For reasons unknown, the majority opinion is that the arts and vocations are for 'stupider' students while the sciences can only be studied by 'smart' students.
Echoing the sentiment of Sir Ken Robinson, not every student is gifted academically, but every person has their strengths and that should be leveraged on. Instead of glorifying only the achievements of science students, schools need to focus on advancing the skills of individuals gifted in other areas as well.
Ultimately, the Malaysian education system has much to take from the words of Helsinki principal Timo Heikkinen: "If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect."
The national goal of education must shift from producing students with strings of A's to preparing children for the most important test of all: life.
This story is the personal opinion of the writer. Submit a story by emailing us at stories@says.com."
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