Recently in a statement, you described the American government’s decision as “uncivilised” saying as universities are institutions of knowledge that “cherish the values of truth and justice”, practise academic freedom among their faculties and students by speaking up on societal issues without fear or favour.
Had you continued in the Education Ministry in 2011 and then elevated to the post of Minister of Education, would education in this country be reformed and turned out as what you envisioned it to be based on your article `Second Sphere: Coalition for radical education reform’ that was published and appeared in the Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on April 11 - April 17, 2016?
In that article, you admitted openly that the country suffers from a broken education system, changes every time the minister is changed and the government is unsure whether to have one or two ministries for education.
You lamented that the government, which you were a part of until your departure from UMNO and joined PKR in 2015, holds consultations with stakeholders but not with the most important ones and who were consistently left out from all consultations — the students.
And you have pointedly admitted that the crux of the matter i.e teaching and learning (T&L) to educate our youths is sidelined by unending disputes over zombie bureaucracy and the politics of race.
When you were the Deputy Higher Education Minister then in 2011 when Dato Sri Najib was the Prime Minister, you were already vocal and stood out about academic and student freedoms.
In fact, during that time, you disagreed with Universiti Islam Antarabangsa’s suspension of law professor Abdul Aziz Bari, and has consistently supported amendments to the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) to allow student participation in politics.
In fact it was during your time as the Deputy Higher Education Minister that you led and assisted in the amendment to Section 15 of the UUCA, something you stated in one interview as you fought for all the years.
In 2011, when you were holding the post of Deputy Education Minister in the government, you were asked what is the Ministry of Education doing in respect of entrepreneurialism which is one of the keys to a knowledge-based society.
You responded by saying your Ministry is looking at inclusiveness and there is a need to do more to turn universities in Malaysia into a training ground to excite and motivate people to do business.
In the conclusion to your article, you urge all concerned to get real saying the country cannot continue with the way we have been doing so far — spending big money but making small incremental changes.
Warning all concerned that if we are not worried about our youths’ education, employment and life, soon, we will be worrying about Malaysia.
Despite your articulation, sadly none of the politicians and the successive governments and those heading the Education Ministry though it fit to make any changes as suggested and proposed by you.
The only notable change made was the changing of the colors of the school shoes.
None took up your suggestion and call for a bi partisan coalition to be formed for radical education reform.
You remained the only politician that admits openly and confirmed that the country suffers from a broken education system.
So when you called out the American government’s decision as “uncivilised,” our government is not much civilised too.
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