QUALITY EDUCATION NOT JUST MATTER OF BUDGET ALLOCATIONS, SAYS DPM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The enculturation of quality in the education
system is not just a matter of increasing budget allocations, Deputy Prime
Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Tuesday.

He said quality education, in fact, was about the development of the mind,
personality and enhancement of each individual's potential for the development
of a learning society that recognised cultural diversity, democracy, human
rights, moral values, equity of access to knowledge and life-long learning.

"It is about how we collectively through concerted action enhance the image of
Islam as a religion of peace, enhance the perception of Muslims as people of
integrity, improve the perception towards the role of our wives and daughters in
nation building and human capital development, and how we can improve the
engagement of our youths in social and economic development.

"Through these, we can improve the quality of life for all and make the world a
safer place for everyone," he said in his opening address at the Fifth Islamic
Conference of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research, here,
Tuesday.

"As policy makers, we are accountable to the public that our policies have
current relevance, are effective in addressing socio-economic issues and that we
are efficient at delivering the products.

"However, we need to be aware that this perception of the role of education as
the driver of socio-economic development could undermine some of the basic
values of education and reduce the role of providers of education to that of
factories.

"Let us remember as providers of education, especially at the higher levels,
that there are certainly broader contributions that education makes to the wider
society such as social cohesion, better health, character moulding, and the
development of critical and creative faculties essential for the building of
learning societies so needed in a complex, fast changing world.

"The development of character along with knowledge and competencies must be part
and parcel of an extended definition of quality education which is also
consistent with the Islamic concept of a holistic education."

According to Muhyiddin, education without emphasis on character formation has
practically no value in Islam.

"The Islamic concept of harmony in education includes the formation of a certain
type of character rooted in humility towards Allah, lover towards fellow human
beings, perseverance in times of affliction, honesty, decency, uprightness,
courage to say the truth, a balanced attitude towards issues that involve human
emotions and so on."

He said with the glorious past behind, Muslim leaders must consciously motivate
the people to regain the glory of Islam and encourage research and promote
innovation as part of the culture of their institutions of higher education.

At the same time, he said, they must ensure that their educationists,
researchers, scientists and innovators were guided by ethics.

Muhyiddin also mentioned that Malaysia had taken several innovative
strategies to become a high-income nation by 2020 that would not only provide
material prosperity but also a sense of purpose and belonging for its multiracial
citizens.

"We have identified the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure and improve
our efficiency and quality in six major policy areas.

"Besides this, we are mindful that the quality of education must start from a
solid foundation. Policies have been put in place to streamline the curriculum
for all preschool centres, including private centres, to ensure quality
pre-school education," he said.

The conference is aimed at providing an opportunity for Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) member states and relevant
organisations to discuss various important issues pertaining to higher education
and scientific research in the Islamic world.

It is also to evaluate and follow up on the implementation of the Strategy for
the Promotion of Science, Technology and Innovation in Islamic Countries.
-- BERNAMA