Let the journey begin!
Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Learning Curve: Perspective
New Sunday Times - 20-01-2013
ONE hundred days seem to be a magical threshold to gauge whether an initiative can provide the impetus for change.
The number is arbitrary, of course, but it does help to zero in on what must take precedence. It is envisaged that once the deadline is passed, things will just snowball and changes would be easier to come by.
Such is the case for the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) that is expected to be released soon.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Education Minister, announced recently that the Ministry will focus on four initiatives within the first 100 days.
The blueprint is aimed at major "shifts" -- 11 in all -- to propel its implementation. There are also three waves -- a designated time period -- under which the various changes will be implemented.
All these must work in tandem so that there are enough synergies created to lock the shifts and waves together, starting with the four initiatives.
It is heartening to note that the first initiative, namely the School Improvement Partners Plus and School Improvement Specialist Coaches Plus, is aimed at schools in the last three bands: five, six and seven.
These purportedly are schools that need greater attention compared to their so-called "high performing" counterparts. The initiative is expected to provide guidance and training for teachers, principals and school heads.
This is indeed important so as to avoid a one-size-fits-all (OSFA) approach to school improvement.
It recognises the diversity of needs and varying gaps, some long neglected. For too long, the OSFA approach has taken a toll on marginalised schools, especially rural ones.
It is also timely to consider recruiting the "best" teachers, principals and school heads with proven track records and experience to be an integral part of the school improvement programme. They should, however, be appropriately recognised and rewarded to undertake the task of transforming such schools. A committed leadership is an essential prerequisite for this to happen.
It is worthwhile to note that Shift 4 emphasises transforming teaching into the profession of choice, whereas Shift 6 is empowerment to customise solutions based on need.
I am very impressed with Teach For Malaysia where young professionals take time off -- two years -- to join the teaching profession under the Education Ministry to be deployed to rural schools.
The programme is expanding nationwide with more professionals coming on board. It is a worldwide movement.
A similar scheme can be put in place for employees of the ministry to willingly devote part of their professional career to where they are needed most. This is in contrast to making it a compulsory service. Or worse, as a punishment for non-performers!
Another initiative pertains to the setting up of parent support groups -- beyond Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), I presume -- at 10,000 schools nationwide to promote closer liaison between schools and parents.
While PTAs have been known to be crucial to providing such support, sustainability is often a vital factor in making a difference.
In most cases, it is a question of resources -- not just finances -- and also a pool of talent. The latter is even more difficult to come by in many rural and marginalised areas even though there are ample funds. Here is where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and professional clubs and societies can play a role as part of their social engagement activities.
The support should extend beyond enhancing formal classroom activities of literacy, numeracy and communication, going into developing cultural understanding and tolerance, ethical and social competencies, as well as building a resilient national identity and value.
This can often be carried out outdoors in a fun way through experiential learning across a multitude of context and situations.
Parents, who are members of the NGOs and professional clubs, are key to this initiative being carried out successfully through adopting relevant schools within a designated area. In fact, Shift 9 talks about "partners with parents, community and private sector at scale".
The other initiatives -- assessing English teachers and the E-Guru Video -- while essential, will be made easier if the above two initiatives are properly consolidated. Indeed, at the end of the day, it is about energising a sound educational ecosystem for the generations to come.
- The writer is the vice-chancellor of the Albukhary International University