Berani dalam Benar: "Comprehensive Reform" for education? Are we ready?

We are now in the midst of Convocation festivities. Many success stories were reportedly out of the ordinary making the institutions shine with pride. And rightly so! Most were deserving despite the various downsides that have been circulated many times over, affecting the image of the country. Of late, it worsened, extending into life-threatening tragedies. It is almost normalised by now with claims that much have been "swept under the carpet."

The most current response to such issues were could be discerned from two Royal addresses attributed notably to the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara, and that of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia during their most recent Convocations.

In case of the former, His Majesty spoke of the urgent need for "a comprehensive reform of Malaysia's education system." He highlighted the importance of values, discipline, and responsibility to society to begin with at home before stepping into the formal schooling environment. He also expressed that s for aspects of "humanity, morality, emotional control, and legal awareness" need to be (re)emphasised. These are all well reflected in the six student aspirations of the existing blueprints, including the five system aspirations too. None should missed it in earnest.

His Majesty also cautioned over the handling of the cyber space so as not to turned it into gateway for aggression and loss of lives as previously reported in the media to be on the increase and in severity.

The last time such similar bold recommendations was made could be traced to 2007 by the then Honourable Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi calling for no less a Revolusi Pendidikan (Educational Revolution). This has led to the establishment of a unique APEX University in September 2008, the first of its kind until today. It was with the guidance of the then Minister of Higher Education that it came into reality as part of an earlier strategic higher education plan (PSPTN). The initiative followed closely the German experience, detailing a whole system, bottom-up approach, moving away from the dated, fragmented, top-down piecemeal loaded with bureaucratic processes the Malaysia is known for. Simply put, the "comprehensive reform" that His Majesty advocated is another educational revolution, as  the word "reform" which has been rendered meaningless nowadays. So, unless the Whole Institution Approach leading the Whole Community Approach (better recognised as "Communiversity", globally) is adopted within the planetary Anthropocene era (Era of Humans), the target will remain elusive as ever. Here is where the question of human impact of the Earth system is deemed as a vital nexus cutting across the ethical-moral dimensions that His Majesty was referring to. Unfortunately, we no where near it!

It is at this juncture that the Royal address by the UKM Chancellor became timely and relevant for a "reform" albeit at the institutional level. His Royal Highness (HRH) on recalling of a "RM58.45 million procurement misconduct" hits the nail on its head. He reportedly further noted that the complaints were investigated and confirmed by the National Audit Department, "with several companies without selection committee approval" were involved. And that UKM must undergo reforms in governance and administration to address these issues urgently. In this regard, the immediate establishment of the Tuanku Muhriz Royal Chair in Integrity and Good Governance, to be held by former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat is most lauded academically speaking, at least. The Chair aims to advance research and policy work related to good governance, integrity issues, public administration and institutional reform. This allegedly includes expediting the appointment of senior management, particularly members of the university’s board of directors and deputy vice-chancellors which are often proved to be sore points due largely to the lack of transparency, pandering on unethical-immoral practices instead. The latest example is the appointment of a chairperson in a university situated at the Peninsula east coast state that reportedly resulted in  a public uproar from among the alumni, demanding an open justification which is still yet to be resolved openly.

News has it that there are other appointments pending to be announced in the same light. Indeed, a UKM educational expert has pointed out that undue bureaucracy is among the many reasons why such mediocre decisions came about! In fact, one can still recall when the UKM misconduct/scandal was earlier brought up in Parliament, it was brazenly brushed off as “too sensitive” and nothing more was mentioned about it in public until, no less the Chancellor himself brought it up again who seemed more concerning. To drive the point, HRH, was quoted: “Leaders involved in misconduct are not fit to administer a university, especially UKM, which upholds the philosophy of knowledge, quality and morality.” As a matter of fact, that goes beyond the institution in relation to the bureaucratic intricacies responsible for such 'misconduct' in the first place.  As they say, fish rots from head downwards. Such rotting heads has no room in the educational sector per se. Yet, this is not the case for as long the bureaucracy allows claims of “sweeping under the carpet” to prevail. And at the same time, created convenient room for the power that be to scream “fitnah” in defence of bureaucratic habits! Then harassment to deter others from speaking Truth to power follows! The numbers are alarming!

As such, it not difficult to imagine why that others are “encouraged” to act in the same way in the name of political survival. Meaning, a comprehensive reform may not possible, if the leadership is merely paying lip services to the demand for a real need of a genuine reform, let alone an "education revolution" like that of the APEX days!

It always seems impossible until it is done          Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)