Our education system is obsolete

Malaysia is undergoing rapid changes especially from the environment, technology, political and social aspects. These inevitable changes are in some ways attributed to globalisation and the expectations of a more educated workforce.

Being endowed with a fantastically diverse population with multi-faceted religions, beliefs, practices, culture and history, we are in a better position to move forward and accept globalisation. This is indeed one of our nation's strengths that has been acknowledged by prominent world leaders and tourists alike.

On every strata of life in Malaysia today, we are exposed to changes brought about by the direct or indirect affects of globalisation. It is positive and also bad in certain areas. It is affecting everyone. This is where leadership at every level is vital to steer us to a new paradigm to face reality and most importantly, practice the accepted principles of integrity, discipline, accountability, duty and long-term perspective.

These are the key qualities of leadership. Our society needs such leaders in all these fields and disciplines. However, to produce leaders who can think, act and decide on the same platform of the above virtues requires a good all-rounded education system which emphasises the future, notwithstanding accepted universal moral values.

Presently, our education system is obsolete, where rote learning is the order of the day though this has not produced the desired expectations. In short, our education system is not ready for the globalisation which is inevitable.

This means our graduates and workforce will lose out in many areas of employment by multi nationals unless we act immediately. Education has to be apolitical.

We need to review and change our education system, curriculum and culture immediately. The models of education 'best practices' in Korea, Turkey, and Taiwan just to name a few will be an excellent model to follow.

And it has to be free of politics with the best academic experts charting our nation's education. The first step is, of course, to take an inventory of where we are against where we wish to go.

If we don't take the steps to rectify this now, I see a bleak Malaysian future.

Look at the human capital and education system of any nation and you can predict their futures. If we continue with our current system, we will stagnate and in twenty or thirty years from now we will probably be on the level with the Philippines, Jamaica and maybe even Myanmar.

Do we have a choice not to change? The politicians and decision-makers of today have to be accountable for the future too.