Education, the Foundation of a Nation

With all the political circus that is going on around us, I doubt if many would be interested in talking about the ‘mundane’ issue of education. However, it is a subject close to my heart and I would like to jot down some views here.

Education is the very foundation of a country. It is the one fundamental that must be set right to build a strong nation. Our education system, though not terribly wrong, is not right either. Each Minister of Education will be sworn in and he will proceed with ad hoc changes to the system before moving up the political hierarchy. We are left with an education system that is incapable of producing students in keeping with the demands of the global economy or contribute towards national integration.

Each year we spend billions on mega projects and on military expenditure, yet we don’t spend enough to develop our education system. I am not referring to the money spent on maintaining our schools but about the fund needed to expand and upgrade the entire system.

Here are some facts that indicate that all is not right with our education system:

1. It has become a norm rather then the exception to send children for tuition. Children not only take tuition on subjects that they are weak in but for all subjects.
2. Most Chinese parents send their children to the Chinese Type National Schools and not National Schools. Chinese students form a distant third ethnic group in National Schools despite being the second biggest group in the country.
3. We still don’t have enough buildings to cater for a single session school system despite being independent for more then 50 years. Countries like India that has lesser per capita income then ours, could manage a single session school system.
4. A significant number of National Type Tamil Schools and schools in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak lack basic infrastructures and are in such a state that is not conducive for learning.
5. A significant number of affluent upper middle class families prefer to send their children to private schools and those with ‘connections’ prefer to send their children to International Schools.

Where are we heading with a system that does not command the confidence of the populace? Why should parents spend extra on tuition fees when a comprehensive education system is supposed to cover all our educational needs?

Another area that must be looked into is the quality of teachers. Yes, there are dedicated and able teachers but do they form the majority of the staff or are they in the minority? Those with the ability to produce excellent results often end up dedicating their time in giving tuition. It is perplexing when a student takes private tuition from the very teacher that is teaching him the same subject in school.

Teachers Training College should not be the dumping ground for graduates with degree in courses that no one else will hire nor be the last choice option for students with no where else to go. Government must make Teachers Training College a centre of excellence in education and attract the ablest students to enroll there.

In order to attract the best, the government must make teaching an attractive profession with paychecks and perks to match. Why shouldn’t we spend more on training our teachers and retaining the best? The quality of students will be in direct proportion with the quality of the teaching staff.

It’s about time the government look into our education system comprehensively and holistically. We should formulate mid-term and long term education policies that involve the entire government machinery, just like the Five Year Economic Policies and Overall Perspective Plan (OPP) that we have for our economy.

In the long run, we will not be able to compete globally and retain our edge if we rely on an outdated and limping education system. If we are to set our country back on the right track, we have to strengthen the foundation of our education upon which the tracks are to be laid.

Murugesan Sinnandavar