Latest news with #AnuarAhmad
The Sun
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MADANI School Programme gets corporate boost for rural ed
KUALA LUMPUR: The involvement of corporate companies in the success of the MADANI Adopted School Programme is seen as capable of enhancing the competitiveness of students in underprivileged and rural schools, in addition to providing them with better access to quality education and more equal opportunities. Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Minda-UKM) deputy director Dr. Anuar Ahmad said that this measure is also believed to help address the educational gap between urban and rural areas, thereby strengthening the national education system. 'We realise that financial assistance is very important, especially for schools in rural areas that face a lack of basic facilities and learning materials such as the latest devices, so with additional financial resources, schools can provide a more conducive learning environment. 'The industry can also contribute through early career exposure. They can visit schools to give briefings so that students can understand earlier about job opportunities, courses or educational pathways, and the skills needed in the real industry,' he told Bernama. Yesterday, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced the selection of nearly 1,000 schools for the MADANI School Adoption Programme, implemented in collaboration with 117 private companies, aimed at addressing the education gap across the country. The programme, which started in April, is jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the first phase is expected to be completed by Dec 31, with a programme extension subject to the results of the first phase. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, at the programme's launch event yesterday, also encouraged corporate figures and representatives of the sponsoring companies of the MADANI Adopted School Programme to visit the schools to engage with and provide early exposure to students about the importance of education for their future. Dr Anuar said that the involvement of the corporate company not only strengthened the school's resources and facilities but also increased students' motivation, interest, and aspirations towards learning, and helped them plan their future career paths more clearly and competitively. He also wants the schools to be open to accepting cooperation and views from corporate companies for students' development. 'We do not want schools to merely receive funding without leveraging industry expertise. On the contrary, teachers and students need to be directly guided, including in aspects of technology usage, career exposure and character development,' he said. Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession of Peninsular Malaysia (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon, hopes that corporate involvement through the MADANI Adopted School Programme can support the training needs of teachers, especially in rural areas. Fouzi believes that trained teachers who are consistently given professional support can bring significant changes in the classroom, thereby improving student performance and more effectively supporting the implementation of the MADANI Adopted School initiative. Fouzi also wants the initiative to be closely monitored by the government to ensure that all parties involved are truly sincere and committed to realising the programme's goals. 'A comprehensive assessment needs to be conducted on the school's operations so that key factors that can be addressed are identified, thereby ensuring that this initiative has a positive impact on students as well as the welfare of teachers,' he added.
The Sun
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MADANI Adopted School Programme helps provide better access, equal opportunities for students
KUALA LUMPUR: The involvement of corporate companies in the success of the MADANI Adopted School Programme is seen as capable of enhancing the competitiveness of students in underprivileged and rural schools, in addition to providing them with better access to quality education and more equal opportunities. Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Minda-UKM) deputy director Dr. Anuar Ahmad said that this measure is also believed to help address the educational gap between urban and rural areas, thereby strengthening the national education system. 'We realise that financial assistance is very important, especially for schools in rural areas that face a lack of basic facilities and learning materials such as the latest devices, so with additional financial resources, schools can provide a more conducive learning environment. 'The industry can also contribute through early career exposure. They can visit schools to give briefings so that students can understand earlier about job opportunities, courses or educational pathways, and the skills needed in the real industry,' he told Bernama. Yesterday, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced the selection of nearly 1,000 schools for the MADANI School Adoption Programme, implemented in collaboration with 117 private companies, aimed at addressing the education gap across the country. The programme, which started in April, is jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the first phase is expected to be completed by Dec 31, with a programme extension subject to the results of the first phase. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, at the programme's launch event yesterday, also encouraged corporate figures and representatives of the sponsoring companies of the MADANI Adopted School Programme to visit the schools to engage with and provide early exposure to students about the importance of education for their future. Dr Anuar said that the involvement of the corporate company not only strengthened the school's resources and facilities but also increased students' motivation, interest, and aspirations towards learning, and helped them plan their future career paths more clearly and competitively. He also wants the schools to be open to accepting cooperation and views from corporate companies for students' development. 'We do not want schools to merely receive funding without leveraging industry expertise. On the contrary, teachers and students need to be directly guided, including in aspects of technology usage, career exposure and character development,' he said. Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession of Peninsular Malaysia (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon, hopes that corporate involvement through the MADANI Adopted School Programme can support the training needs of teachers, especially in rural areas. Fouzi believes that trained teachers who are consistently given professional support can bring significant changes in the classroom, thereby improving student performance and more effectively supporting the implementation of the MADANI Adopted School initiative. Fouzi also wants the initiative to be closely monitored by the government to ensure that all parties involved are truly sincere and committed to realising the programme's goals. 'A comprehensive assessment needs to be conducted on the school's operations so that key factors that can be addressed are identified, thereby ensuring that this initiative has a positive impact on students as well as the welfare of teachers,' he added.
Free Malaysia Today
18-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Teachers under pressure to finish syllabus, warns academic
There are fears that teachers will rush through lessons just to finish the school syllabus, says an academic. PETALING JAYA : An academic has raised concerns over the struggle of teachers to complete the school syllabus, despite the academic year already being halfway through. Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said many teachers are worried because numerous programmes organised by administrators, both within and outside of school, have disrupted planned teaching schedules. Anuar Ahmad. 'If the syllabus isn't completed, teachers have to answer to the school principal, then to parents, and possibly to the district education office. Who wants to get into trouble? 'So what will teachers do to solve this? They'll run express classes, rush through the lessons just to finish the syllabus,' said Anuar, who is also the deputy director of UKM's Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute. He said the academic session this year is shorter, with the next one to begin in January. In 2022, the school academic session was postponed from January to March as part of adjustments following the Covid-19 pandemic. The March start date continued from 2023 through 2025, with the academic session scheduled to return to January 2026. Anuar warned that the rush in completing the syllabus could result in more students losing interest in their studies and eventually falling behind. 'The rich ones can afford tuition, they'll be fine. This is the current state of our education system,' he wrote in a Facebook post.
Free Malaysia Today
18-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Teachers don't lack time to complete syllabus, says NUTP
NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon suggested that the ministry reassess all high-impact programmes, including those he said only serve to waste the time and emotional efforts of teachers. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has denied that teachers are short on time to complete the syllabus, insisting that total schooling days remain consistent each year. NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon said schools operate according to the official calendar set by the education ministry, with no fewer than 190 school days per year. 'Schools have administrative assistants, department heads, and committee heads to manage each subject. 'Teachers know what they're doing to ensure the success of their students every year. Co-curriculars have been planned by the ministry, education department, district education departments, and schools,' he told FMT. Fouzi was commenting on teachers' concerns that a large portion of the syllabus remained uncompleted despite the academic session already passing the halfway point. Yesterday, Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia claimed that numerous programmes organised by administrators, both within and outside of school, had disrupted teaching schedules. He said the academic session this year was also shorter, with the next one to begin in January. Fouzi said teachers understood their responsibilities and were fully committed to ensuring their students' success, but also acknowledged that some schools ran programmes outside of the yearly plan. 'There is no denying that some schools have not properly considered whether the programmes implemented will have an impact on students' education, or are simply to fulfil the demands of their management,' he said. He suggested that the ministry reassess all high-impact programmes, including those which he said only served to waste the time and emotional efforts of teachers. 'Programmes not scheduled in the calendar don't have to be run. The World Bank report that Malaysian students spend an average of 11 years in school but learn the equivalent of only eight years must be taken into account and acted on by the ministry,' he said.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
‘Stem decline of patriotism in youths'
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia risks becoming a fragmented society if the national education system fails to urgently address the declining sense of patriotism and unity among its youth, warned Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad. Reflecting on a recent online forum on patriotism hosted by UKM's Minda platform, Anuar said both panellists, former Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman and historian Dr Sahul Hamid, agreed that patriotism in Malaysia today is worryingly low. 'If people have lost their pride in the country and no longer see the nation as a vital part of their lives, we risk weakening our nation-building process,' said Anuar. He said when citizens no longer feel connected to the nation emotionally or ideologically, the foundations of the country become vulnerable to disruption, with apathy towards laws, the monarchy and national identity. Citing figures from the Education Ministry's 2024 Education Development Plan, Anuar questioned the high equality index reported among students and teachers, with a score of 8.10 on average, deemed 'very satisfactory'. 'We are told that our education equality index is very high. But these numbers are difficult to interpret without knowing how the data was collected, the methodology used, or whether it was independently verified. 'A school with 99% Malay teachers will naturally report strong intra-community ties but that's not the same as national integration or equality across diverse groups.' He pointed out that this disparity between official data and ground reality is part of a deeper problem, where education policy does not reflect the socio-political and cultural fragmentation that exists. Anuar highlighted the increasing complexity of Malaysia's schooling landscape encompassing national, vernacular, international, religious and private schools, which has led to what he terms 'super diversity'. 'International schools in Malaysia now have more local students than foreign ones. This extreme diversity in our education system is a major challenge to building a common national identity.' While acknowledging that vernacular schools are protected by law and institutions, Anuar argued that the challenge is not their existence but how the nation manages diversity to produce a generation that is patriotic. 'We must ask ourselves how we can ensure that our children feel love and loyalty for the country when they grow up so separated by language, curriculum and school culture.' He criticised current educational priorities that focus primarily on exam results and individual success, sidelining national values like patriotism and unity. 'For years, our education discourse has revolved around academic achievement and teacher workloads, but rarely have we asked how education builds a strong, united nation.' Calling for a bold reset in the next national education blueprint, he proposed that patriotism, unity and self-worth be embedded not just in the curriculum but also in co-curricular activities and policies. 'We are starting a new education development plan. This is our opportunity. If we fail to strengthen these values now, in 10 years we may find ourselves with a generation that is technically skilled but emotionally detached from the nation. 'Our children are growing up in silos – Chinese schools with one ethos, religious schools with another. If we don't build a shared patriotic foundation, we risk becoming strangers in our own country.' Anuar urged educators and the government to treat patriotism and national unity as urgent priorities, not as an afterthought.
