Special guests: Anwar visiting an art class at SK Bandar Baru Bangi. Accompanying him is Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (left). — Bernama
BANGI: The better learning facilities in the country must be translated into improved quality of education for our schoolchildren, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister added that he has instructed both the Education and Higher Education ministries to focus on improving the quality of national education as early as next year in line with the improvement of the facilities.
“This year, we gave emphasis to a lot of details, focusing on the needs of students. The construction of new schools (replacing the dilapidated ones) has been completed, and the infrastructure facilities are sufficient.
“When they need help, we give,” he added.
Anwar said the performance for 2024 cannot be the same as this year’s, adding that there needs to be improvement.
He said he has told Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin that the focus after this is on raising and improving the quality of education.
The Prime Minister said that while “schools are good, the toilets are ready, the basic facilities are sufficient”, the performance of the school students is the same as the one in previous years.
“We cannot accept this,” he said, adding that improving students’ academic performance is crucial in light of the changing global landscape marked with challenges.
“We cannot uplift our nation if the quality of education is not developed,” he said at the launch of the pilot project on redeveloping dilapidated schools at SK Bandar Baru Bangi yesterday.
Anwar said he wants the Education Ministry to focus on helping schoolchildren to master languages and subjects such as mathematics, science, computer and religion.
He added it should also involve the parent-teacher associations to seek ways to get parents to be more involved in their children’s education, including asking parents to spend at least half an hour revising their children’s schoolwork with them every night.
Anwar said the ministries should also draft proposals on improving the academic performance of students a week after school reopens.
The ministries should also submit progress reports to him.
He added that he will bring up the issue on education quality at the Cabinet meeting on Friday.
