— Tunku Munawirah Putra
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012
APRIL 9 — Our deputy prime minister/minister of education announced that the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report 2011-2012 for Malaysia ranks the quality of our education system at No. 14 out of 142 countries. Malaysia should be proud of this accomplishment which is above many developed countries including the United Kingdom, the US and Germany.
We really should give ourselves a pat on the back for being ranked at par with these First World nations. But instead, many have voiced their concern over the misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the data by the minister. Many are not amused but aghast.
The WEF CGI report has, for three decades, been perceived as the world’s most respected assessment of national competitiveness, by leading business executives around the world. The control sample is based on the opinion of 87 senior-level management in the business community in Malaysia. It is a snapshot of what they believe is true and they believe that Malaysia has one of the best education systems in the world.
Therefore, their opinion is credible and the report is not for dispute. The information is to be helpful for business communities to evaluate the viability of Malaysia as a global player in the corporate world, and specifically to serve the needs of this niche group only.
To put the WEF opinion poll into better perspective, the respondents would have belonged to the top echelons of the business community. It can be safe to assume that they are among the elite — high income, highly educated and living in the urban areas, specifically Kuala Lumpur, with their children in private and international schools and a plan for overseas tertiary education thereafter.
Therefore, to be ranked 14th would have highly likely been based on the quality of private and international education, and not the overall level of the Malaysian education system as a whole. The choices of good private and international schools are plentiful and thanks to the relaxation on local students’ enrolment, these schools are available in every high-income housing area, making such schools very accessible to this group.
To determine overall students’ performance and the education system as a whole, the international standardised test, Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS) for Malaysia, would be a more accurate determinant of the current state of affairs in education.
The number of students assessed in Malaysia for PISA 2010 is 4,999 and TIMSS 2007 is 4,466. Cognizance and modesty would point us to evaluate our entire education internationally via PISA and TIMSS. Unfortunately, the reality is that we performed below average in both tests.
One would err to interpret the WEF GCI Education ranking report in isolation without considering the control environment of the sample and generalising that it represents the whole education system when it clearly does not. The WEF CGI shows a true picture of only a cross section of the population whilst PISA and TIMSS covers a wider spectrum.
At least now, nationally, we have been apprised of our ability to compare the level of education available to the wealthy minority versus what is available to the less fortunate majority. This goes to show that we have the capability to provide quality education locally and we should strive hard and work towards that benchmark.
Without doubt, these private and international schools offer mathematics and science in English. We wonder what the opinion would be if the following question was asked: “How likely are you to send your children to schools which offer science and mathematics in English?”
* Tunku Munawirah Putra is the honorary secretary of PAGE Malaysia.
And why aren’t the Singaporeans, Europeans and Americans flock to our schools and universities? Muckheedin lying again.
The deputy prime minister/minister of education must be day-dreaming.
Only South Afrikans….and few backward countries students flock to Malaysia for further education as all others are not accepting them…or too tough for them to catch up.
DPM is not well educated. What does he know anything about education?
All he knows is dirty politics.
I heard the pig farted loudly!!! The pig only dare to fart in Bolehland!!!
The next following day, I will see the cow flies like bird!!!
/Unfortunately, the reality is that we performed below average in both test-PISA and TIMSS./
That’s the result we get and will get if we still have silly education minister like Moocowdin.The best is kick out all the incompetent,self-interest,corrupt ministers and the whole bunch of Umno/BN useless and buggers from Putrajaya office.ABU for a free and better education.
Our education minister has a very very selective mind. The report is very misleading and the minister took advantage of it to hood wink the rakyat. The respondent in the report is certainly not reflective of the general rakyat’s views. Before he comments, he should analyse who these respondents are. Obviously, he conveniently chosed not to.
Every man on the street knows that our education system is in the dumps except our ministers.
If the system is better than some developed countries, why then do most parents still send their children to tuition classes. Why are our grads still struggling with the English language. Why are parents increasingly sending their child to international and private schools and some even overseas.
Why does the ranking of our local universities like Univ Malaya dropping year after year (as the saying goes – garbage in garbage out). I would suggest that our Education Minister think through what he wants to say first or is he a clear reflection of the standard of our education system!
If M’sia really wanted to improve its education, why made Muhyuddin the education minister?
At minimum level, an education minister must be educated to think before talking.
To think and talk wisely is obviously not feasible in his character and wisdom as an education minister under Umno regime to educate the mass majority of the nation to progress.What matter the most to this toad-faced with cow-brained Moocowdin is the sheer feeling by the ignorant,uninformed,uneducated and indoctrinated parasites(inclusive cintatakhabishabisbontotsaifu) to keep them in power to plunder and rape this nation totally out of its finance and human resources.
// The control sample is based on the opinion of 87 senior-level management in the business community in Malaysia. It is a snapshot of what they believe is true and they believe that Malaysia has one of the best education systems in the world.//
Go and sample 87 orang asli in Sungai Tembeling and they will declare that Malaysia has the BEST space exploration in the world!
////We really should give ourselves a pat on the back for being ranked at par with these First World nations. But instead, many have voiced their concern over the misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the data by the minister. Many are not amused but aghast./// However it isn’t fair to say the Minister ‘misrepresents’ data if what he cited was what the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report 2011-2012 for Malaysia actually said about the quality of our education system. It also said that we have inched up five ranks to reach 21st position in the Global Competitive Index (GCI). It’s ironical that many Malaysians including me don’t believe. We can question the methodology of measurement. WE are certainly entitled to. But is it not double standards if we selectively don’t question if the international report had ranked us downwards instead which is expedient to “hentam” the BN govt? LGE has accused BN government for having “practised double standards” where it had dismissed a corruption ranking which was unfavourable (CPI (Corruption Perception Index) by TI (Transparency International) while accepting the GCI (Global Competitiveness Index). However this is “politics” as it may equally be argued that the opposition is double standards to accept the unfavourable (CPI (Corruption Perception Index) by TI (Transparency International) as ammunition to criticize the govt and yet reject the (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report 2011-2012 that credits it!
Suggestion for PR election poster—
A drawing of the PM scampering on all fours to get away from Al-tantoo’s father, who had approached him to shake hands, with the caption “Malaysia— The Best Democracy in the World, with an education system on par with United Kingdom, the US and Germany.”
Proof— Look at the millions upon millions of straight As students in upsr, pmr, spm…..
Another suggestion for PR election poster with the caption “Look at the fatso in the photo. Vote for mca and you will get sodded like the lady shown”
http://muslimmalaysia786.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/drchuasoilekmalaysianministerofhealthsextapegutteruncensored-com7gy_bor_rou_sha.jpg
That’s definitely AI in knickers.
http://malaysiakini.com/news/194606
//..an interview with a group of UTM (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia) graduates for various vacancies in my company. There was one woman who really surprised me when she could not even answer how many letters there are from A to Z. And she had a diploma in marketing from UTM…//
A lot of Zimbabweans study in our education institutions. It is up to you whether you want to study or not. It is up to you how much you want to excel. If it is because of anything else and not yourself, then you will never be happy with studies. You can score like crazy and people can clap like crazy but at the end of the day, you will know if that is you. Thank you.