Revolutionise the education system

Last year some 40,000 graduates went through the shattering experience of being spurned by potential employers. They had stepped into the real world.

There must have been a deep sense of hopelessness and frustration was well as betrayal at realizing how ill-equipped they were to face life outside the campus.

So, what was the point of it all? That question must have gone through their heads in endless circles. Political leaders had exhorted them ad nauseam that their duty as students was to bury themselves in books undistracted by other affairs, especially politics. They were also reminded in the same breath that the future of the nation lay in their hands but words did not match actions.

Political expediency had taken priority over a sound education system which ensures a nation's well being and is capable of producing minds nimble enough able to adapt to changing situations, not easily disheartened by adversity.

A people immunized against political machinations and capable of independent thought are not exactly the ideal politicians are dedicated to. Their rather is sheep-like creatures that see no fault in obeying without question.

That appeared to be the reason behind the adoption of the Universities and University Colleges Act in the mid 70s when the rot set in into the education system which has been decaying at an accelerated rate ever since. That Act took away the autonomy of all institutes of higher learning including getting involved in politics, among other things.

In one blow, it crushed the higher education process which is to encourage the blossoming of the human mind in an intellectually stimulating environment, free from the restrictions placed on schoolchildren. And where questioning established beliefs was the norm; where ideas caught fire and, idealism, an integral part of which is social consciousness, was fanned.

At that age students should be fired up with the desire to swing the world around by its tail. They had always been the catalyst for change throughout history. Not in this country where the spirit lies smothered under a thick blanket of rules and regulations and tiresome exhortations.

That Act has impoverished the nation's soul to an incalculable degree. It has actually encouraged a culture of self-centredness; discouraged initiative as well as bred sycophancy and great reluctance to accept responsibility for mistakes.

Such an environment was fertile ground for mediocrity to flourish to the extent of condoning plagiarism as merit was held at bay by the ingrained political correct thing to do habit.

However, a rapidly changing and highly complex world with the premium on brain power finally popped the issue into the public domain.

An impassioned plea for reform from reputed historian Prof Khoo Kay Kim paints a depressing picture of the current education system.

The professor emeritus's despair over the situation fairly peels off the text of his interview with malaysiakini in May last year.

Prof Khoo, who has nearly 40 years teaching experience in University Malaya under his belt, had this to say about the education system: "Are we really producing quality students? If our graduates are not capable of competing at international level or making themselves marketable, let's not talk about meritocracy now.

"Some of our lecturers are not even exposed to the outside world. They come to the university just to teach and hardly do any research or write any journal.

"How can these lecturers prepare students to compete on a global scale when they themselves are not exposed internationally."

He added that unlike in the past, the freshies nowadays are way below par. Even students with top scores have no idea of what they are learning.

They just memorise instead of understanding the subjects. "All a matter of statistics." In other words, quantum has taken priority over quality. Computer jargon puts it more brutally - garbage in garbage out.

His remarks came at a time when the hot topics were the racial quota for universities and the introduction of a merit-based entrance system.

It is against this background that another profoundly disturbing development came to light in October this year, substantiating Prof Khoo's criticism.

The Association of the Academic Staff of University of Malaya (PKUAM) laid bare a host of ills afflicting Malaysia's first and once premier institute of higher learning.

Among the ills, lecturers allegedly advised against failing too many candidates; raising exams marks without the consent of concerned examiners; lack of transparency in promoting university officials and the absence of incentives for research work.

The association was forced to issue the statement to clear the air on the issue of the poor quality of graduates and growing unemployment among them.

Its president Rosli H. Mamat alleged that the assessment system did not accurately reflect the students' level of knowledge, allowing them easy passage to a degree.

He also admitted some criticism against the students were valid. They were, he said, unable to provide clear and coherent arguments but this is not revealed in their final results.

The final outcome of all these negatives is lecturers allegedly neglecting their normal duties and scrambling for positions in the administrative totem pole at the criminal expense of the undergraduates.

If this is so, more than likely it is, UM has turned into an ethical cesspool, the cause of which can be traced back to the Universities and University Colleges Act. Other public universities and colleges must also be in the same boat.

At least Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has recognised the depth of the crisis to declare that the Barisan Nasional's top priorities are education and corruption.

At first blush, it was disappointing that he referred the matter back to the universities to revamp their courses so they could produce marketable graduates. But more than marketability is at stake, there is the damage inflicted on generations to remedy.

With so much on his plate, one likes to believe that this move is just an attempt to buy time before Abdullah really sinks his teeth into the issue.

However, decisive action on the issue cannot be delayed for too long as the very foundation of the country is being undermined by this continuing crisis. This is especially so as globalisation looms menacingly large over us.

In this context it would be salutary to refer to Charles Darwin's theory on natural selection, long misrepresented. "It's not about the survival of the fittest; it is the survival of the species that best adapt to a changing environment".

Which is why Prof Khoo's cry for policy makers to think hard on revolutionizing Malaysia's education system to produce analytical minds takes on a special poignancy.

The first step should be for the political leadership to find the courage to get rid of the offending Act root and branch. Otherwise the nation's future is pretty grim.