BANGI, Nov 7 — Efforts by the Unity Government to improve learning facilities in the country need to be translated into improved quality of education for students, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said that he had instructed the Ministry of Education (KPM) and the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) 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 give 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 all-sufficient.
“When they need help, we give. So (next year) the performance cannot be the same as last year (2023), there has to be an improvement…I have told Fadhlina Sidek and (Datuk Seri Mohamed) Khaled Nordin, that the focus after this is on raising and improving the quality of education,” he said.
Anwar said this in his speech at the handing over and launch of the Dilapited Building Pilot Project at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Bangi here today.
Also present were Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
According to the prime minister, Malaysia cannot progress and develop if the quality of education does not improve.
He said the emphasis on the need and importance of improving the quality of education in the country will be brought to the Cabinet meeting which he will chair this Friday.
Efforts to improve the quality of the country’s education did not rely solely on the efforts of the ministry alone, he said, adding that it also required the cooperation and involvement of the Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG).
“Yes, the ministry has to focus on developing children’s mastery of language, mathematics, numbers, science and computers, but I also request the PIBG to discuss how to involve parents.
“At home, we encourage parents to pay attention to their children. Every night, make sure the children do their revision for about half an hour or one hour,” he added.
Anwar said the subject teachers also needed to provide suggestions to improve their students’ understanding of the subjects taught by them.