By Professor Dr Suhaiza Hanim

Malaysia has made remarkable progress in several SDG 4 indicators, such as at the Goal Level of Quality Education, which is to provide fair and inclusive quality education and to advance chances for all people to study throughout their whole lives, but faces substantial obstacles in achieving the SDG target for this goal.

According to the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, Singapore is rated second in the world for maths, science, and reading, whereas Malaysia is placed 48th, 48th, and 57th, respectively.

Besides, 90,000 out of the 373,974 students who took the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) test in 2022 did not pass mathematics, while over 52,000 failed English.

It is really concerning when secondary students have low proficiency in Mathematics and the English language.

The ability to use mathematics is seen as crucial for gauging society’s economic performance and for advancing science and technology. Understanding other fields like engineering, physics, social science, and the arts also depends on one’s proficiency in mathematics.

A scarcity of competent teachers

Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim suggested strategies for enhancing English language competency include teacher preparation programmes, the use of technology, and lots of reading and speaking.

Malaysia has made significant strides in achieving complete literacy and ensuring that schoolteachers hold the appropriate credentials.

However, the serious problem of a scarcity of competent teachers continues to plague the nation’s educational landscape and is still a problem that has not been adequately resolved.

As mentioned by Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying, there are several subjects with a teacher shortage at the elementary and secondary school levels.

This problem might be viewed as an opportunity to give graduates of educational institutions greater employment options. Nevertheless, the government’s consideration of alternate routes into the teaching sector is one possible strategy for solving the problem.

With this, universities may take a number of actions to help address the teacher shortage. Universities can encourage more talented people to enter the teaching profession by emphasising the value and influence of teachers in society.

Universities may also assist teachers with career-long professional growth and ongoing education, which include chances for continuing education, opportunities for professional growth, and mentorship schemes.

Equal right to an education

In pursuing quality education, the education ministry emphasised that every student in the nation has an equal right to an education.

Research by Taylor’s University School of Education indicates that Malaysian students who are unable to read at Standard 5 are more likely to drop out of school due to their reading skills. Since reading is essential and basic, these students can’t leverage their reading prowess to flourish in other courses.

Based on data provided by the MOE and MOH 2022, up to 4.5 per cent of students do not attend any school at all, and 18 per cent leave before completing Form Five, illustrating the truly dire state of our educational system.

It is clear that our educational system is in trouble since it is not at all comprehensive and egalitarian. In order to ensure that no child is left behind, the quality and accessibility of Malaysia’s educational system need to be urgently reviewed.

According to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, the education ministry is aiming for a zero per cent school dropout rate and will continue to keep an eye on these situations and take appropriate action when students are at risk of leaving school before finishing Form 5.

She also wants to see schools free of problems like gangsterism, extremism, and sexual harassment.

Other goals for the ministry are protecting the welfare of teachers, enhancing digital learning environments in classrooms, and repairing and modernising remote schools, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak.

Apart from that, education experts advise reinventing Form Six education as a post-SPM or post-school period in order to prepare students for a seamless transition into higher education.

Dr Anuar Ahmad, an expert in education, suggests developing a self-sufficient educational institution, replacing the word ‘Form Six’ with a more appropriate designation like ‘academic college’, and emphasising that it should not be seen as an extension of school.

To achieve SDG 4, - Quality Education, significant improvements are required. Given its transformational implications for the other SDGs, this objective is of utmost significance. A high standard of education for all kids is essential for sustainable growth.

-- BERNAMA

Professor Dr Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani is the Director of the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, University of Malaya.