High Time to Prop Up Our Education Standards

The past five decades saw the rapid proliferation and establishment of private and public institutions of higher learning.

In the 60s, there was only one public university in the country; that is, the University of Malaysia situated in Pantai Valley. Courses offered by the University were not countable. They inter-alia included Science, Arts, Education, Agriculture, Engineering. The Arts Faculty provided courses on History, Economics, Islamic Studies etc. The Medical Faculty started sometime in 1962 or thereabout.

The entry requirements were not less than the HSC. Preferable and fvorable consideration for admission was given to those students with four principal passes in the HSC. The standards and reputation of the University were well recognised and respected by overseas universities and Governments.

But within a matter of fifty years, the number of universities have mushroomed to about 40 or thereabout. This number comprises both public and private universities.

While the government is trying its best to provide its citizens ample opportunities to pursue tertiary education by setting up States' universities, she nevertheless neglected the important aspect of maintaining high standards in all the courses that they offer. Entrance to public universities in my view determines the ultimated quality of the graduates that they produce. Employers will be tbe best judges on this standard among the graduates.

Hundred of local graduates could not find proper employment in the private sectors as they lack communication and certain employable skills. Surveys have shown that the universities are not producing manpower that meet employers' job requirements.

This escalating unemployment figure is causing quite an alarm in the country. The Government cannot continue expanding the civil service to create jobs for the sake of job creation. The civil service is already overstaffed and an further influx will cause a state of redundancy.

It has been recently reported that the Government intends to set up another university in Pagoh and turn it into another education hub! Have we not enough of these hubs in the country?

The BN Government must stop setting up more universities in the country. We just cannot have sufficient local qualified personnel to fill the various vacancies in the universities.

We should embark on consolidation rather than expansion of existing institutions of higher learning. Firstly, the Government should do away with the Matriculation to provide Bumiputras virtually a backdoor avenue to get into the universities. We should retain the STPM to be the only determinant for qualification to enter the universities. In this way, we maintain at least quality of students in the public universities. Secondly, entry must be based on merits.

Thirdly, positions and promotions in the universities should be proffered to those who have not only the paper qualifications and seniority but also the relevant working experience regardless of race, colour or creed.

Forthly, passing mark must be set high so that those who pass the exams are assured of certain standards of achievement they have attained. Authorities should not interfere with the local universities authorities in determining their programmes, quality and stanards.

If the above steps are taken, perhaps we can see some improvement and progress in the near future.