DPM: Quality steering panel crucial for education

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said a quality steering committee needed to be established in the management structure of each division and educational institution under the Education Ministry to help provide high-quality education.

Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister, said the leadership, whether at the divisional, departmental, district education office or school level, should make quality improvement as their main objective.

He said enough resources must be provided and quality benchmarks set for the targeted performance levels and achievements.

"The Total Quality Management (TQM) methods can be the main thrust in education management at all organisational levels in carrying out the Education Ministry's policies.

"Therefore, enhancing quality of education is the responsibility of all levels of staff of any educational organisation," he said in his speech at the 18th Education Management and Leadership National Seminar at Institut Aminuddin Baki, here, Tuesday, July 26.

Muhyiddin said quality and excellence in education could determine whether Vision 2020 could be fully achieved, hence this aspect must be focused on in educating the people.

He said important elements such as mastering high knowledge, acquiring relevant skills, and possessing good work ethics, creativity, innovativeness, moral values and strong self-discipline were prerequisites for educational excellence.

"Thus, quality management and leadership should be made a work culture and the foundation in managing education."

Muhyiddin said the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that encompassed education transformation was an approch that could further boost the quality of service delivery to the people.

"Therefore, as the main implementing agents for the education sector, education managers and leaders need to play a more effective role so that the agenda of developing excellent human capital can be achieved.

"Also, the goal can only be achieved through strong leadership, and by knowing, understanding, promoting and sustaining the objective," he said.

Muhyiddin said the transformation could strengthen the national education system so that it would be relevant to current needs, especially in creating a new generation of critical, innovative, creative, competitive and highly aspiring Malaysians.

In enhancing education management and leadership capability, he said a leader must be far-sighted, alert, always thinking of the long term and wise in planning for the future, besides being sensitive to current developments and practising the principle of life-long learning.

"Meanwhile, as an education professional, manager and leader, he must have personal quality, which means he must have high self-worth, good interpersonal relationships and the ability to produce quality work," he added.

The four-day seminar is organised by Institut Aminuddin Bakti and themed, "Leaders Steering Education Transformation". The 500-odd participants comprise school heads and other educationists from throughout the country.

Later, during the question-and-answer session, Muhyiddin defended the government's decision to implement the policy of Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening Proficiency in the English Language (MBMMBI) in 2012 to replace the policy of Teaching and Learning of Science and Maths in English (PPSMI).

He said the decision was made not just based on the minister's thinking or wish, but on the views of and discussions with many quarters.

"Although the minister has the power to make such a decision, it cannot be used at whim and I would not have made the decision if it is bad or disastrous for the people."

To another question, Muhyiddin said the government was prepared to discuss if there were proposals on teachers' education transformation from any quarters. - Bernama