Politicisation of education – Vasanthi Ramachandran

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FOR any prime ministerial aspirant, a good place to start will be by exercising political power via the education institution. This was a precedent set by Tun Abdul Razak, with others using education as a vehicle to expedite their journey to the prime minister’s office. 

Our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman endorsed the English language for higher learning to enable our students into the best universities in the world.

As the first education minister, Tun Abdul Razak replaced the colonial education system with the Razak Report which was later enshrined as the Education Ordinance 1957. With this. Bahasa Melayu became the national language.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s tenure as education minister and prime minister began with various “politically invested affirmative policies” being incorporated in our education. Today, in the 2021 rankings for 76 countries, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Singapore ranks first. Malaysia ranks at a dismal 52nd. 

If we peel the layers, therein lies the root of the present demerited education system with all of its “self-righteous” political prejudices and fallacies.

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