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Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Teachers under pressure to finish syllabus, warns academic
There are fears that teachers will rush through lessons just to finish the school syllabus, says an academic. PETALING JAYA : An academic has raised concerns over the struggle of teachers to complete the school syllabus, despite the academic year already being halfway through. Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said many teachers are worried because numerous programmes organised by administrators, both within and outside of school, have disrupted planned teaching schedules. Anuar Ahmad. 'If the syllabus isn't completed, teachers have to answer to the school principal, then to parents, and possibly to the district education office. Who wants to get into trouble? 'So what will teachers do to solve this? They'll run express classes, rush through the lessons just to finish the syllabus,' said Anuar, who is also the deputy director of UKM's Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute. He said the academic session this year is shorter, with the next one to begin in January. In 2022, the school academic session was postponed from January to March as part of adjustments following the Covid-19 pandemic. The March start date continued from 2023 through 2025, with the academic session scheduled to return to January 2026. Anuar warned that the rush in completing the syllabus could result in more students losing interest in their studies and eventually falling behind. 'The rich ones can afford tuition, they'll be fine. This is the current state of our education system,' he wrote in a Facebook post.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Teachers don't lack time to complete syllabus, says NUTP
NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon suggested that the ministry reassess all high-impact programmes, including those he said only serve to waste the time and emotional efforts of teachers. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has denied that teachers are short on time to complete the syllabus, insisting that total schooling days remain consistent each year. NUTP secretary-general Fouzi Singon said schools operate according to the official calendar set by the education ministry, with no fewer than 190 school days per year. 'Schools have administrative assistants, department heads, and committee heads to manage each subject. 'Teachers know what they're doing to ensure the success of their students every year. Co-curriculars have been planned by the ministry, education department, district education departments, and schools,' he told FMT. Fouzi was commenting on teachers' concerns that a large portion of the syllabus remained uncompleted despite the academic session already passing the halfway point. Yesterday, Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia claimed that numerous programmes organised by administrators, both within and outside of school, had disrupted teaching schedules. He said the academic session this year was also shorter, with the next one to begin in January. Fouzi said teachers understood their responsibilities and were fully committed to ensuring their students' success, but also acknowledged that some schools ran programmes outside of the yearly plan. 'There is no denying that some schools have not properly considered whether the programmes implemented will have an impact on students' education, or are simply to fulfil the demands of their management,' he said. He suggested that the ministry reassess all high-impact programmes, including those which he said only served to waste the time and emotional efforts of teachers. 'Programmes not scheduled in the calendar don't have to be run. The World Bank report that Malaysian students spend an average of 11 years in school but learn the equivalent of only eight years must be taken into account and acted on by the ministry,' he said.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
‘Stem decline of patriotism in youths'
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia risks becoming a fragmented society if the national education system fails to urgently address the declining sense of patriotism and unity among its youth, warned Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad. Reflecting on a recent online forum on patriotism hosted by UKM's Minda platform, Anuar said both panellists, former Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman and historian Dr Sahul Hamid, agreed that patriotism in Malaysia today is worryingly low. 'If people have lost their pride in the country and no longer see the nation as a vital part of their lives, we risk weakening our nation-building process,' said Anuar. He said when citizens no longer feel connected to the nation emotionally or ideologically, the foundations of the country become vulnerable to disruption, with apathy towards laws, the monarchy and national identity. Citing figures from the Education Ministry's 2024 Education Development Plan, Anuar questioned the high equality index reported among students and teachers, with a score of 8.10 on average, deemed 'very satisfactory'. 'We are told that our education equality index is very high. But these numbers are difficult to interpret without knowing how the data was collected, the methodology used, or whether it was independently verified. 'A school with 99% Malay teachers will naturally report strong intra-community ties but that's not the same as national integration or equality across diverse groups.' He pointed out that this disparity between official data and ground reality is part of a deeper problem, where education policy does not reflect the socio-political and cultural fragmentation that exists. Anuar highlighted the increasing complexity of Malaysia's schooling landscape encompassing national, vernacular, international, religious and private schools, which has led to what he terms 'super diversity'. 'International schools in Malaysia now have more local students than foreign ones. This extreme diversity in our education system is a major challenge to building a common national identity.' While acknowledging that vernacular schools are protected by law and institutions, Anuar argued that the challenge is not their existence but how the nation manages diversity to produce a generation that is patriotic. 'We must ask ourselves how we can ensure that our children feel love and loyalty for the country when they grow up so separated by language, curriculum and school culture.' He criticised current educational priorities that focus primarily on exam results and individual success, sidelining national values like patriotism and unity. 'For years, our education discourse has revolved around academic achievement and teacher workloads, but rarely have we asked how education builds a strong, united nation.' Calling for a bold reset in the next national education blueprint, he proposed that patriotism, unity and self-worth be embedded not just in the curriculum but also in co-curricular activities and policies. 'We are starting a new education development plan. This is our opportunity. If we fail to strengthen these values now, in 10 years we may find ourselves with a generation that is technically skilled but emotionally detached from the nation. 'Our children are growing up in silos – Chinese schools with one ethos, religious schools with another. If we don't build a shared patriotic foundation, we risk becoming strangers in our own country.' Anuar urged educators and the government to treat patriotism and national unity as urgent priorities, not as an afterthought.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
UKM's Dr. Anuar Ahmad warns of declining patriotism in youth
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia risks becoming a fragmented society if the national education system fails to urgently address the declining sense of patriotism and unity among its youth, warned Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad. Reflecting on a recent online forum on patriotism hosted by UKM's Minda platform, Anuar said both panellists, former Mubarak president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Rahman and historian Dr Sahul Hamid, agreed that patriotism in Malaysia today is worryingly low. 'If people have lost their pride in the country and no longer see the nation as a vital part of their lives, we risk weakening our nation-building process,' said Anuar. He said when citizens no longer feel connected to the nation emotionally or ideologically, the foundations of the country become vulnerable to disruption, with apathy towards laws, the monarchy and national identity. Citing figures from the Education Ministry's 2024 Education Development Plan, Anuar questioned the high equality index reported among students and teachers, with a score of 8.10 on average, deemed 'very satisfactory'. 'We are told that our education equality index is very high. But these numbers are difficult to interpret without knowing how the data was collected, the methodology used, or whether it was independently verified. 'A school with 99% Malay teachers will naturally report strong intra-community ties but that's not the same as national integration or equality across diverse groups.' He pointed out that this disparity between official data and ground reality is part of a deeper problem, where education policy does not reflect the socio-political and cultural fragmentation that exists. Anuar highlighted the increasing complexity of Malaysia's schooling landscape encompassing national, vernacular, international, religious and private schools, which has led to what he terms 'super diversity'. 'International schools in Malaysia now have more local students than foreign ones. This extreme diversity in our education system is a major challenge to building a common national identity.' While acknowledging that vernacular schools are protected by law and institutions, Anuar argued that the challenge is not their existence but how the nation manages diversity to produce a generation that is patriotic. 'We must ask ourselves how we can ensure that our children feel love and loyalty for the country when they grow up so separated by language, curriculum and school culture.' He criticised current educational priorities that focus primarily on exam results and individual success, sidelining national values like patriotism and unity. 'For years, our education discourse has revolved around academic achievement and teacher workloads, but rarely have we asked how education builds a strong, united nation.' Calling for a bold reset in the next national education blueprint, he proposed that patriotism, unity and self-worth be embedded not just in the curriculum but also in co-curricular activities and policies. 'We are starting a new education development plan. This is our opportunity. If we fail to strengthen these values now, in 10 years we may find ourselves with a generation that is technically skilled but emotionally detached from the nation. 'Our children are growing up in silos – Chinese schools with one ethos, religious schools with another. If we don't build a shared patriotic foundation, we risk becoming strangers in our own country.' Anuar urged educators and the government to treat patriotism and national unity as urgent priorities, not as an afterthought.
The Star
26-05-2025
- The Star
QuickCheck: Are fake invitational haj visa offers being promoted on social media?
The haj quota for Malaysia this year is 31,600, which is 10,000 more than last year. However, according to the Pilgrims' Fund Board (Tabung Haji), they received 85,000 applications to perform the haj this year. With the high demand for haj visas, some unscrupulous parties are offering fake invitational haj visas (Mujamalah Visas) on social media. Is this true? Verdict: TRUE According to Tabung Haji there had been a rise in fraudulent offers of Mujamalah Visas on various social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Its director (Haj Operators), Anuar Ahmad, advised those who obtain the visa to register and perform the pilgrimage through any of the 37 haj operators licensed by Tabung Haji under Section 28 of the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535) to safeguard their welfare and ensure a smooth pilgrimage. "If the Mujamalah Visa is offered by a company or individual not listed among the 37 licensed PJHs, it poses a big risk. "Tabung Haji does not know the capabilities of the parties concerned, the location of the pilgrims' accommodation, nor the form of service that will be provided. What's more concerning is that these parties are not subject to any supervision or monitoring by Tabung Haji," he said when met by the media here recently. Anuar said that only agencies registered under Tabung Haji are allowed to manage Malaysian haj pilgrims to ensure every stage of the pilgrimage runs smoothly and to avoid any risk of fraud or abuse. "Therefore, we urge the public not to be easily deceived by dubious haj offers, especially those offering prices that are too cheap or too expensive. Avoid making any advance payments or deposits without official confirmation from Tabung Haji," he said. Anuar said that the Saudi Arabian government has the sole prerogative of issuing Mujamalah Visas, which fall outside Malaysia's official haj quota. He also assured that Tabung Haji would minitor the operations of the 37 haj operators licensed for this year's haj season, compared to 25 last year. "Haj operators' licenses are only issued after going through a strict application and assessment process by TH. They are valid for one haj season only, with no guarantee of automatic renewal in the following year. "Therefore, each haj operator must maintain a consistently high level of service," he said. According to him, to date, 28.3% of pilgrims in the official quota chose to perform the haj pilgrimage through haj operators, with the rest performing the pilgrimage under the management of muassasahs (Tabung Haji). However, he said, every pilgrim is required to first receive an official offer letter from Tabung Haji before choosing the haj package. – Bernama
