Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the four challenges clearly demanded future generations to be well-educated with knowledge, skills and noble values to achieve the target of having people who would be able to face the present and future challenges.
“We not only need to produce highly knowledgeable human capital, but also useful and good citizens who can contribute something beneficial to society and the country,” he said.
Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said this when delivering the Education Ministry’s New Year’s message at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here today.
He said the first challenge was the development of the Asean economies that would make the region as the world’s fifth largest economic bloc after the United States, China, Japan and India.
Muhyiddin said the development would certainly stimulate the development of domestic trade and between Asean countries, and Malaysia should be prepared to face a more open economic, security and culture challenges.
“With the implementation of the Asean Community this year, the higher education sector can also play a role in formulating a strategic plan to address the challenges of mobility of skilled manpower in the more open regional job market,” he explained.
For the second challenge, Muhyiddin said the ministry’s officials must be sensitive to all changes and progress at the international level as well as the uncertainty in the future.
Recognising the need to develop the country’s education sector in line with global development of education, he said the ministry was committed to implementing international cooperation network in research, training for pre- and in-service trainers, benchmarking programme and mobility of students.
“Malaysia will continue to play an important role in leading the commercialisation development particularly in lifelong learning, entrepreneurship education as well as research and innovation, as a collaborative effort among the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries,” he said.
Meantime, Muhyiddin said Malaysia would lead the establishment of OIC Collaborative Efforts in Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship Education (OIC-CECE) which would be the reference centre for the OIC member countries.
For the third challenge, the deputy prime minister said in the implementation of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), the ministry had also been entrusted to play an important role in producing Human Capital With First Class Mentality capable of using their knowledge in proactive, creative and innovative manners.
“Human capital produced by our education system must be able to address the ever-changing global environment, enhance quality of life and contribute to the prosperity and wealth of the country,” he said.
As such, he said all programmes implemented in the 11MP Besides, must be of high impact, fast implementation and transformative.
He said the fourth challenge was to face rapid development of technology which had become a game changer that changed the pattern, trend and human lifestyles and caused the world to become smaller and more competitive.
“Clearly, the development of technology, though may have many advantages, also brings about many challenges, especially in educating people to become responsible users of technology,” he said.
Hence, Muhyiddin also reminded the ministry’s staff, that it was their joint responsibility to provide the best platform for the people to enjoy sustainable life in the future.
— BERNAMA
