The source, who has more than two decades of experience as an educator and senior civil servant, said these officers were appointed as they “pulled cables” or were close to top officials in the education ministry.
The source urged education minister Fadhlina Sidek to immediately intervene to “restore quality” in the implementation of the National Education Policy (DPN), especially in relation to the issue of school curriculum.
“Currently, there are some officers who hold important positions but only have five years of teaching experience. Just imagine, how are these people involved in planning the school curriculum for the next 20 years,” the source told FMT.
“One must have extensive experience as an educator to play a role in formulating the curriculum, but the ministry is not giving this much emphasis.
“As a result, less-qualified officers have been selected to fill important positions.”
While the source did not detail the “important positions” in question, the source claimed that some candidates for important appointments had no previous experience “but were successfully appointed because they had a ‘cable’ in the ministry.”
Previously, many parents and educators have complained about the curriculum. Among other things, they questioned the syllabus, which they said was too high a standard for the grade it was applied to.
The source agreed, stating that many ministry officials share similar concerns.
“We look at the first year textbook. The questions given are very difficult to comprehend for a child who is just starting to learn to read,” the source said.
“What will happen in the next 20 years? If we fail today, this means that the entire generation that is in this chaotic curriculum will also fail.”
The source also wanted Fadhlina to act quickly on the issue after claiming that two previous ministers – Radzi Jidin and Maszlee Malik – failed to bring about the necessary change.
The source said the schools faced numerous dropouts when the country was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago, which saw schools closed for several months.
The source added that while several of these officers have been sent back to schools to teach, “those with strong cables are still holding on to their posts”.
The source also claimed that the Teacher Education Institute (IPG) was given too broad a role to enact the curriculum, thereby marginalising veteran teachers who know more about the needs on the ground.
As a result, the source said there are IPG lecturers who have never taught in primary schools but drew up primary school subject syllabus based on “the results of visits to Finland and the United States”.
“This causes the primary school curriculum syllabus to exceed the children’s learning level at a time when many children still do not know how to read but are forced to learn topics that are beyond their ability,” said the source.
FMT has contacted Fadhlina’s office for comment.