KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister is worried about the erosion of values, especially among students, says Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik (pic).
The ministry, he said, has been tasked with bringing back strong values to the school system.
Relating Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s message, he said the Prime Minister had stressed the importance of cultivating good values from a young age.
Dr Mahathir, he added, was worried about the loss of values leading to criminal breach of trust, corruption and the theft of people’s money.
“Some are very successful, but they’ve lost their values. They have no shame – malu apa bossku?” he said, taking a jibe at former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s “Malu Apa Bossku” moniker.
Japan, said Maszlee, had strong values in place such as being ashamed to take people’s money.
“Being lazy and not doing things properly when one is tasked with a job are shameful acts to them.
“We want our children to be like that,” he said, adding that Dr Mahathir wanted the ministry to produce students who were hardworking and willing to toil for what they wanted.
“You want something, you must work for it. You should feel shy to ask for handouts,” he said, adding that it was possible to successfully implement a value-based education system with the support of teachers.
“Teachers are the torch of integrity and the backbone of our education system. Their support is critical.
“That’s why we no longer do top-down policies. We want feedback from the ground because the teacher’s experience is important,” he said at the closing of the West Malaysia Malay Teachers Union seminar on Saturday.
“Focus on student outcomes. A teacher’s main role is to enrich them with knowledge and skills so that they can realise their full potential.
“We want an education system built on love, happiness and mutual respect. These are basic values, yet they are the ones we often forget,” he said. - Star
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