LONDON, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will make an official visit to the United Kingdom, his first as the Deputy Prime Minister, the Education Ministry said in a statement.
It said that the visit, from Jan 9-14, was at the invitation of Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord Peter Mandelson.
Both leaders invited Muhyiddin, who is the Malaysian Education Minister, to participate and deliver a keynote address at the Learning and Technology World Forum, here.
The forum, from Jan 11-13, will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and is expected to be attended by 50 education ministers as well as educators from 70 countries.
During the forum, world education leaders will, among others, deliberate how technology can be utilised to improve the quality of education as well as the access to it.
Discussions will centre on the main theme, namely "Re-imagining Education", the statement said.
During the visit, Muhyiddin would explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in the field of education between both countries, including in terms of training for Malaysian teachers and education officers.
Muhyiddin would also study education transformation and innovation among United Kingdom's education institutes, and visit a community and specialist school here, the Sunbury Manor School, which had successfully developed a virtual learning environment, it said.
The statement said Muhyiddin's visit was also aimed at seeking continuous improvement of Malaysia's education system, strengthening education leadership and expanding the use of latest technologies to enhance education quality.
Muhyiddin is also expected to meet Malaysian community and students in London and brief them on the latest issues back home.
Muhyiddin's programmes here also include attending a meeting between the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) and potential investors here.
He will also visit the Malaysian Auditorium at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies where he is scheduled to deliver a ceramah on "Islam and Critical Issues in Multi-Religious Malaysia".
The statement said the visit would enhance the existing cooperation in the field of education and more importantly, enhance the already cordial relations between both countries.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Nazri against single stream school system
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 29, 2009): Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz says he is against the proposal for single stream school system as "we cannot force other (non-Malay) races to sacrifice their characteristics and become Malays (Malaynised)".
What is more, he said, the 1Malaysia concept allows the non-Malays to use and preserve their languages.
"What we want is a united people and country, not forcing all races to become Malays (Malaynised).
"Chinese and Tamil primary schools can continue to to exist, as long as these schools teach Bahasa Malaysia as it is the national language with which (Malaysians of) various races communicate and interact with one another to promote unity."
Nazri, who is currently overseas, told Sin Chew Daily that Chinese and Tamil schools are not meant for only the Chinese and Indians respectively, the Malays can also enter these schools.
Malay parents should encourage their children to study in Chinese schools to learn an additional language, he said.
"To acquire another language, be it Chinese, Tamil, Arabic, Japanese etc is to gain an advantage.
"I am now in Chengdu, China, and because I don't speak Mandarin I feel I am at a disadvantage.
"We should regard language as a subject and there are benefits to gain from learning additional languages. Education should not be racialised."
On writer/poet Eddin Khoo's remark that he missed the chance to learn Chinese because his father, historian Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim who raised the ire of many with his single stream school remark recently, was too patriotic, Nazri said such thinking be discarded.
Nazri said the government cannot compel all the races to learn only Bahasa Malaysia, forcing the non-Malays to give up their own languages.
"Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country where the various races enjoy the right to learn their own languages. Multi-culture and multi-lingual are the strong points of Malaysia, something which cannot be denied," he added.
What is more, he said, the 1Malaysia concept allows the non-Malays to use and preserve their languages.
"What we want is a united people and country, not forcing all races to become Malays (Malaynised).
"Chinese and Tamil primary schools can continue to to exist, as long as these schools teach Bahasa Malaysia as it is the national language with which (Malaysians of) various races communicate and interact with one another to promote unity."
Nazri, who is currently overseas, told Sin Chew Daily that Chinese and Tamil schools are not meant for only the Chinese and Indians respectively, the Malays can also enter these schools.
Malay parents should encourage their children to study in Chinese schools to learn an additional language, he said.
"To acquire another language, be it Chinese, Tamil, Arabic, Japanese etc is to gain an advantage.
"I am now in Chengdu, China, and because I don't speak Mandarin I feel I am at a disadvantage.
"We should regard language as a subject and there are benefits to gain from learning additional languages. Education should not be racialised."
On writer/poet Eddin Khoo's remark that he missed the chance to learn Chinese because his father, historian Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim who raised the ire of many with his single stream school remark recently, was too patriotic, Nazri said such thinking be discarded.
Nazri said the government cannot compel all the races to learn only Bahasa Malaysia, forcing the non-Malays to give up their own languages.
"Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country where the various races enjoy the right to learn their own languages. Multi-culture and multi-lingual are the strong points of Malaysia, something which cannot be denied," he added.
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