The government should consider establishing an independent National Education Commission answerable only to Parliament to evaluate and formulate educational policies, said Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik today.

He said this was to ensure that "the duty of check and balance and consultation on our educational policy formulation and reforms is vested in an independent body of experts".

The body should also undertake total commitment to prepare Malaysians for the knowledge-based economy, said Lim who is also Primary Industries Minister, in his opening speech at a forum on the K-economy in Kuala Lumpur.

He said as part of the effort to improve governance of education, restructuring of the Education Ministry should be considered too.

"Perhaps we can look into the possibility of restructuring the Ministry of Education into two highly integrated ministries with different focuses a ministry of higher education and knowledge economy and a ministry of schools, vocational and technical training.

"This will enable specialisation. While one ministry focuses on tertiary and private education, the other will look after primary, secondary, vocational and technical education," he said.

Needs and aspirations

He also suggested a due diligence on the current national education system to measure its relevance and effectiveness today in meeting the demands of society's needs and aspirations.

At a press conference later, he said these suggestions may be raised in the Cabinet at an appropriate time or be forwarded to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Education Minister Musa Mohamed.

In his speech this morning, Lim also said education is one of the crucial challenges facing Malaysia as emotions are often ignited in debates over its direction.

"Most recently, the use of English as a medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science has resulted in overzealous and unhealthy debates when the issue can be dissected and analysed based on facts and evidences," he lamented.

Gerakan had said last week that Math and Science should not be taught in English in primary schools as proposed by the Education Ministry a month earlier.

The party had argued that it was best for students to learn the two subjects in their respective mother tongues. It also highlighted problems related to implementation such as shortages of qualified teachers and translated textbooks.

Lim noted that there is still great disparity in access to education between rural and urban areas and the education system is thus based on merit and needs where "excellent students are recognised and rewarded while the poor and needy are sufficiently looked after".

Educational excellence

However, he added that in the era of globalisation, new standards built on the basis of meritocracy need to be set to achieve educational excellence.

"Mediocrity cannot be an option for a first-class education system. We need to emphasise on building these characteristics among our students for them to be academically excellent, to have the right attitudes to succeed, and to possess good communication and interpersonal skills.

"Meritocracy need not marginalise any race but it can promote educational excellence and achievers," he said.

He also said it would be good for students to acquire different language skills as this will better equip them for the inter-connected world that they are living in now.

But he cautioned that any plan to improve the proficiency of any language should be studied and worked out carefully.

"Language mastery is not something we can achieve overnight but through proper programmes to inculcate interest and usage of the particular language we are promoting," said Lim.

To overcome all challenges in education, all parties, groups and individuals must avoid politicking on education issues in the country, he said.

"The political fraternity must refrain themselves from scoring points at the expense of our future generations. Education needs clear, strategic thinking, removed from narrow parochial interests of any one political party or ethnic group," Lim added.