Political interference endangers the education system by miring it in controversies thus eventually  defeating the aims of education itself, Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said today.

“It is a sad commentary on our sometimes inability to have clarity in the division of labour between policy makers and implementers that politicians often end up doing the latter’s job.

“This amounts to political interference (in the education system) and it should not be condoned,” he said.

Tengku Razaleigh ( left ) observed this when delivering the keynote speech at the National Association of Private Educational Institutions’ (Napei) Third International Skills Conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

One example he cited was the flip-flop on whether students were allowed to answer questions in their science and mathematics examinations in English.

Give drop-outs a chance

The veteran Umno leader urged educational bodies to be run professionals rather than politicians.

“More importantly, these professionals must be allowed to offer policy options that are in the best interests of students and the nation without their having any fear of being browbeaten by petty-minded politicians” he added.

He also called for better incentives to attract the best talents to help revive the teaching profession while noting that the disabled and school drop-outs not be left out of a holistic education system.

“Drop-outs must not be laid to waste at the fringes of society.

Given that there is a fair spread between late developers and early bloomers in human development, it would be unforgiveable waste if drop-outs were not given a second chance,” said the former finance minister.