Thirteen academic experts will be appointed to sit in the committee set up by the Education Ministry to review the national education policy, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

Maszlee said these experts comprised those with expertise in various fields, such as education policy, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), arts and other fields.

Among them are Malaysian Association for Education (MAE) president Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid and Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (KUIS) rector Ab Halim Tamuri.

“Among the roles of the appointed committee members are to give suggestions and new ideas in the restructuring of the national education system to produce a holistic society, and to review the national education policy and approach in the teaching and learning process with the aim of improving them.

“They will also prepare and table a report on the status of the review by the committee to the ministry’s secretary-general every month and submit a report on the review to the Education Minister on or before April 30, 2019,” he told a media conference at Parliament building today.

The committee will give recommendations, in the aspect of an independent study through the perspective of the committee members, as well as review the 2013-2015 Malaysian Education Development Plan (pre-school to secondary school and the 2015-2025 Malaysian Education Development Plan (higher education) with the cooperation of the National Education Advisory Council, to the ministry.

On the proposed amendments in the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, Maszlee said it was aimed at empowering the students and would involve giving freedom for students.

He said it would be tabled in Parliament in December.

- Bernama