Posts Tagged ‘Education’

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Bumiputera Education Fund

February 2nd, 2012
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 This a rather old news (announced on 26th November 2011), but till date I can’t find any info about this Yayasan. Don’t ask me how to apply etc.

So, RM30 million from government for this education fund, and to be supplemented by contribution from GLCs etc to the tune of RM158 million so far. Very huge some indeed.

Wonder if the same can be done for other Malaysians. We also human beings la.

In launching a new strategic roadmap to boost Bumiputera participation in the national economy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today a RM30 million endowment from the government into a new private education trust fund for Malaysia’s largest ethnic community.

The Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, he said, is aimed to fund 12,000 Bumiputeras in private education all the way through to PhD level.

“Raising the capability is important to ensure the Bumiputera workforce can raise their individual potential income in line with the nation’s objective to achieve high-income status,” the prime minister said in his opening speech.

The trust fund is to start operations early next year, and is targeting to build a RM500 million fund within five years.

Najib (picture) said 21 companies and institutions have pledged a total of RM158 million for the fund to date.

Among a group 10 businesses injected funds of RM10 million each, included CIMB Bank Berhad, Felda Holdings Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad, UEM Group Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary founded  by magnate Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, Malaysia’s richest Bumiputera corporate figure reported to be worth US$1.7 billion (RM5.4 billion).

In his speech, Najib noted the number of registered Bumiputera professionals had risen with the most recent record in 2008 showing there are now 51,306 or 45 per cent out of the entire group of professionals nationwide.

But he said it was not enough.

Najib said the transformation roadmap is a three-pronged approach to push Bumiputera stake of the national economic pie from the existing 21.9 per cent to fulfil the original New Economic Policy goal of 30 per cent.

Apart from setting up an education fund,  the government is looking to grow entrepreneurship by setting up one-stop business centres in every state or economic corridor.

Najib announced the Northern Economic Corridor Region will be the first to open its doors by the first quarter of next year.

He added that the third strategy is to groom large-scale Bumiputera businesses.

He said by setting up such an economic ecosystem where the big companies help the smaller firms, it will ultimately result in more Bumiputera businessmen.

“Among the main steps that will be taken is to encourage company participation through joint-ventures and acquisitions.

“Besides that, the divestment of GLC involvement in non-core [businesses] can create business opportunities for Bumiputera companies,” Najib said.

As an example, he highlighted the recent distribution of 43 per cent of the overall value of the MyMRT project to Bumiputera.

The PM said a separate Bumiputera unit had been set up under MRT Corp to manage the Bumiputera interest in the rail project.

source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-pumps-rm30m-into-new-bumi-education-trust/

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More Tamil Studies Depts at Universities

January 31st, 2012
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While its a good news (even though “policy level” can mean 1001 things), one should also look at the job opportunities for the graduates. Hopefully more employment can be created beyond the usual TV, radio, newspaper and entertainment industries.

HUMAN Resources Minister and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the Higher Education Ministry has agreed at policy level to set up more Tamil studies departments in universities, Makkal Osai reported.

He said Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris had such a department and one more was in the pipeline for Universiti Utara Malaysia

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/31/nation/10565989&sec=nation

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Malaysian students ranking in PISA survey for reading, mathematics and scientific literacy

January 16th, 2012
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The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) arose from OECD policy initiatives in the latter half of the 1980s aimed at improving the quality of education throughout OECD countries.

PISA  is an international study which began in the year 2000. It aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students in participating countries/economies. Since the year 2000 over 70 countries and economies have participated in PISA.

PISA is an international comparative survey of 15-year-olds’ knowledge and skills in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy.

PISA seeks to measure how well young adults have acquired the knowledge and skills that are required to function as successful members of society.

Sixty-four countries or economies originally participated in PISA 2009: all 34 OECD countries plus 31 partner countries and economies. These 65 participants administered the PISA 2009 tests in 2009.

An additional 10 economies were added in 2010, under PISA2009+. Malaysia is one of the 10, along with Costa Rica, Georgia, Himanchal Pradesh (India), Malta, Mauritius, Miranda (Venezuela), Moldova, Tamil Nadu (India), and UAE.

PISA 2009+ involved testing just over 46 000 students across these ten participants, representing a total of about 1 377 000 15-year-olds.

The PISA sample is drawn from the population of students aged between 15 years and three months (completed) and 16 years and two months (completed) who attend educational institutions and are in the equivalent to Grade 7 or above.

PISA assesses outcomes primarily in the areas of reading literacy, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy.

Reading literacy: An individual’s capacity to understand, use, reflect on and engage with written texts, in order to achieve one’s goals, to develop one’s knowledge and potential, and to participate in society. Mathematical literacy: An individual’s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgements and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen. Scientific literacy: An individual’s scientific knowledge and use of that knowledge to identify questions, to acquire new knowledge, to explain scientific phenomena, and to draw evidence-based conclusions about science related issues, understanding of the characteristic features of science as a form of human knowledge and enquiry, awareness of how science and technology shape our material, intellectual, and cultural environments, and willingness to engage in science-related issues, and with the ideas of science, as a reflective citizen.

So, let’s see how our 15-year olds performed among the 75 economies which includes OECD countries:

Students in Malaysia attained a mean score of 414 on the PISA reading literacy scale. This mean score is below the means attained in all OECD countries and equivalent to the mean scores estimated for Brazil, Colombia, Miranda-Venezuela, Montenegro, Thailand and Trinidad and Tobago. In Malaysia, 56% of students are estimated to have a proficiency in reading literacy that is at or above the baseline level needed to participate effectively and productively in life. Students in Malaysia attained a mean score of 404 on the mathematical literacy scale. This mean score is below the means attained in all OECD countries. In Malaysia, 41% of students are proficient in mathematics at least to the baseline level at which they begin to demonstrate the kind of skills that enable them to use mathematics in ways considered fundamental for their future development. In Malaysia, there was no statistically significant difference in the performance of boys and girls in mathematical literacy.

Malaysian students were estimated to have a mean score of 422 on the scientific literacy scale. Malaysia’s mean score was significantly higher than that estimated for the lowest scoring OECD country, Mexico. In Malaysia, 57% of students are proficient in science at least to the baseline level at which they begin to demonstrate the science competencies that will enable them to participate actively in life situations related to science and technology. In Malaysia, there was a statistically significant gender difference of 10 score points in scientific literacy, favouring girls.

FYI, The top economy in the survey, across all 3 areas was Shanghai (China). Singapore was consistently among the top 5, while India’s two states were quite bad, occupying the lower 3 rungs. Other countries which were consistent in top 10 places were Hong Kong, Japan, Finland, Canada and Korea.

Below are some snapshots of the comparison tables.

Reading:

Math: Science:     The full report (PDF) is found here. (caution: its a 13.5MB size file). sources: http://www.acer.edu.au/media/acer-releases-results-of-pisa-2009-participant-economies/ http://www.pisa.oecd.org/pages/0,3417,en_32252351_32235731_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

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MIC suggests Indian educationist for Education Review Panel

January 13th, 2012
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 Interesting indeed. Its an education review panel and the Indian representative is a corporate figure? From what I read, the Indian corporate figure is Tony Fernandes (ref: here).  The DPM said more members will be added to the panel, so hopefully the pick the right people.

 

MIC has recommended that an Indian educationist be appointed as a member of the education review panel.

MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel said he has proposed Prof Dr N.S. Rajendran, a lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

He said he had already discussed the matter with Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“Currently we have an Indian corporate figure on the panel. But we need an educationist to provide input,” said Palanivel.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/6/nation/10215130&sec=nation

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PLRK offers courses for underprivileged women

November 29th, 2011
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Good initiative to help the underprivileged women to learn new skills and improve their livelihood.

 

THE first day of every life-changing event is a significant part of our lives, and so was the first day at work for Jayamary Balakrishnan, a 28-year-old orphan, as a wedding make-up artist.

Jayamary Balakrishnan spent the first 18 years of her life in an orphanage and never stepped into a school because her guardians only found her birth certificate much later in life.

Useful skill: PLRK also conducts sewing classes and can take up to 15 students at a time.

“I never had my first day in school experience and my childhood was mostly spent in the home. I was longing for an opportunity to learn something and be independant.

“Being a woman, I naturally began to have a liking for grooming. Ever since I stepped out of the home to live on my own, I have been looking to enrol in make-up and grooming courses but the fees were very expensive and I could not afford it.

“My friend suggested I apply to Pusat Latihan Rakyat Kasih (PLRK) and the rest is history,” she said.

Jayamary is one of eight underprivileged women, the second batch of students, to successfully graduate from the six-month bridal make-up course conducted at PLRK located in Taman Desaria, Petaling Jaya by Persatuan Kebajikan Kasih (PKK).

“My first customer was a bride in Malacca on Oct 28. She was my first customer and I was nervous at first, but once I started, concentration kicked in and my nervousness went away.

We did it: Jayamary (right) with fellow graduates (from left) Anusiadevi Jaimadi, Valarmathii Ketapa, Alagi Alagesu, Sagunthala Kumari Krishnan, Anthoniamma Aruldass and Manimegalai Paneerselvaom holding their certificates.

“It gives me great satisfaction to have the privilege to make a woman look ravishingly beautiful on the most important day of her life.

“My customer was happy and I was more than happy to pocket a handsome RM2,200 which is a big sum of money for me. What more can I ask for and I am doing what I love,” she said, adding that she would continue to pursue the advance bridal make-up course at the training centre.

The bridal make-up course is conducted by trainer Thevagi Segar.

“During the bridal make-up course, I teach the basic five steps in preparing an Indian bride for her big day which includes threading, facial, saree tying, hair styles and make-up. Once the essentials are mastered, the students have the option to further enhance their skill by learning henna drawing and others.

“These skills need practice to become perfect and therefore every class is conducted on a practical basis. I believe with perseverance, these women will pull through,” she said.

PKK president Peter A Dass said their members believe in the importance of education as a foundation to sustain oneself in the current economic situation.

“We started a girls’ home five years ago and found that many women especially single mothers find it difficult to make ends meet. Learning additional skills will help them to earn extra income thus improving their living standards.

“We are also currently conducting sewing classes followed by advance classes to supplement, and hope to kick off the basic computer classes early next year. We charge a nominal fee of not more than RM100 per month to instill a sense of commitment,” he said.

Guest of honour, Senator S. Ramakrishnan presented the certificates to the students.

“Learning skills is a very importance aspect in determining one’s sosio-ecomonic status.

“There are about four million legal and illegal unskilled foreigh workers, so the unskilled Malaysian will be competing with this group.

“A developed country should have 40% of skilled workers but Malaysia only has 28%, which shows that we have a long way to go.

“Bridal make-up is a ready market, so go out and make yourselves become one of the best groomers,” he said

For details on PLRK, contact 03-91307934/ 03-91306166.

 

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/11/25/central/9944510&sec=central

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