TOWARDS GREATER EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

TOWARDS GREATER EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

TOWARDS GREATER EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

Posted: 30 Dec 2014 08:00 AM PST

31 December 2014| last updated at 12:08AM
By ZAFIRA ANWAR | news@nst.com.my

He said the blueprint, which will be implemented in three different waves, is aimed at producing human capital to fulfil the nation's future agenda that underlines the importance of a world-class and quality education in achieving the nation's goals.

"The first wave (2013-2015) will rationalise 25 out of the 100 initiatives introduced by the government focusing on revamping the current education system and teacher quality on three key aspects; numeracy, literacy and language," he said, adding that the blueprint would transform the entire education system to meet the requirements of an increasingly competitive global environment.

The teaching profession will be enhanced to create outstanding pupils and students to drive the country's development.

The gap between students in urban and rural areas will be bridged, with other areas of focus being the socio economic level and meeting a 50 per cent gender achievement by 2020.

He said the Ministry will raise teacher quality while improving the existing pool of teachers in terms of school leadership, recruitment and training of principals, and also improving student literacy in Bahasa Malaysia, English and other languages.

The blueprint also focuses on enhancing the status of Bahasa Malaysia while giving serious attention to the English language which will be made a must pass subject for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination by 2016.

"'Strong implementation rapid execution', that is my approach in realising the education blueprint," he said at a press conference at his office yesterday.

"Strong implementation would consist close monitoring starting from the management of the education system right up to the classroom environment," he said adding that as the Director-General, he would go to different schools to closely analyse and look at issues faced by teachers and students first hand.

"The Ministry has developed a set of KPIs anchored on the system goals of access, quality, equity, unity, and efficiency. These KPIs have been cascaded downwards from the Ministry to schools, ensuring consistency and coherency of targets throughout the system.

"The implementation of initiatives towards achieving these KPIs will be monitored by the Inspectorate of Schools."

He said teachers must understand and embrace the blueprint in order to fully implement the plan.

"This is called rapid execution -- we must know where we stand and how far are we from reaching our goal in order to realise each plan or initiative successfully," he said, adding that under the 2014 Budget RM54.6 billion, which is almost 21 per cent of the Budget, was allocated for education purposes.

"The Budget shows commitment by the government in providing the education system with better opportunities for improvement."

The Ministry also carries out special programmes for students identified as gifted, as well as runs the School in Hospitals programme to ensure students who are hospitalised get the opportunity to learn. There are Integrity Schools for juvenile delinquents and Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih in Kuala Lumpur for underprivileged children.

"For poor students, Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pelajar Miskin was established with those excelling in exams given priority for entry into fully residential schools.

"With this there is no question of students being left behind because every opportunity is given to them," he said.

 

Good night Malaysian 370

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 08:17 PM PDT

RMonday.

Malaysia's ambassador to China told Chinese families inBeijing as early as March 12, four days after the flight wentmissing, that the last words had been "All right, good night."

"Good night Malaysian three seven zero" would be a moreformal, standard sign-off from the cockpit of the Boeing 777, which was just leaving Malaysia-controlled air space on itsroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Minutes later its communications were cut off and it turnedback across Malaysia and headed toward the Indian Ocean. Morethan three weRestigation" to determine P

PP

Malaysia says the plane, which disappeared less than an hourinto its flight, was likely to have been diverted deliberatelyfar off course. Investigators have determined no apparent motiveor other red flags among the 227 passengers or the 12 crew.About two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese nationals.

(Reporting By Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

By Matt Siegel

ABOARD US NAVY P-8 POSEIDON, Indian Ocean, April 1 (Reuters)- O f all the 20 aircraft and ships out scouring the vast IndianOcean for debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370,the U.S. Navy's P-8 Poseidon seems perhaps the most likely tohelp unlock modern aviation's most confounding mystery.

Five workstations lining the fuselage displayhigh-definition video from the top-secret sensors that make thisone of the most sophisticated surveillance planes in the world.

But the latest mission in the three-week hunt - fiveluckless hours skimming as low as 300 feet (90 metres) above thewave tops - only served to underscore the enormity of thechallenge facing the international search team.

"This is my first time in the Indian Ocean and it isunquestionably the most untouched piece of water I have everseen," U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander David Mims, the plane'spilot, told Reuters during a search flight this week.

"It's rare to come out and not see any land mass, not seeany shipping traffic. There's nothing," he said. "It's weird."

The United States, China, Australia, New Zealand, SouthKorea and Japan are all scouring an area some 2,000 km (1,200miles) west of the Australian city of Perth, where investigatorsbelieve the Boeing 777 carrying 239 people came down.

So far, the search has turned up only fishing rubbish andother flotsam. It has been halted several times by bad weatherin the search area.

Two Poseidons are engaged in the search. Costing around $175million, the aircraft is armed with cameras, infra-red and radarsensors that are fine-tuned to detect enemy submarines hidingunder the ocean surface.

But despite its high-tech equipment, much of the searchingis visual - crew members peering out a window.

"I'm a pretty optimistic guy by nature," said Petty OfficerMichael Herman, perched in front of a porthole staring out intothe foggy sea. "But yeah, this is tough."

The Poseidons operate alongside a pair of Chinese Il-76military transport planes at Perth International Airport. Theyare kept under tight security, including a round-the-clock armedrapid response team.

The plane is so top-secret that a Reuters journalist given arare berth was stripped of all electronic devices and barredfrom taking pictures.

The technology is impressive. Sitting at a pair of monitorsstacked one atop the other, Petty Officer Julio Cerpa operates apanoramic camera that quickly zooms in on distant patches ofocean with great clarity.

An infrared version of the same camera feed cuts through thehaze of fog surrounding the plane, offering a polarised andsomewhat nightmarish view of the search area.

About two hours into the search zone, the monotony ofpeering out a window or at a computer screen, is starting towear on the crew.

Petty Officer Sam Judd begins a slow climb up his seat backthat will eventually see him perched atop it. Cerpa's hands turnhis workstation into the world's most expensive drum kit.

And then the plane begins to ascend back to 30,000 feet,(9,000 metres) having found nothing. The total trip, includingflying time to reach the search zone, is around 10 hours.

To an outsider, the experience can seem frustrating, but thecrew maintains a remarkably optimistic outlook. Even a trip thatfinds nothing rules out a part of the search zone, and is thusan important part of finding the wreckage, says Mims, the pilot.

"Being this far into the search process and having this muchocean to cover definitely makes it a challenging evolution," hesays. "But if it's in our area, I think the probability offinding it is high." (Editing by Ron Popeski)

By Matt Siegel

ABOARD US NAVY P-8 POSEIDON, Indian Ocean, April 1 (Reuters)- O f all the 20 aircraft and ships out scouring the vast IndianOcean for debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370,the U.S. Navy's P-8 Poseidon seems perhaps the most likely tohelp unlock modern aviation's most confounding mystery.

Five workstations lining the fuselage displayhigh-definition video from the top-secret sensors that make thisone of the most sophisticated surveillance planes in the world.

But the latest mission in the three-week hunt - fiveluckless hours skimming as low as 300 feet (90 metres) above thewave tops - only served to underscore the enormity of thechallenge facing the international search team.

"This is my first time in the Indian Ocean and it isunquestionably the most untouched piece of water I have everseen," U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander David Mims, the plane'spilot, told Reuters during a search flight this week.

"It's rare to come out and not see any land mass, not seeany shipping traffic. There's nothing," he said. "It's weird."

The United States, China, Australia, New Zealand, SouthKorea and Japan are all scouring an area some 2,000 km (1,200miles) west of the Australian city of Perth, where investigatorsbelieve the Boeing 777 carrying 239 people came down.

So far, the search has turned up only fishing rubbish andother flotsam. It has been halted several times by bad weatherin the search area.

Two Poseidons are engaged in the search. Costing around $175million, the aircraft is armed with cameras, infra-red and radarsensors that are fine-tuned to detect enemy submarines hidingunder the ocean surface.

But despite its high-tech equipment, much of the searchingis visual - crew members peering out a window.

"I'm a pretty optimistic guy by nature," said Petty OfficerMichael Herman, perched in front of a porthole staring out intothe foggy sea. "But yeah, this is tough."

The Poseidons operate alongside a pair of Chinese Il-76military transport planes at Perth International Airport. Theyare kept under tight security, including a round-the-clock armedrapid response team.

The plane is so top-secret that a Reuters journalist given arare berth was stripped of all electronic devices and barredfrom taking pictures.

The technology is impressive. Sitting at a pair of monitorsstacked one atop the other, Petty Officer Julio Cerpa operates apanoramic camera that quickly zooms in on distant patches ofocean with great clarity.

An infrared version of the same camera feed cuts through thehaze of fog surrounding the plane, offering a polarised andsomewhat nightmarish view of the search area.

About two hours into the search zone, the monotony ofpeering out a window or at a computer screen, is starting towear on the crew.

Petty Officer Sam Judd begins a slow climb up his seat backthat will eventually see him perched atop it. Cerpa's hands turnhis workstation into the world's most expensive drum kit.

And then the plane begins to ascend back to 30,000 feet,(9,000 metres) having found nothing. The total trip, includingflying time to reach the search zone, is around 10 hours.

To an outsider, the experience can seem frustrating, but thecrew maintains a remarkably optimistic outlook. Even a trip thatfinds nothing rules out a part of the search zone, and is thusan important part of finding the wreckage, says Mims, the pilot.

"Being this far into the search process and having this muchocean to cover definitely makes it a challenging evolution," hesays. "But if it's in our area, I think the probability offinding it is high." (Editing by Ron Popeski)

Jailed parents out soon

Posted: 05 Jul 2014 09:00 AM PDT

06 July 2014| last updated at 12:16AM

The children were told by Ketereh member of parliament Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who had visited Shalwati recently, that Azizul Raheem would be released next month, while Shalwati would be released in September.

The couple's eldest child, Aishah, 15, said she and her three siblings were elated by the news.

"I am very happy to hear the news that mummy and daddy will be released soon.

"We are surprised, as we thought that they would be in prison for a longer time.

"We will wait patiently for their return."

Azizul Raheem, 38, who is Tourism Malaysia director in Sweden, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, while Shalwati, 46, was handed a 14-month sentence for gross violation of the integrity of their children.

The couple have been in the custody of Swedish authorities since December last year.

The children, Aishah, Ammar, 12, Adam, 11, and Arif, 8, have been living with their aunt here since returning from Sweden early this year.

Aishah said Ramadan this year would be extra meaningful, as it would be the first time the siblings would fast in their home country.

She said they were glad that their father would be here with them.

She said Arif was excited by the news of their father's impending return, as he was closest to him.

"We miss mummy and daddy very much.

"It has been more than six months since we last saw them."

Street crime in KL down 25pc till May

Posted: 05 Jul 2014 09:00 AM PDT

06 July 2014| last updated at 12:15AM

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Ahmad said a 25.9 per cent reduction in serious crime was recorded in the district in the same period.

"This is proof of our commitment and continuous effort to fight crime, especially street crime, in the district," he said, attributing the success to Op Cantas Khas.

He said regular checks and police presence at several hot spots, such as Bukit Bintang, Jalan Silang, Central Market and Kota Raya, were among the initiatives that had led to the development.

Zainuddin added that random checks on suspicious-looking individuals at hot spots in the Golden Triangle had led to the arrest of 92 suspects.

Cabinet reshuffle announcement today?

Posted: 12 Jun 2014 09:00 AM PDT

13 June 2014| last updated at 11:22PM

Talk about the reshuffling of ministries and swapping of portfolios began when MCA publicly expressed its desire to represent the Chinese community in federal cabinet.

"This cabinet reshuffle is vital for the component parties to rejoin the cabinet to help the prime minister implement his transformation plans," said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to Bernama at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

It was a desire endorsed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, following a more than year-long hiatus of Chinese community representatives from the cabinet.

Furthermore, Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, promised that Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong would become a minister if he emerged victorious in the Teluk Intan by-election. Thus, the upset against DAP in the by-election ensures that at the very least, a mini reshuffle of the cabinet was needed.

The focus now is on the inclusion of Chinese leaders in the cabinet.

Other than Mah, the other two Chinese leaders most likely to make the cut as full ministers are Liow and his MCA deputy Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Universiti Sains Malaysia's Associate Professor Sivamurugan Pandian said he expected the next cabinet reshuffle to change the current "deficit line-up" to better represent communities in the country.

"It is going back to the power sharing formula practised by BN component parties. Gerakan will be represented by Mah, who is the party president, while MCA will likely be represented Liow and Wee."

Sivamurugan said Liow, Wee and Mah could then use their ministerial positions to better strategise their approach against waning support from the Chinese community for the ruling coalition.

"New positions in the cabinet for Gerakan and MCA would also mean a new platform for the two parties to rebuild their voting base.

"They need to focus on the needs and demands of the Chinese community while assessing the reason behind the loss of support."

MCA grassroots members had proposed a "3+5" formula, meaning the appointment of three ministers and five deputies.

"But he (Najib) does not want the change to be merely lip-service. The proposed MCA formula may not be fully met. The prime minister wants the new line-up to be of substantial leaders equipped with capabilities to realise the projected outcome of nation building policies," says Sivamurugan.

Independent analyst professor Hoo Ke Ping speculated that expectations to return the health ministry portfolio to Liow remained, with the same fate for Wee, who might be appointed transport minister.

"Mah is likely to be a minister in the prime minister's department in charge of unity and performance management."

Expats eagerly await kick-offAWAY VIEWING: Foreigners in Malaysia will be supporting their teams with a touch of home

Posted: 12 Jun 2014 09:00 AM PDT

13 June 2014| last updated at 11:36PM

Brazilian embassy Minister-Counselor Jose Soares said the much-awaited quadrennial games would be watched with the same level of excitement and intensity in Malaysia as in his home country, this year's host of the World Cup.

He said the Latin American community in Malaysia had always embraced their roots and their undying love for football, regardless of the geographic distance.

"We have more than 2,000 Latin Americans residing in Malaysia and our community had always come together for festivals and events.

"As for the World Cup this year, we have planned and arranged many activities for the community throughout the month, such as private parties at bars and restaurants and going house-to-house to watch the games," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Although, Soares missed the energy and spirit of football in Brazil, he was sure Malaysians would show the same enthusiasm.

Soares' countryman, Cristiano Genuino Da Silva, 39, said the World Cup atmosphere was different in Malaysia.

"My friends would go to different people's houses each day, hours before the game started, just to get into the mood.

"We would be served a variety of food and drink everywhere we go."

Unlike in Brazil, watching football in Malaysia was different in many aspects, especially in terms of the spirit, he said.

The Camara'Malaysia capoeira instructor said his capoeira team had been fully booked the entire month to perform at private parties, bars and events throughout the country for football fans.

England-born Geoff Siddle is determined to go full throttle in embracing World Cup fever with a mix of English and Malaysian styles.

The 46-year-old who operates the "Sid's Pub" chain of neighbourhood pubs around Kuala Lumpur, said his outlets would be open until 6am throughout the month.

"We will be offering discounts of up to 50 per cent all day long on selected beverages and also be serving local and western dishes for customers until the wee hours of the morning."

Siddle, who came to Malaysia 17 years ago, said he had arranged for a gathering with other British expatriates to watch the England-Italy match on Sunday morning.

"I have prepared an Englishmen's get-to-together to cheer and support our countrymen in winning the World Cup this year," he said, adding that the spirit and enthusiasm would be larger than life despite watching it with a small group of people.