Preliminary-Blueprint-Eng

A-13
Appendix iii: national dialogue Feedback
Feedback from the rakyat via the National Dialogue was critical in the development of the
Blueprint. The Ministry has carefully considered all concerns and suggestions received
through the multiple sources. This appendix lists some of the frequent and consistent topics
the rakyat raised and maps exactly how the Ministry commits to addressing them.
The Ministry received a large sample of responses from a wide crosssection
of society through the National Dialogue. In total, the Ministry
received more than 7,000 responses across different channels.
Responses came in from all relevant stakeholders including students,
teachers, principals, parents, as well as special interest groups,
politicians, and the private sector. The rakyat firmly believes in the
urgent need for the education review. Of the more than 3,000 people
surveyed at the townhalls, 42% believe the time is right for a review of
our education system, while 56% believe a review is long overdue.
sources of raKyat
resPonses
The 16 townhalls and three online channels reached out to the
general public across all walks of life and from all parts of Malaysia.
Close to 87% of the responses came from townhalls. Teachers and
principals contributed 51% of responses, members of the public voiced
28%, PIBG members provided 13%, NGOs expressed 7%, students and
politicians collectively articulated 2% (Exhibit III-1). The responses
came from a mix of ethnicities, with the Bumiputera community
comprising 73% , the Chinese community providing 14%, and the
Indian community contributing 12% of responses (Exhibit III-1), while
the remaining 1% came from other communities. The profile of the
respondents was comparable to the profile of the attendees (refer to
Appendix II for details on attendee profile).
Exhibit iii-1
Townhall response profile
Occupational profile of those who
provided responses
PIBG 15
General
members
of public
NGOs Others1
2
9
23
51
Teachers
and
principals
Ethnic profile of those who
provided responses
Indian Others
12
1
Chinese
14
73
Malay and
Bumiputera
1 Other occupational profiles refer to students (1% of total respondents) and politicians (1% of total respondents)
SOURCE: Project Management Office, Ministry of Education
The 20 roundtables engaged in greater detail with specific
stakeholder and interest groups (refer to Appendix II for details
on which groups were engaged with), and these sessions provided
more nuanced perspectives from these stakeholders. Direct feedback
from students themselves was also gathered through school visits
and workshops in Johor. Finally, the submission of memoranda by
individuals, organisations, and institutions provided the Ministry
with solid, detailed written perspectives and recommendations from
important stakeholders and subject matter experts. This feedback was
highly informative and critical in the development of the Blueprint.
maP of natIonal dIalogue
feedBacK to mInIstry
commItments
The National Dialogue provided an opportunity for the rakyat to voice
their opinions, provide constructive criticism, and suggest solutions to
the issues facing the Malaysian education system. The feedback can be
broadly grouped into four categories:
▪ Aspirations: Many of the aspirations raised were in line with
existing policies, but the level of interest in this area suggests
that more needs to be done to address them. The most recurring
feedback was for the Ministry to focus on improving quality,
equity, and unity in the near-term. Promisingly, close to 73% of the
approximately 3,000 people answering the exit surveys believed
that the Malaysian education system can achieve international
standards in the future;
▪ Teachers: Participants from all walks of life consistently and
frequently discussed the need to raise the quality of teachers,
particularly in terms of teacher support and performance
management. While the topic was most frequently explored by
teachers themselves, this matter was also raised by principals,
students, and parents alike;
▪ School quality: There was also extensive feedback on how to
improve school quality. Most of the feedback was on ensuring that
schools would provide a learning environment that would be more
conducive for teaching and learning; and
▪ Student learning: Respondents articulated a desire for a
more relevant curriculum, and better language proficiency and
communication abilities for our students, to lay the foundations for
students’ success in the 21 st century.
The Ministry is committed to taking action on the feedback it has
received. The tables that follow provide a clear mapping of that
commitment. They illustrate some of the specific comments and
suggestions raised, and provide a brief explanation of how the Ministry
will address these issues. A deeper understanding of the context and
specifics of the initiatives can be found by referring to the chapters
listed in this Blueprint.