Addressing our Education Crisis: Square Pegs in Round Holes?

The COVID-19 pandemic has effectively disrupted education for children across Malaysia and the world.

As a universal basic right, inclusive and accessible education must be treated as a priority.

Malaysia cannot afford to continue waiting for centralised decision-making on the back of assumptions from a different era.

There are differences to the uniformity of issues, preferences, and resources across our 13 states and the federal territories.

A lack of agile governance increases the likelihood that 2021 will be memorable for the wrong reasons, as far as primary and secondary education are concerned.

The ability to close schools must be clearly devolved to local school leadership, to enable decisions on the basis of locality and context-specific considerations.

Challenges to education during this predicament:

1. Accessibility & Connectivity

The pandemic has highlighted and, in many instances, deepened the digital divide faced by students. With online lessons, students require access to digital platforms, making Internet connectivity and devices prerequisites for effective online learning.

However, connectivity and the availability of devices continue to be significant barriers. The absence of devices and poor or unavailable internet connection prevents productive and fruitful lessons or even worse, bars the learning process as a whole.

Research conducted by the Khazanah Research Institute last year showed that 37% of students in Malaysia did not have appropriate devices for remote learning at home.

Parents and caregivers are facing novel challenges in guiding children as they strive to balance work commitments and their newfound responsibilities as educators at home.

The generation gap and resistance or lack of knowledge and/or ability to adapt to technological development also inhibit children’s education.

2. Digital Readiness

The transition from physical classes to online classes is turbulent at best.

Under ordinary circumstances, online platforms and learning materials have been supplementary options. These have now become integral to the education system.

Teachers and students alike were caught by surprise but were forced to adapt.

While the government has provided digital textbooks and limited programming via television and online platforms, these channels are insufficient for the needs of the students who are accustomed to physical classes.

The success of digital lessons is dependent on an effective shift in resources, mindset, and pedagogy. In addition to educator training and professional development, teachers and students must have access to hardware, digital literacy, and connectivity.

Recommendations:

1. Digital Access

Connectivity: With 90.1% of Malaysia’s households currently connected via mobile and fixed broadband, the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint aims to achieve 100% internet access across households by 2025.

However, this can be expedited if we prioritise stable, affordable, and accessible internet connectivity.

Connectivity allows for students to fully engage in their online lessons and access their online learning materials. It is encouraging to note that JENDELA fiberisation efforts are in progress.

Remote areas may benefit from other technologies such as TV white spaces (technology that allows WiFi to be transmitted via unused television spectrum).

TV white spaces is a viable option that is used in neighbouring countries, where connectivity is seemingly impossible due to geographical barriers.

Hardware: Teachers require clarity on the My Device programme, which guarantees students access to digital devices to facilitate their education.

While the government has expressed the intention to provide devices for students to access their respective online learning platforms, efforts need to be accelerated.

Without the means to participate in online lessons, students’ education will be halted. The government has the option of providing refurbished devices which may be more cost-efficient as opposed to brand new devices.

However, this may require replacement or repairs sooner than a new device.

At a policy level, this must be prioritised, to ensure continuity for students, educators, and parents.

2. Training and resources for educators

The Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint introduced the My Digital Teacher initiative: a professional development program for teachers, who will be equipped with knowledge and tools for digital education.

While this is a welcome effort, this is targeted for execution in Phase 2, beginning in 2023.

Given the challenges presented by both synchronous and asynchronous platforms, it is critical to ensure that resources, training, and development are provided to teachers to enable meaningful remote and hybrid learning.

Without standardisation across schools, teachers are relying on their own funds to expedite and facilitate learning from home with no reimbursement policy in place.

Educators need to be equipped with skills and tools to embrace new digital learning norms.

We have an opportunity to build resilience into existing systems. The government should consider an approach which anchors on equity and inclusion, and reinforces capacities for risk and crisis management.

Teachers cannot be expected to rely on their own resources and digital skills as they scramble to provide continuity through the transition from physical to online platforms.

There is an opportunity here to put necessary safeguards and systems in place, with a view to ensuring any further disruption to the education system would be minor.

Innovative and collaborative efforts need to be implemented to ensure that children’s education does not come to a standstill.

Malaysia has developed robust regulatory and policy frameworks but more can be done to ensure advancement which parallels societal and technological developments.

Incremental changes will not resolve the tectonic shifts arising from the harrowing effects of the pandemic.

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase, we urge the Minister of Education to reveal the Ministry’s plans as clarity will improve confidence amongst the public.

Education is the foundation on which the future of our country is built, and we must strive to ensure no one is left behind.