The country’s education system is in need of a radical change to ensure its effectiveness, said former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Tengku Razaleigh said the country's current education system has proven to be a failure in many aspects which caused a need for it to be re-evaluated as a whole without any prejudice.

He added that the system does not create knowledgeable people who are capable of thinking effectively in the various uncertain and challenging environments which they will face in the future.

“The reality is that our current education system is ineffective. It is a failure which needs drastic and radical change.

“We failed in the international evaluation. We failed in fostering racial integration and we failed in producing knowledgeable people with principle and are able to think. We have also failed in mastering communication,” said Tengku Razaleigh in a speech at UiTM, here on Saturday.

He said the country’s education system’s failure had attracted worldwide attention where the World Bank in March 2014 had espressed their fear or the country’s low education standard.

Apart from that, the former Semangat 46 party president also said that the evaluation done using the International Standard (PISA, TIMSS) had placed the country’s education level at a low stage.

“It is important for us to accept this evaluation with an open mind. Only then can the improvements be executed fast and with commitment,” said Tengku Razaleigh.

Tengku Razaleigh also said that a good education system will contribute to a stronger racial integration.