Quicken the pace from regime change to good governance

[Johnson Jack]

An increasing number of people sense that the new government is moving too slowly on this reform journey, writes Ngu Ik Tien.

Nine months have passed since the takeover of the government by Pakatan Harapan on 9 May 2018, and the hope for positive policy and rule changes in the education sector has steadily ebbed.

Source:- Quicken Support

Indeed for many of us who serve in the public education sector, the change of personnel at the top leadership of the Ministry of Education has been uninspiring and disappointing.

Recently, my university management issued a circular to all staff seeking leave to go abroad to conduct research or attend conferences. The circular said staff would now have to apply for leave for duty abroad at least two months (previously one-and-a-half months) before the date of travel.

According to the circular, the amendment was made to accommodate a new rule set by the Ministry of Education, which requires all leave for overseas duty to be approved by the ministry secretary-general (ketua setiausaha) at least seven days before the departure date.

This new requirement adds to the bureaucratic red tape and has not been well received by most serving academics. Frankly we cannot understand the rationale behind the decision other than to assert greater control and oversight. One would think that the ministry under the new government ought to be working towards encouraging greater autonomy and freedom in the respective universities and not the contrary.

Johnson Jack is an inventive person who has been doing intensive research in particular topics and writing blogs and articles on Quicken Support and many other related topics. He is a very knowledgeable person with lots of experience.