KUALA LUMPUR – A new curriculum for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, embedded with digital technologies will be introduced to prepare students to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
According to the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysia Plan released by the Economy Ministry today, efforts would be undertaken to increase the enrolment of students in STEM to improve the curriculum in the country.
“Besides that, training and teaching methods for teachers in critical thinking, creative learning, and problem-solving would be further enhanced to develop the skills of students for the future,” it said.
It also stated that efforts to enhance the development of Madani human capital through the inculcation of Karamah Insaniah among students will be expanded through the teaching and learning methods in and outside the classroom.
This will emphasise the aspects of behavioural and self-development in building character among students to produce a generation that manifests resilience and competitiveness.
Meanwhile, the mid-term review also proposed that a digitalised system be developed to enhance the effectiveness of the vetting process for new programmes offered by public universities, and the effort is expected to address skill mismatch at the source, thus minimising the number of bridging courses.
The system would be integrated with related databases, which include job forecasts, international programme offers and accredited programmes.
A comprehensive digitalisation plan for public higher education institutions would also be developed, comprising six focus areas – namely governance, academic excellence, digital competency, digital infrastructure and infostructure, research and innovation as well as digital acculturalisation.
Apart from that, a framework would be created to harmonise the higher education ecosystem, by aligning programmes offered by all higher education institutions with national aspirations, where an extensive stocktaking of programmes offered will be undertaken and this information will be clustered based on national aspirations and niche areas.
Under this framework, the public institutions would be anchoring at least one national priority and complemented by programmes offered in private higher education institutions, besides outlining a more robust mechanism for assessing programmes offered by the private institutions.
In addition, higher education institutions would be encouraged to expand social research pertaining to respect, equality, multiculturalism, religious traditions, as well as the nation’s history to foster care and compassion.
Those initiatives would enable higher education institutions to assume a more active role in empowering the community and building a just society. – September 11, 2023