It is important to first envision what a highly-successful education system must

accomplish, particularly in the Malaysian context. What kinds of students are

best-prepared to meet the challenges of a 21st century economy? How has the National
Education Blueprint drawn on learnings from other high-performing systems to develop a
refined articulation of the specific skills and attributes that students would need to thrive in
tomorrow’s economy and globalised world?

1. Expose students to different cultures. --> which can lead to international collaboration

- Introducing young people to the world beyond their own country as early as possible.

- give student the competitive edge when applying to an elite university

- In business world, looking for globally-minded applicants.

- Students who demonstrate cross-cultural experience, and potential to interact and work with
different cultures in business.

- Students who understand benefits of collaboration across borders are best-prepared to meet the
challenges a 21st century economy.

-They can retain their cultural identity but are simultaneously aware of the
cultural values and beliefs of people around them, they examine the origins
and implications of others’ and their own assumptions. And they can create
opportunities to take informed, reflective action and have their voices heard.

- For example, one student who had spent time in a top Indian hospital before he applied. He
spoke about developments there; how artificial intelligence was improving efficiency and how
he envisaged we could use the same thing in the UK. It was the perfect marriage of ideas and
aptitude.”

2. Focus on skill as well as qualifications

- in order to enter competitive global marketplace, pupils need to focus on softer skill, such as
confident communication, open-mindedness and the willingness to network across countries,
cultures and backgrounds. All of these will equip students for an evolving global economy, and
prepare them for the future.

3. 6C

1. Collaboration: the ability to work with others, to have social-emotional

control, and to form communities.
2. Communication: the ability to develop strong reading, writing, listening
and language skills.
3. Content: competencies in subject areas, but also in learning to learn.
4. Critical thinking: the ability to gather information intelligently and to
weigh evidence.
5. Creative innovation: the ability to use information in new ways and to
solve problems.
6. Confidence: the ability to learn from failure and to persist in a problem.

4. Critical thinking n problem solving

The state of the education system today is the best predictor of Malaysia’s competitiveness
tomorrow. As outlined in the New Economic Model and the 10th Malaysia Plan, Malaysia’s push
from middle-income to high-income status will need to be fuelled more by talent—particularly that
of leaders and knowledge workers—than by any other input (such as unskilled labour or capital).
Furthermore, globalisation demands that Malaysia’s talent needs to compete with the best
internationally. It is therefore imperative for Malaysia to have a globally-compet titive education
system that produces globallycompetitive talent. In a world being transformed by the applications of
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Malaysia’s economic transformation will rely on
knowledge and innovation-driven industries.

Leadership skills Being able to work effectively with and lead others is critical, especially in our
increasingly inter-connected world. In the National Dialogue, the importance of instilling leadership
and the ability to work effectively in teams for every student was consistently raised. The education
system seeks to help every student reach their full potential by taking on leadership roles, and by
working in groups. In the context of the education system, leadership comprises four elements: ▪
Entrepreneurship: taking the initiative to create and develop one’s own solutions, the willingness to
invest one’s own resources in doing so, and the drive to see these through to their realisation;

Resilience: developing a mindset that is both constructive and able to withstand setbacks; ▪
Emotional intelligence: possessing the ability to understand and work effectively with others and to
influence them positively; and ▪ Strong communication skills: possessing the ability to clearly express
one’s opinions and intentions in oral and written form. Schools will need to make use of the
opportunities provided inside the classroom through project-based and group work, and outside of
the classroom though sports, the arts, and co-curricular activities to build the character of their
students.

Malaysia’s performance in TIMSS indicates that student performance has fallen from 1999 to 2011.
The results of the PISA 2009+ also showed that Malaysia ranked in the bottom third of 74
participating countries, below the international and OECD average.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), language policy, provisions for students
with specific needs, and finally, its ability to translate policy into actions for school improvement.

They can teach students to develop a fact-based and critical worldview and
equip students with an appreciation of other cultures and an awareness of
their own cultural identities.

e-communication technologies

In the new economy, the thirst is for knowledge, innovation and technology. Our system
must meet these needs. We must prepare our children for jobs that are yet to exist,” he
said.(Najib)

In 2003, after more than 30 years of using the Malay language as the medium of instruction for all
subjects in school, the Malaysian government implemented a policy that made English the medium
of instruction for Math n Science. The objective of this policy is to produce a new generation of ss
who are scientifically and technologically knowledgable n fluent in English

The “bilingual proficiency” stated in Education Blueprint is a political comproise of national priority
the in using the national language as the medium of instruction and the global imperative of
acquiring English proficiency among the Malaysian work force.

reduce achievement gaps (rural-urban, socioeconomic, gender)