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Malaysia’s prime minister Datuk Tun Mahathir Mohamad dropped the country’s education portfolio a day after the announcement and appoints academic Dr Maszlee Malik as the new education minister.
Maszlee was sworn in with the rest of Malaysia’s new cabinet ministers on Monday (21 May).
The new education minister aims to revamp the national school system in the next five years and make it the choice pathway for Malaysians.
“We are [currently] only playing with numbers, rankings, achievement rates based on exams. We also want to lighten the load of teachers by creating teaching assistants, smaller class sizes and reducing clerical tasks,” Maszlee told Astro Awani on some of the proposed changes the Ministry of Education aims to make for the country.
Maszlee also endeavours to make the process of learning and teaching “fun” and “joyful” again.
The days leading up to the swearing-in ceremony has been unsteady.
Mahathir had backed down from the role of education minister as many had pointed out that the premier is not allowed double portfolios.
However, others had other ideas as a public online petition was started calling Mahathir to retake the role.
"If you, like us, believe Dr Mahathir should be the education minister and will bring much needed reforms to the education system in this country, please do take a moment to sign this petition and share it among your friends and family," read the petition.
As of Friday (18 May), the petition received over 52,000 signatures, reported The Star.
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