Hmmm... in a circular issued by the Public Services Department, lecturers of public universities are now required to pass a "standard of academic excellence" to be fixed by the university's board of directors in order to be promoted.
Anyway, it was also interesting to read in the same report in the Star that even academics have to pass the "Efficiency Level Assessment Test" meant for the civil service. So we do have civil servants acting as academics after all... sigh.
According to a circular issued by the Public Services Department, both the Higher Education Ministry and the universities will work together to set the criteria for the standard.Err... you mean that prior to this, one doesn't have to pass any standards in order to be promoted? OK, let's not get too sarcastic before the Lunar New Year. :-)
Anyway, it was also interesting to read in the same report in the Star that even academics have to pass the "Efficiency Level Assessment Test" meant for the civil service. So we do have civil servants acting as academics after all... sigh.
I'd be very careful before welcoming any "standards" test for lecturers. If it's anything like the "standards" test held for school teachers, it's all about administrative policies etc. and NOTHING to do with the subject they teach.
ReplyDeleteWhich is fine if it was a headmaster entrance test, but for an everyday teacher, it is shifting crucial attention away from students and subjects.
According to the report in the Star, this new 'standard of academic excellence' comes as an additional requirement to the 'Efficiency Level Assessment Test', whatever that is. It seems that the Efficiency Level Assessment is something that all university lecturers have to pass before getting promoted. I've not heard of this test before and frankly, I'm doubtful about how useful it is as a gauge of effective performance. I mean, what sorts of tests would you want an Associate Professor of Geology or an Associate Professor of History to pass before they are deemed to be 'qualified' for a full professorship? Is there some sort of baseline knowledge e.g. calculus, Malaysian history, finance, that an academic must know before being promoted? Highly doubtful. It sounds more like an exercising in showing one's 'loyalty' or knowledge of the right things to say within the 'system' rather than an objective measure of proficiency.
ReplyDeleteThe additional requirement that is being proposed here i.e. 'a standard of academic excellence' is indeed welcome if it means that an academic is promoted based on his or her intellectural contribution rather than 'other' criterion. Hopefully, this will make the promotion process more transparent and people will be promoted on what they know and what they have published rather than who they know.
Just like what happen in medical profession in our government hospitals, the promotion is for some medical experts with professional memberships/ qualifications like MRCP, but for those whom have passed PTK..
ReplyDeleteAgain, I must state here those whom are graduated with Master's degree in medicine from our local IPTAs should not be considered experts unless they have acquired enough YEARS OF EXPERIENCES...
What a joke if we use PTKs as measure for promotion for our "experts" ??
No wonder recently there is sign of increase in our medical negligence cases...
Now they want to do that to our higher education ??
Not enough with PTKs ???
Another free publicity for our MOHE minister....and I suppose this only happens in a developing nation...like ours..
Another bureaucratic hurdles for our lecturers ?? Remember, we already have PTK and other administrative test for University lecturer !!!
Shafie should not treat University lecturers like primary/secondary teachers ?
Arent they not tied down enough with their present work ??
Before Shafie comes out with other fancy ideas, the rakyat should challenge him to:
1. To reduce the lecturer to student population in our IPTAs.
(According to one report, in USM, there are 1600 lecturers while the student population is 20,000)
Let work out the lecturers per student ration here ????
2. Increase the percentage of PhD holders among our local IPTAs.
3. Increase the perks for our uni lecturers...
What do we offer a PhD lecturers ?? (5 years of education after first degree)...
Mind you, the basic starting pay is mere RM2500 (before allowance) ?
4. Poor hardware and software facilities..
5. No travelling allowance for presenting in foreign conferences...
the list goes on...
We want to be ranked high in THES...but with additional bucreucratic hurdles....lecturers cannot spend quality time to get good research done ???
HOW ON EARTH WE ARE GOING TO GET
GOOD PUBLICATIONS IN TOP JOURNAL ??
and how we are going to get high in THES ???
Shafie, fikir betul-betul !!
ideas are cheap!
Instead..
Let's follow the best practice used in international community!
Msian Taxpayer
WE DONT NEED MOHE if the lecturers from IPTAs are measured just like other civil servants ?
ReplyDeleteShafie, what dont you spend time finishing and implementing Malaysian quality frameworks..
http://apps.emoe.gov.my/qad/about.html
Just 2-sen for your websites..
SHOW US SOME REAL FLOW-CHARTS AND DATELINES FOR IMPLEMENTAION..
NOT JUST REPORT..REPORTS..AND REPORT..
http://www.aqf.edu.au/
http://www.aqf.edu.au/quality.htm
http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/policy_issues_reviews/key_issues/nts/aqtf/default.htm
TELL US WHAT HAPPEN TO THE SUGESTION FOR IMPLEMETING DOUBLE-DEGREE IN OUR LOCAL IPTAS ??
Show us the actions !!!
Not just paying lip service !