Saturday, August 14, 2010

Day Six


Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar. For 30 days, Muslims fast, refraining from eating, drinking and sexual activity from dawn until sundown. Ramadan began on August 11, the day we arrived in KL, a predominately Muslim city. Malay restaurants were closed for the day and hectic as the sun dipped below the horizon when Muslims broke the fast. We ate a lot of Indian and Chinese food.

Our first full day in KL was split into three episodes and we hit the ground running. Each installment was jam-packed with information and amusement.

University of Malaya

Established in 1962, three years after Malaysia gained independence, the university is the oldest in the country. It is ranked first among schools in the region and has educated many of the current leaders throughout the country. The administrators, faculty and students who welcomed us were enthusiastic to have us as guests.

The event began off with a video produced by the Ministry of Education highlighting the accomplishments of the University of Malaya. Dean Dr. Saedah Siraj said the university was in the process of restructuring the curriculum. The ministry wanted to grow the number of graduate students while decreasing the amount of undergraduates. They hoped to have a one-to-one ratio by 2012.

The group split and students met with by Dr. Abdul Rahman and Dr. Suffean Hussein for presentations. Rahman spoke about how Malaysia played its role in the global community through policies to educate the entire population, with special attention paid to remote areas, by setting up boarding schools and teaching English at an early age. There are hurdles. They include: closing the education gap between urban and rural; upgrading the national school system; and focusing more emphasis on access, equality and quality. “No child should be deprived of education,” Rahman said.


Rahman turned the floor over to Hussein who spoke about diversity in Malaysian higher education. The student population is predominately comprised of Malays, Chinese, Indonesian, Middle Eastern and North African. As for actual schools: there are more than 600 private colleges scattered around Malaysia, Hussein said, and 20 public universities. This expansion of higher educational institutions, along with the number of students attending, Hussein referred to as “Mass-ification.”

On a side note, both speakers told us they earned their doctorates from Pac-10 schools: Hussein from the University of Oregon and Rahman proudly declaring he was a fellow Trojan.


We returned in the afternoon to meet with a dozen graduate students to discuss the merits of teaching and the future of education in Malaysia. The event was less formal as everyone talked face-to-face for more intimate dialogues. Conversations rotated around English as a second language, math and science classes and teaching in KL. Some talked about how teachers were trying to bring more freedom to the classroom, much like the U.S. system. Others saw teachers as being tied down by the curriculum. However, the consensus was things were slowly beginning to change.

Sek Keb. Convent Bukit Nanas

Once again we were spoiled with the red-carpet treatment. The school pulled out all the stops. The girls greeted us at the entrance in full costume – traditional dresses – and shook our hands as we stepped through the gate. Principal Vimala welcomed us and shared some of the history as we toured the grounds. Three nuns started the school at the end of the 19th century to provide education for girls in the city. As both a primary and secondary school, there are more than 500 students enrolled in classes.

We were led into the White Hall – the main auditorium – that was open-air. The award-winning choir performed for us. Then the Action Songs Team took the stage and impressed us with their synchronized dance moves and dazzling outfits. After the student presentations, Vimala shared with us the school’s achievement, including representing both KL and Malaysia in a variety national and international competitions.

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