LATEST NEWS:

News Desk

The Star

Publication Date : 21-01-2013

Education is too valuable to be made a political tool as it is meant to lay the foundation for young Malaysians to be successful in charting the nation’s growth, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said.

He said in Islam, for one to be a khalifah (a person who leads others to success), he would need to have a strong faith and the requisite knowledge to succeed.

“That is the kind of education the government is inculcating among our future generation.

“If we want to change the destiny of the people, it is through education and not through mere slogans,” the Prime Minister told a gathering of thousands, including schoolchildren and students, at SK Sri Wakaf Baru here yesterday.

Najib spent about an hour with the local folk and also witnessed the handing over of the 100 ringgit (US$33.16) school aid to more than 3,000 children from three schools here.

The PM said no matter how the Opposition looked at the government’s education efforts, the aim was to produce a generation anchored in faith and high in knowledge.

“This is the concept – which some say is the national system – that the Government has pursued in the field of education and it is the core to produce Malaysians who are high in virtue and knowledge,” he said.

He said for this reason students in Kelantan, ruled for over 20 years by Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), also enjoy the same benefits as the students in other states.

The PM pointed out that because of this, Kelantan emerged second best in the country in the last UPSR examination.

“We may have differing views in politics and we may argue when it comes to political issues.

“But we realise that education is far too valuable to be politicised.

“My presence here today is to reiterate this government’s stand,” he said, adding the government would spend 201.5 million ringgit in various aid for students in Kelantan this year.

*US$1=3.01 ringgit