Teachers can now evaluate their bosses? What about giving marks to the Education Minister?

COMMENT: After my first post cautioning Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik not to be distracted from the focus to transform the Malaysian Education System, I received a lot of feedback from readers. Within just two days after it was posted, it has received nearly 4000 views.

A teacher friend forwarded me an article from Oriental Daily calling it 'the joke of the day.' Curious, I asked, "What does the article say?"

To my disgust, it is another blunder made by Maszlee which clearly shows that he has never thought through the idea thoroughly.

Like the change of school shoe colour effective 2019, I doubt Maszlee has discussed it with the stakeholders. I guess this is another of his unilateral decisions.

According to the article, teachers will soon be able to evaluate their bosses -- the school principals. While I think this is a good move in that it makes some principals more accountable to their subordinates, the reality is far harsher than what Maszlee can imagine from his ivory tower.

My friend quipped: "Could we also give marks for the education minister too?" Although the remark was made tongue-in-cheek, I can fully understand his concerns. As a teacher, he understands the school landscape better than the ministry officers.

Prior to his announcement, I wonder whether Maszlee has already developed a system of evaluation that can safeguard the whistleblowers' identity before he made the press statement.

At the back of my mind, I am asking, "How is the ministry going to collect the forms from the teachers? Will the teachers have to submit the forms through their principals in "s-e-a-l-e-d" envelopes?"

Knowing some school principals, it will turn out to be a mockery when the teachers are instructed to write only good comments about their bosses.

Indeed, my next question is: "So what if the principals are evaluated poorly? Will the Ministry of Education sack them? Does it even have the political will to remove errant school heads based on the teachers' evaluation?"

It is anyone's guess what will be the outcome of this whole exercise. At best, it will only be a waste of time for teachers who are already saddled with a lot of administrative work such as collecting money on behalf of the Parent-Teacher Association. This is what Maszlee should stop immediately as it takes away a lot of precious teaching hours.

Just look at how many principals have been removed in the past 10 years, and you can guess that whatever evaluation is given by teachers, it will simply lead to nothing. Hence, my friend is right, if the minister fails to address the real issues on the ground, perhaps, he should also be subjected to some evaluation.

To put in other words, this announcement made by Maszlee clearly shows the lack of consultation with the stakeholders every time a new policy is implemented. I expect torpedoes being fired soon from all corners within the next one week, do you?

My advice to him instead is to set up a special complaints channel (maybe, the Integrity Unit) to allow teachers to become whistleblowers but these complainants must first be protected from their vindictive principals if we are ever to help address their grievances.

(In future, when something is still in the works, do not announce it until you have tied all the loose ends).

最后更新 2018年09月30日 18时27分

马智礼：探討教师评估校长制度

（居鑾30日讯）教育部长马智礼表示， 关键绩效指標 （KPI）综合下属意见的做法在私人界流行已久，未来探討教师评估校长的表现也將是大势所趋。

「下属评估上司在私人企业是常见的，但是在学校就很少有这样的例子。未来学校要落实这样的评估制度，纳入老师的意见综合评估校长的表现，这一点仍需谨慎研究。」

他强调，要落实新评估制度仍需从长计议，必须按部就班研究其可行性，確保新制度能够造福所有利益相关者。

马智礼今日出席在新邦令金县议会礼堂举办的技职教育展，回应媒体提问，指政府部门素来由上至下的关键绩效指標是否有可能迎来变革。

另一方面，马智礼透露，教育部將在新邦令金开设一所社区技职学院，以提供当地学子更为广泛的升学选择，这所学院最迟將在2019年12月落实。

「教育部目前仍在物色適当的地点开设学院，但肯定不会另选地址建造一栋新建筑物使用，我们会利用新邦令金现有的建筑物，以租赁或购买的形式，开办这一所学院。」

他说，隨著社会进步，经济多元化发展，学生的发展已经不再局限于学术发展，这所技职学院所提供的技术与技能课程，將提供学习平台开发学生的潜能，培育学生掌握一技之长。

上述技职教育展出席者包括教育部秘书长拿督莫哈末噶扎利博士等。