KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today instructed the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to put a stop to the old formal bureaucracy for the ministry to decide on behalf of universities.

Speaking at the launching of the Global Intellectual Discourse 2024 at Universiti Malaya here today, Anwar said the ministry must give some space and allow universities to decide on their priorities and proceed with their programmes.

"I’m suggesting this mainly because of the urgency and recognising the fact that in some areas in Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) report to me is very disturbing. If you use normal pace, you will be left behind,” he said.

In his speech, Anwar also urged the MOHE to implement clear policies and measures to allow the higher education sector in the country to improve moving forward.

He also encouraged universities to expand certain programmes, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) studies and to probably do more in the years to come.

"We don’t have enough resources, but whatever is available must be done now as I told the ministry I want at least some measures, some forms of implementation to be taken now, this year, no excuse.

"We talk about AI, and although we have small funds outside the budget to start with one faculty, I would certainly encourage the universities to expand that programme and probably give some years to do a little more that would render the discourse of the future relevant and meaningful.

"That means to undertake measure not in the normal pace of broad of studies and going back and forth with the MOHE,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar also urged for a review of the preschool education system in the country to prevent disparities among the community.

"If we say that only 80 per cent (of children) attend preschool with different categories, perhaps 40 per cent of them are good, 40 per cent are somewhat mediocre, and about 20 per cent are very weak, it means less than 50 per cent (are good).

"This means that in discussing justice, we are actually widening the gap between urban and rural areas, urban rich and urban poor, rural poor and remote poor,” he said.

As such, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said that the preschools under the Ministry of Education need to provide additional facilities comprehensively to all students in the country, even if it means the government has to bear new costs.

"Let’s start with the basics. Just like last year when we spent RM1 billion just for refurbishing school toilets,” he added. — Bernama