PARIS: Malaysian youths have a big role to play in the country’s nation-building process, said Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik (pix).
“We are shaping our nation’s direction with the help of our youth. Their voices, their opinions play a major part in who we are as a country.
“Our people are our resources and our youths are our future, they are the change makers for whom we are tailoring our learning system,” he said.
He said this when delivering Malaysia’s national statement at the General Debate of the 40th Session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) here yesterday.
Maszlee who is Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO president said he was always holding on to the ideas that education was for all and everyone’s responsibility.
“It is sort of a call-to-action for all education stakeholders and literally everybody in Malaysia to ensure that initiatives for access to quality, inclusive and equitable education are methodically implemented,” he said.
To pave the way for this, Maszlee said the Malaysian Ministry of Education was preparing an ecosystem where all students regardless of their abilities, locations, socio-economic backgrounds could realise their full potential.
“Malaysia’s stance towards inclusive education is aligned with our capacity building efforts with the current Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR) skills, communications, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking,” he said.
Speaking further, Maszlee said: “It’s my conviction that education is the hope for humanity”.
He also called on Unesco member states to work as one team or one family under the banner of Unesco and Sustainable Development Goals in order to overcome mutual global problems.
Meanwhile, Maszlee thanked Unesco and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee for naming Kuala Lumpur as the World Book Capital for the year 2020.
He was confident that the Kuala Lumpur World Book Capital 2020 would become an added attraction for visitors to Malaysia especially during the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2020 next year.
“I take this opportunity to invite all members to experience these events and I look forward to welcoming everyone to Malaysia,” he said. — Bernama
