EDUCATION MANAGEMENT 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

7.6 To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of education management, the strategies include strengthening the management system of the MOE by increasing autonomy and decentralising the process of decision making and problem solving, providing greater utilisation of ICT facilities at all levels of management, restructuring the state education departments and district education offices to complement the roles of departments and division at the ministry level, creating a pool of professional education officers at top management level, creating more administrative posts, and strengthening the administrative mechanisms to overcome the shortage of teachers.

7.7 The Blueprint plans to strengthen the management of human resources and development by developing an efficient Human Resource Information system, strengthening ICT training programmes for all personnel towards transforming MOE into a learning organization, and upgrading the education service scheme by providing better incentives and welfare, opportunities for promotion, competitive salaries, and due recognition of additional qualifications.

7.8 The strategies for strengthening the monitoring, inspection, and evaluation system include extending the role of school heads/principals as curriculum leaders and main supervisors on teaching and learning in schools, increasing the number of qualified personnel in the field of inspection, strengthening the implementation of Education High Quality Standard in all educational institutions and a wider dissemination of inspectorate reports.

7.9 The information management and communication system will be strengthened by reorganizing the system of information flow towards a more efficient and effective understanding of policies and information acqusition, creating an integrated and comprehensive information management policy, integrating the various information systems and databases at the MOE, strengthening the dissemination of education information, and expanding the ICT systems and applications for managing information at all levels of the MOE.

7.10 The R&D activities will be strengthened through the identification of areas of education requiring research, revitalizing the mechanism which coordinates R&D activities and disseminates R&D products, providing sufficient allocation for R&D, providing greater access to R&D findings carried out at all public educational institutions, and providing continuous support for R&D activities.

ICT IN EDUCATION 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

8.8 The Blueprint plans to intensify efforts in the coordination of ICT development in education to ensure greater integration and holistic development. The MOE will expand access to and increase equity in ICT facilities through the provision of sufficient ICT infrastructure and facilities to all levels of education  institutions. ICT integration in teaching and learning will be intensified through the expansion of ICT related subjects in all education institutions, expansion in usage of ICT in teaching and learning for all subjects, and expansion of computerized examination system (On-line Assessment System) at the Malaysia Certificate of Education (SPM) and Malaysia Higher School Certificate (STPM) levels.

8.9 The Blueprint also plans to strengthen ICT knowledge and skill among students by improving ICT based learning methods, enhancing the knowledge and skill of ICT integration in teaching and learning among teachers, increasing the number of courseware development and usage that contains indigenous and international content, and upgrading the basic skill of computer installation and maintenance.

8.10 Management effectiveness and efficiency will be continuously improved by expanding e-management at all levels of education management and increasing knowledge and skills among officers and staff through continuous training. The MOE will also intensify efforts to improve the management and maintenance of ICT tools at all levels of education institutions, and increase bilateral cooperation between educational institutions under MOE with the local community and the private sector in the development of ICT in education.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PLACE-BASED EDUCATION: HOW ARE THEY CONNECTED?

The main purpose of "outdoor education" is to provide meaningful contextual experiences--in both natural and constructed environments--that complement and expand classroom instruction, which tends to be dominated by print and electronic media (Knapp, 1996, p. ix). It is a broader term than "environmental education," which can be described as instruction directed toward developing a citizenry prepared to live well in a place without destroying it (Orr, 1994, p. 14). Environmental education can occur both inside and outside the classroom.

Understanding the relationships among place-based education, outdoor education, and environmental education is worthwhile because each concept has been developed somewhat separately by educators who have produced curriculum materials and instructional practices that could be useful within the other concept areas. Further complicating this potential exchange is the variety of labels that have been applied to each of these approaches. For example, as the field of outdoor education matured, it was labeled school camping, camping education, and eventually, outdoor education. Likewise, place-based education has been referred to as "community-oriented schooling," "ecological education," and "bioregional education."

Paul Theobald refers to "place-conscious" elementary and secondary classrooms in his book, "Teaching The Commons" (1997, pp. 132-159). He advocates using the immediate locale as "the lens for disciplinary engagement in all schools across the country" (p. 137). In a later article, Theobald and Curtiss (2000) describe the field as "community-oriented schooling."

Smith and Williams (1999) describe this approach as "ecological education." They write, "The practice of ecological education requires viewing human beings as one part of the natural world and human cultures as an outgrowth of interactions between species and particular places" (p. 3). The authors outline seven principles, two of which directly reflect outdoor education: (1) practical experiences outdoors through the application of an ethic of care, and (2) grounding learning in a sense of place through investigation of surrounding natural and human communities.

Traina and Darley-Hill (1995) extend "locale" to include "bioregional education," encouraging students and teachers to know their place and to consider the impact of lifestyles on the resources of that bioregion. Similarly, Orr's (1994) call for "ecoliteracy" presents principles for rethinking education that clearly relate place-based education to outdoor education: (1) students should understand the effects of this knowledge on real people and their communities; and (2) learning though direct experiences outside the classroom is as important as the content of particular courses.

Thomashow (1995) writes about the goal of achieving "ecological identity" through the examination of four basic questions: What do I know about the place where I live? Where do things come from? How do I connect to the earth? What is my purpose as a human being? He integrates these questions into activities by incorporating reflective learning in the school, home, community, and the workplace (p. xvii). These questions focus curriculum and instruction on understanding and appreciating students' immediate surroundings.

Haymes (1995) speaks directly to a "pedagogy of place" and addresses issues of race and class as they are made manifest in the construction of urban environments and in the power and politics that emerge from those constructs. His work takes a cultural studies perspective and contributes a much-needed complement to more conventional outdoor/environmental curriculum and instruction.

7. Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning

There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar room may be all thumbs in the lab or art studio. Students rich in hands-on experience may not do so well with theory. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learning in new ways that do not come so easily.

Some examples: Individualized degree programs recognize different interests Personalized systems of instruction and mastery learning let students work at their own pace. Contract learning helps students define their own objectives, determine their learning activities, and define the criteria and methods of evaluation. At the College of Public and Community Service, a college for older working adults at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, incoming students have taken an orientation course that encourages them to reflect on their learning styles Rockland Community College has offered a life-career-educational plan-ning course. At the University of California, Irvine, introductory physics students may choose between a lecture-and-textbook course, a computer-based version of the lecture-and-textbook course, or a computer-based course based on notes developed by the faculty that allow students to program the computer. In both computer-based courses, students work on their own and must pass mastery exams.

6. Communicates High Expectations

Expect more and you will get more. High expectations are important for everyone-for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves, and for the bright and well motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations of themselves and make extra efforts.

Some examples: In many colleges and universities, students with poor past records or test scores do extraordinary work. Sometimes they outperform students with good preparation. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside has communicated high expectations for underprepared high school students by bringing them to the university for workshops in academic subjects, study skills, test taking, and time management. In order to reinforce high expectations, the program involves parents and high school counselors.

The University of California, Berkeley introduced an honors program in the sciences for under-prepared minority students; a growing number of community colleges are establishing general honors programs for minorities. Special programs like these help. But most important are the day-to-day, week-in and week-out expectations students and faculty hold for themselves and for each other in all their classes.

5 . Emphasizes Time on Task

Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task. Learning to use one’s time well is critical for students and professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations for students, faculty, administrators, and other professional staff can establish the basis for high performance for all.

Some examples: Mastery learning, contract learning, and computer-assisted instruction require that students spend adequate amounts of time on learning. Extended periods of preparation for college also give students more time on task. Matteo Ricci College is known for its efforts to guide high school students from the ninth grade to a B.A. through a curriculum taught jointly by faculty at Seattle Preparatory school and Seattle University. Providing students with opportunities to integrate their studies into the rest of their lives helps them use time well.

Workshops, intensive residential programs, combinations of televised instruction, correspondence study, and learning centers are all being used in a variety of institutions, especially those with many part-time students. Weekend colleges and summer residential programs, courses offered at work sites and community centers, clusters of courses on related topics taught in the same time block, and double-credit courses make more time for learning. At Empire State College, for example, students design degree programs organized in manageable time blocks; students may take courses at nearby institutions, pursue independent study, or work with faculty and other students at Empire State learning centers.

4. Gives Prompt Feedback

Knowing what you know and don’t know focuses learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. When getting started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to know, and how to assess themselves.

Some examples: No feedback can occur without assessment. But assessment without timely feedback contributes little to learning. Colleges assess entering students as they enter to guide them in planning their studies. In addition to the feedback they receive from course instructors, students in many colleges and universities receive counseling periodically on their progress and future plans. At Bronx Community College, students with poor academic preparation have been carefully tested and given special tutorials to prepare them to take introductory courses. They are then advised about the introductory courses to take, given the level of their academic skills.

Adults can receive assessment of their work and other life experiences at many colleges and universities through portfolios of their work or through standardized tests; these provide the basis for sessions with advisors. Alverno College requires that students develop high levels of performance in eight general abilities such as analytic and communication skills. Performance is assessed and then discussed with students at each level for each ability in a variety of ways and by a variety of assessors. In writing courses across the country, students are learning, through detailed feedback from instructors and fellow students, to revise and rewrite drafts. They learn, in the process, that feedback is central to learning and improving performance.

3. Encourages Active Learning

Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.

Some examples: Active learning is encouraged in classes that use structured exercises, challenging discussions, team projects, and peer critiques. Active learning can also occur outside the classroom. There are thousands of internships, independent study, and cooperative job programs across the country in all kinds of colleges and universities, in all kinds of fields, for all kinds of students. Students also can help design and teach courses or parts of courses. At Brown University, faculty members and students have designed new courses on contemporary issues and universal themes; the students then help the professors as teaching assistants. At the State University of New York at Cortland, beginning students in a general chemistry lab have worked in small groups to design lab procedures rather than repeat prestructured exercises. At the University of Michigan’s Residential College, teams of students periodically work with faculty members on a long-term original research project in the social sciences.

2.Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students

Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one’s own ideas and responding to others’ reactions sharpens thinking and deepens understanding. Some examples: Even in large lecture classes, students can learn from one another.

Learning groups are a common practice, in which five to seven students meet regularly during class throughout the term to solve problems set by the instructor. Many colleges use peer tutors for students who need special help. Learning communities are another popular way of getting students to work together. Students involved in SUNY at Stony Brook’s Federated Learning Communities can take several courses together. The courses, on topics related to a common theme like science, technology, and human values, are from different disciplines. Faculty teaching the courses coordinate their activities while another faculty member, called a "master learner:’ takes the courses with the students. Under the direction of the master learner, students run a seminar which helps them integrate ideas from the separate courses.

1 . Encourages Contact Between Students and Faculty

Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students’ intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans. Some examples: Freshman seminars on important topics, taught by senior faculty members, establish an early connection between students and faculty in many colleges and universities.

In the Saint Joseph’s College core curriculum, faculty members who lead discussion groups in courses outside their fields of specialization model for students what it means to be a learner. In the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, three out of four undergraduates have joined three-quarters of the faculty as junior research colleagues in recent years. At Sinclair Community College, students in the “College Without Walls” program have pursued studies through learning contracts. Each student has created a “resource group,’ which includes a faculty member, a student peer, and two “community resource” faculty members. This group then provides support and assures quality.

TERTIARY EDUCATION 3 : MALAYSIA

Implementing Strategies

4.11 The plan to increase access and participation rates in tertiary education will be implemented in stages by increasing student intake at tertiary level from 25 percent (17+-23+cohort) in 2000 to 30 percent by 2005 and 40 percent (16+-22+ cohort) b 2010, and to realize lifelong learning.

4.12 To increase opportunities to tertiary education, the Blueprint plans to further encourage the private sector to expand their involvement in the provision of tertiary education and to transform Malaysia into a center of academic excellence.

4.13 To fulfill the national needs in science and technology, a planned and comprehensive effort will be made to increase enrolment at the tertiary level to 60 percent in these fields as compared to other fields. The strategy also aims to increase the ratio of scientists and technologist to the population in order to be at par with developed countries.

4.14 To achieve a balance in producing skilled and semi-skilled workers, the Blueprint plans to widen opportunities for tertiary education based on the enrolment ratio of 1:2 for undergraduate programmes as compared to diploma/certificate programmes. This strategy will be implemented in concurrent with the establishment of Technical University and technical private institutions of higher learning, aimed at increasing the number of hands on professionals. Programmes offered at the tertiary level will be improved to ensure their quality, relevance, and ability to fulfill the manpower needs of the nation and competitiveness at the global level.

4.15 The Blueprint aims to provide adequate and quality teaching staff by increasing training programmes locally and abroad as well as expanding training programmes with industries, providing a more competitive salary scheme, and increasing the number of qualified teaching staff. 4.16 The strengthening and expansion of R&D activities at institutions of higher learning will be achieved through inculcating R&D culture among lecturers and students, increasing the number of R&D experts and personnel, establishing existing premier public university as research universities, establishing more research centers of international standard by increasing research facilities, and increasing smart partnerships between public and private higher education institutions with local and international industries. These strategies will be complemented with an increase in the use and mastery of ICT by providing appropriate infrastructure and increasing the use of ICT in tertiary education as well as creating an environment conducive to e-university.

4.17 Strategies to establish Malaysia as a center of academic excellence include increasing the number of foreign students at undergraduate and post-graduate levels by the year 2010 at the rate of 5 percent (except for International Islamic University Malaysia which will be at 20 percent) and 25 percent respectively, establishing R&D centers at local universities that are of international standards, and accounting for the internationalization of local universities.

4.18 Strategies to expand financial aid for students encompass increasing allocation and seeking various sources of fund for tertiary education institutions, especially universities, in addition, student welfare programmes and facilities will be upgraded to complement the management of tertiary education institutions.

SECONDARY EDUCATION 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

3.7 The first strategy in the development plan is to restructure secondary using the 4+2 system, followed by efforts to review and strengthen the secondary education curriculum as well as

assessment and evaluation system according to the new structure.

3.8 To increase access and equity, the MOE will improve and expand the provision of infrastructure and build new secondary schools using new building approaches which saves space and land, maximise usage of education resources, reduce attrition rate, upgrade student safety programmes, and improve welfare of students who are poor and/or with chronic and long-term health problems.

3.9 To improve the quality of secondary education, the Blueprint plans to review and strengthen the secondary school curriculum. Emphasis will be given to the development of academic skills,

especially in mastering skills of learning, communication, critical and creative thinking, and self-management; acquiring basic industrial skills; and possessing positive values. The secondary

education curriculum will strengthen intervention programmes for students with learning problems, integrate ICT in the curriculum and strengthens co-curriculum programmes.

3.10 The Blueprint plans to increase the participation of students in science and technology by building new residential schools and technical/vocational schools, expand provision of technical and vocational education in normal schools, and award scholarships to outstanding students in science. Other strategies include improving teaching and learning of science by providing more science teachers, laboratories, and science materials; implementing contextual teaching and learning methods and inclusion of new educational elements such as biotechnology and microelectronics to make learning of science more interesting and relevant; and intensifying the integration of ICT in teaching and learning of science.

3.11 The MOE will implement strategies to improve the mastery of Malay and English languages; introduce changes to the assessment and evaluation system by emphasizing of formative evaluation and further developing effective measurement of students intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical development; and strengthen career guidance and counseling programmes.

3.12 The MOE plans to increase the number of graduate teachers in secondary schools to achieve 100 percent by 2010, increase the number of teachers for critical subjects such as English Language, Science, and Technology; fulfill professional development needs of teachers especially in rural areas; improve incentives, and provide conducive working environment. Efforts will be made to encourage the use of teaching aids and technology in teaching and learning.

3.13 To expand opportunity and improve the quality of special education, the Blueprint outlines programmes for expanding technical/vocational education for visually impaired students, equipping special education schools with appropriate teaching aids and with the latest and user friendly infrastructure, and strengthening the monitoring of special education programmes.

3.14 The MOE will improve community involvement in the development of secondary schools by extending Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) membership to community members and widening the scope of PTA activities in curricular and co-curricular activities.

EDUCATION MANAGEMENT 2: MALAYSIA

Issues and Challenges

7.2 The challenge to the MOE in education management is to overcome issues and problems due to its structure that is hierarchical, centralised, and heavy at the top (departments/divisions) but small at the bottom (state/district education departments), bureaucratic issues, as well as inefficient and ineffective management of resources and personnel, and the implementation of certain policies. The MOE needs to improve the quality of leadership at all levels of the ministry and develop a group of competent top-level managers equipped with the highestprofessional qualification and who have expertise in management and education. To improve the quality of school management, the MOE needs to strengthen the role of principal/head master as curriculum leaders and ensure that the monitoring, evaluation, and assessment activities of education programmes are carried out in accordance to the objectives of Education High Quality Standard. These activities can only be implemented effectively by having sufficient numbers of inspectorate personnel and distributing the monitoring and evaluation reports to the educational institutions concerned.

7.3 Problems concerning teacher deployment are influenced not only by the actual needs of schools but also by humanitarian factors, the employment of temporary untrained teachers, and the attachment of teachers as administrative officers in the ministry, state education departments, and division/district education offices. At the same time there are other factors beyond the control of management such as the shortage of teachers for critical subjects, limited opportunities for in-service teacher training, teachers taking non-paid leave, and the difficulties in recruiting replacement teachers.

7.4 To further strengthen its organization, the MOE faces the challenge of modernizing its Management and Human Resource Information System by reorganizing its present personnel data base, increasing training activities in ICT, establishing MOE into a learning organization, making the teaching profession attractive to university graduates especially in critical subjects, and increasing the commitment of teachers and other personnel.

7.5 The MOE also faces the challenge of creating an integrated and efficient management information system. This can only be achieved by providing appropriate ICT infrastructure and having a common understanding in the interpretation and implementation of policies among various education agencies. At the same time, the

MOE needs to create a favourable environment that encourages more R&D activities and develops a research culture.

EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICES 2: MALAYSIA

Issues and Challenges


5.2 The main challenge of the MOE in the development of support services is to improve the quality of school hostels with substandard facilities and is unsafe for accommodation in the rural areas. Such hostels were built through gotong royong projects or on ad hoc basis initiated by the local community, using low quality building materials and sub-standard building plans. The MOE also faces an increasing demand for residential schools to cater for the growing number of qualified and excellent students. At the same time, many hostels at teacher training colleges are underutilised due to the reduction in teacher trainee intakes for pre-service training. The overall cost of managing and operating these hostels have also risen with the increasing number of hostels and boarders as well as escalating prices of materials and services.

5.3 The operational costs for the text-book loan scheme (Skim Pinjaman Buku Teks, SPBT) have also increased. Furthermore, if the plan to replace the present printed text books with electronic books or e-book is realized, the MOE will need a bigger allocation to supply these e-books to students; train teachers and personnel in managing, maintaining, and storing such books; and provide for systematic and effective e-book distribution system.

5.4 The MOE also faces the challenge of providing sufficient funds for scholarships and study loans to all students and ensuring an effective management of the funds. For the Integrated School Health Programme (Program Bersepadu Sekolah Sihat, PBSS), the MOE has to ensure that all schools receive the services provided under the programme and to increase the frequency of these services. For the Supplementary Food Programme (Rancangan Makanan Tambahan, RMT) for primary schools, the challenge is to increase its allocation in order to expand the services to more poor students and ensure that the meals provided are nutritious and well balanced.

5.5 The MOE also faces the challenge of providing sufficient numbers of full-time student counselors to schools. At present, the number of counselors provided for each school is determined by using the existing ratio for teacher allocation. This practice is a disadvantage, especially to schools with small enrolment where the school heads usually have to assume the role of the counselor as well.

EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICES 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

5.6 The strategies for the development of hostels are to build more residential schools, school hostels, and ‘central concept’ hostels; add more physical and non-physical facilities to all existing hostels, and maximise the use of hostels facilities at teacher training colleges.

 

5.7 The textbook loan scheme will be strengthened through a review of its existing qualification policy to cater to the needs of the public and review the present policy if e-books are to be used as a teaching aid.

5.8 The strategies to strengthen other support services programmes will also include increasing the allocation for scholarships and loan, continuing and expanding the coverage of the Integrated School Health Programme, increasing the coverage of the Supplementary Food Programme, and increasing the number, roles, and effectiveness of full-time counselors through continuous in-service training.

PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY EDUCATION 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

2.6 Preschool education will be further developed by institutionalising preschool education and making compulsory the use of the National Preschool Curriculum at all preschool institutions, providing training facilities for preschool teachers, and strengthening the monitoring of preschool teachers, and strengthening the monitoring of preschool programmes conducted by public and private agencies.

2.7 Strategies to further promote access to and equity in primary education include increasing the participation rate particularly among the children of indigenous groups such as the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and the ethnic groups in rural and remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak. The Blueprint plans to make primary education compulsory and this entails the building of more schools, providing more trained teachers, and increasing monitoring activities.

2.8 The Blueprint plans to strengthen special education programmes and expand opportunities for special education by providing more trained teachers in special education schools and schools with inclusive programmes. Efforts will be made to encourage public participation and contribution in the development of special education.

2.9 Strategies to improve the quality of primary education include increasing basic education infrastructure, revising the norms for teacher allocation, and ensuring 50 percent of primary school teachers are university graduates by 2010. Other strategies include strengthening the Integrated Primary School Curriculum (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah, KBSR) to further improve the 3R skills among pupils, making the curriculum more relevant to current and emerging needs of the country, and strengthening all co-curriculum programmes to reinforce the development of intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically balanced individuals. In addition, the strategies include revising school textbooks, improving integration of ICT in teaching and learning, expanding the Smart School concept nation wide, increasing the role of school administrators as curriculum leaders, strengthening monitoring and evaluation activities on teaching and learning, strengthening evaluation mechanism of student performance, increasing school and community collaborations, and reviewing the rate of per capita grant to schools.

EDUCATION FUNDING 3: MALAYSIA

Implementation Strategies

6.4 The MOE will expand its sources of funds by encouraging the private sector and individuals to provide funds directly to educational institutions; increase the participation of the private sector, non-governmental organisations, and individuals in financing education programmes; introduce competitive fees for foreign students at all public educational institutions; and issue bonds that are backed by the Federal Government.

6.5 The strategies to enhance efficiency in financial management include upgrading of knowledge and skills in financial management among education managers; giving more empowerment to those managing education finance; establishing more educational institutions as Responsibility Centres (Pusat Tanggungjawab); strengthening financial monitoring activities; and providing continuous supervision of the expenditure of all educational programmes.

6.6 Steps will also be taken to increse the number of incomegenerating agencies especially those involved in training, consultancy services, publishing, and marketing their own products; increase the quality of R&D carried out in all departments, divisions and corporate bodies of the MOE and other public higher education institutions, and commercialising the R&D products; expand the operations and increase the effectiveness of income-generating agencies; and establish more trust accounts for educational institutions.

6.7 The Blueprint plans to increase private sector participation in funding educational programmes through provision of incentives and encouragement for direct financial contributions to educational institutions, create smart partnerships between public and private higher education institutions with the private sector, and create a cost sharing mechanism in providing facilities for training and R&D activities.