Prof. Dato’ Dr. Md Amin bin Md Taff, Vice-Chancellor, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Malaysia, emphasised the challenges and complexities of future education during a recent discussion. While acknowledging the importance of technology, including the metaverse, AI, AR, and other emerging technologies in education, Prof. Md Amin highlighted the need to balance technological advancements with a focus on marginalised communities.
He pointed out that the future of education should not widen the gap between urban and rural areas, the rich and the poor, or the educated and the underprivileged. Prof. Md Amin cited statistics, such as the lower enrollment rates of refugee children and dropout rates among certain communities, to underscore the importance of addressing these disparities in education.
At Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, efforts are being made to tackle these issues. The institution has established a faculty dedicated to meta computing and technology in education. Additionally, they are working on developing an augmented reality (AR) curriculum for polytechnics and technical universities in Malaysia, focusing on relevant topics like electric vehicles (EV).
Furthermore, the university is actively involved in initiatives to support marginalized communities. They have programs for orang asli (indigenous) students, providing them with tablets and offline curriculum access. They also run a disabilities learning center and a diploma program for juvenile offenders, giving them a second chance for a better future.
In Sabah, the university has programs to educate stateless children, helping them acquire basic skills and vocational knowledge. Lastly, they operate a National Child Development Research Center in collaboration with various organisations and private early childhood centers, collecting data on children from one month to four years old.
Prof. Md Amin emphasised the importance of not overlooking these special communities when discussing the future of education. He invited collaboration on the seven projects aimed at providing meaningful education to these underserved groups and contributing to the global effort to address educational inequalities.
