KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Heritage schools such as the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) can re-emerge and take on a revitalised role in the modern era by adapting to the profoundly different context in which they now operate, the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah said today.
His Royal Highness said a new approach was demanded, one that suited current times while building on the strong ethical and educational foundations that had long defined such schools.
Sultan Nazrin, who is the Royal Patron of the MCKK Board of Governors, said MCKK and similar schools must adapt and transform in response to new realities, particularly a future shaped by increasingly capable AI and rapid technological change.
The Ruler said the education system must be re-imagined and re-equipped to better prepare future generations for an era shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), enabling it to deliver more effectively what would be needed in the years ahead.
“(This is) so that the next generation may be better able to reap the benefits of the AI age we are entering,” Sultan Nazrin said when launching the book Breaking, But Not Broken, which offers a candid assessment of the challenges currently faced by the prestigious boarding school here today.
His Royal Highness said the goal was not only to develop human capital that could adapt to evolving economic dynamics driven by rapid technological change but also to cultivate well-rounded human beings, young people whose skills, sensitivities and values are all essential to their contribution and role in society.
“Both elements, the practical and the more intangible, are always important. But in this current period of dramatic and unpredictable transformation, it becomes even more vital that our education system can deliver both these qualities,” the Ruler said.
On the book, Sultan Nazrin commended the authors - Ghazally Ismail, Ahmad Ibrahim and Hisham Badrul Hashim - for their courage in addressing the sensitive subject.
His Royal Highness said the authors' analysis of the challenges MCKK faces is unflinching, even harsh, at times.
Sultan Nazrin said their assessment extends to the select few older residential schools, equally celebrated, and equally, it seems, in decline.
“These institutions, designated as 'power' schools, have seen their powers sadly dimmed, and their long-standing ability to produce graduates of the very highest calibre is no longer as assured as it once was.
“Command of language, critical thinking, even a commitment to serve - all are deemed lacking in today's graduates. And this, of course, is in marked contrast to the past,” His Royal Highness added.
Meanwhile, MCKK Board of Governors chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali said the MCKK Foundation has received more than RM36 million in donations and contributions since its establishment in 2008.
He said more than RM19 million of the funds had been invested in new infrastructure, including the IB Complex and Auditorium Tun Abdul Razak, adding that another RM3.5 million had been spent on refurbishment and restoration works, including improvements to the Pavilion Hostel, Prep School toilets, gymnasium roof, swimming pool and other essential facilities.
“Beyond physical infrastructure, the Foundation has also built a strong and sustainable endowment. Today, the Foundation manages endowment funds exceeding RM16 million, contributed by generous benefactors including PETRONAS and His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.
“To date, more than RM7 million in investment income has been channelled back to the College,” he said during his speech.
Ahmad Tajuddin said the investment income had supported scholarships and financial assistance for deserving students, leadership development programmes, participation in international conferences and competitions, teacher professional development, campus maintenance and the preservation of the College’s heritage buildings and grounds.
-- BERNAMA