RECENTLY as I was taking a look at local media stories from Malaysia, I saw a reference to the fact that Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has provided opportunities to some 100 students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at its institution.
Furthermore, after taking a close look at the media reports, I found it reported that USM is also proud to offer places to students with disabilities.
This is as it ought to be, and it is good to see that not only are tertiary institutions offering opportunities to those who otherwise may find themselves excluded from opportunity, but also that universities such as USM are making it known.
It is important that we know of our higher education institutions’ commitment to the economically disadvantaged and disabled.
When we talk of inclusion and social justice, it is heartening to see that it means something and that these values and commitments are put into action.
Publicly recognising this is also important because it helps make the enactment of these values the expected norm and reminds us of the role that higher education plays in addressing issues of social justice and inclusion. The leadership role that universities can play in demonstrating genuine commitment to social justice, inclusivity and social responsibility can best be illustrated in the simple commitment to inclusivity in enrolments.
With all the talk that seems to dominate the higher education sector focusing on words such as “competition”, “performance” and “accountability”, it is worth recognising that universities are also accountable to society for their pledge to social justice, can be judged against their performance in addressing and engaging the problems of disadvantage. Imagine if our universities competed against each other in their desire to advance the values of inclusion and community service, and saw these as critical and central benchmarks against which to judge success!
What are the possible results of commitment to such values?
Interestingly enough, a recent story available on USM’s website provides an excellent illustration of the importance of education in providing a conduit to provide opportunities for students from across the social spectrum and also address economic disadvantage.
Reading through the story titled Professor Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad: Rubber Tapper’s Son Who Achieved International Fame as a Scientist, I noted that the USM scientist was named “one of the researchers with The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014 by Thomson Reuters” and furthermore, “was announced as one of the recipients for the Merdeka Awards 2014 by the Royal Patron of Merdeka Award Board of Trustees, the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah”.
This recognition and awards are newsworthy enough and an important indication that Malaysian universities possess scholars who can produce scholarship at the highest level, but what struck me as I read further was where Abdul Latif talked about his background which was brought up in the headline.
He said: ‘“I grew up in a family of rubber tappers who were relatively poor and my mother brought us up since my father died in 1970 when I was only 3 years-old.”
The example of Abdul Latif as a researcher and scholar is, of course, outstanding and it illustrates a point that I want to make. Talent is found in all classes, ethnicities and genders, and it is not limited simply to those who are already privileged.
Coming from a “relatively poor” background should not be an impediment to receiving a good education.
Ensuring that educational opportunity is available to all — regardless of background or status — is a critical characteristic of a decent and just educational system.
Committing to social justice and inclusion in education is one of the best ways to ensure that talent gets a chance to flourish and manifest in our society.
This commitment combines both an attitude of the heart as well as a solid use of the head.
While most of us recognise the positive commitment from the “heart” that manifests in our responsibility to pursue social justice, critics of socially just policies in education often miss the hard-headed nature of these initiatives.
This is because they fail to recognise that an education system that does not encourage participation and provide opportunity to the disadvantaged will fail to fully unleash the potential that is latent and often unrecognised among all those who are excluded or marginalised. They fail to recognise social justice as a performance issue.
The example of Abdul Latif and so many others who have achieved success through education despite humble beginnings prove the point that if you really want a high performance society that can compete and take its place among the world’s best, you need to commit to social justice, educational opportunity for all.
The foundation of a successful society is a commitment to enabling the talent of all its citizens to prosper and manifest.
Educational institutions have a critical role to play in this and the news stories from USM illustrate both the fact that such commitments are alive and well in the Malaysian higher education sector and that the results of providing educational opportunity to all can be quite impressive.