PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Harapan Education Committee has called for the special parliamentary sitting next week to include presentations by the Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry as part of the agenda.

       The committee said it was disappointed that the parliamentary secretary’s notice of the five-day special meeting agenda does not include any presentation or debate related to the education system's situation.

       “This sitting is very important for the rakyat, through their MPs, to know the government’s plans concerning education and the plans that have been drafted by the ministries.

       “The committee believes the education issue in the country, during the Covid-19 pandemic, has the same importance as health, security and economic issues, and must be brought up in this special sitting,” the committee said in a statement on Wednesday (July 21).

       The statement was signed by former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik, former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Tampin MP Datuk Dr Hasan Bahrom, Sekijang MP Natrah Ismail, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, and Tangga Batu MP Rusnah Aluai.

       The committee urged the government to include the ministries as part of the parliamentary sitting’s agenda, and for MPs to be given the opportunity to ask, debate and give their views on their proposals.

       “The committee stresses that... (the ministries are) seen to have lost direction in handling the education system in the country. Without the presentation by these two ministries in the special sitting, it will only solidify these views,” it said.

       On July 5, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Parliament will reconvene for five days from July 26 while the Dewan Negara will sit for three days from Aug 3.