Solution To Education 'Crisis' Can Be Found Within MADANI Concept - Expert

Recent troubling news about students and schools has raised questions about what has gone wrong in the current education system, which is now witnessing moral decay not only outside school grounds but also within its own walls.

Schools, once seen as sanctuaries of learning and guidance dedicated to shaping children into well-rounded and principled future leaders, are now increasingly tainted by disturbing issues such as bullying, sexual assault and violence, some of which have even claimed lives.

What was once considered isolated incidents are now, according to social experts, symptoms of a deeper systemic rot that has long taken root.

Thus, merely taking reactive measures such as punishing offenders is no longer an effective solution. Instead, what is needed now is an approach that can treat the problem systematically. And, according to social science expert Professor Dr Zainal Abidin Sanusi, the Madani concept offers the best solutions to the challenges facing the nation’s schools.

CASES RISING

Statistics from the Ministry of Education show a sharp rise in bullying cases over the past four years. From just 326 cases in 2021, the number surged more than tenfold to 3,887 in 2022, nearly doubled again to 6,528 in 2023, and reached 7,681 cases in 2024.

Even more alarming is that bullying is no longer confined to secondary schools or hostels as primary schools are now also reporting an increase in such incidents. Among the most shocking was the death of a Year Four pupil in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan, believed to have been a victim of bullying.

In another case in Shah Alam, Selangor, a Year One pupil was hospitalised after allegedly being assaulted by two Year Three pupils in the school canteen.

Other disturbing cases include four male students charged with taking turns to rape a female classmate in a classroom in Melaka, and most recently, the horrifying incident of a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbing a 16-year-old girl in a school toilet in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Commenting on the issue, Zainal Abidin, who is also director of the Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), said these incidents reflect the erosion of fundamental values such as love, trust and social responsibility.

“All these aspects are core elements within the Madani concept, which forms the foundation of the Madani government,” the lecturer at IIUM’s Department of Political Science and MADANI Studies said in an interview with Bernama.

The Madani concept, introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, draws inspiration from the governance model of Madinah, where Prophet Muhammad united diverse communities under the Madinah Charter.

The Madani concept is built upon six key pillars, including Well-being, promoting balance between physical and spiritual development; Respect, emphasising human dignity and fundamental rights through mutual respect; and Compassion, nurturing empathy and care in everyday life.

OVERLY ACADEMIC

Zainal Abidin said Malaysia’s education system has been trapped for too long in a purely academic paradigm, neglecting the humanistic and character-building aspects of student development.

“Schools are no longer safe spaces for children to grow as human beings. Instead, they reflect a collapse of values and a flawed system that measures success solely through examination results,” he said.

The idea of ​​MADANI needs to be used as the basis for real educational transformation and not just a slogan.

He explained that such a system pressures students under an exam-centric culture, eroding creativity and empathy in the relentless pursuit of academic excellence. To make matters worse, teachers are increasingly burdened with administrative tasks, diverting their focus from their true calling — to educate and nurture the nation’s children.

“We may be producing intelligent students, but we are failing to cultivate individuals with moral integrity. Schools have become factories for printing certificates rather than gardens for human growth,” he pointed out.

At the same time, he did not dismiss the possibility of a school environment that suppresses “truth”, where honest teachers are labelled as troublemakers and students who report disciplinary issues are blamed instead to protect the school’s image.

MADANI AS FOUNDATION FOR REFORM

To address the moral crisis among students, Zainal Abidin emphasised that the Madani concept must serve as the foundation for genuine educational transformation and not merely as a slogan.

The values ​​of kindness, respect, harmony and well-being need to be institutionalised in school policies, curriculum and culture.

“The Madani approach to education goes beyond ta’lim (teaching) and tarbiyyah (formation); it is about ta’dib — education grounded in adab (courteousness), which integrates knowledge with action. Its focus is on character building, not just producing a workforce,” he said.

He added that the core principles of Madani align with the National Education Philosophy, which emphasises balanced physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual development. It also resonates with UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development, which focuses on the formation of morally upright individuals who are responsible for themselves, society and the environment.

He believes that values such as compassion, respect, harmony and well-being must be institutionalised in educational policies, curricula and school culture through community-based learning, volunteerism and programmes that promote interethnic and interfaith unity.

“When Madani values are embedded within the system, schools will once again become spaces that educate students to be truly human,” he added.

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

However, Zainal Abidin stressed that the implementation of Madani values cannot succeed without reflective and human-centred leadership.

“Educational leadership is not merely about managing crises but interpreting meaning behind every tragedy to foster deeper recovery. It demands strategic wisdom grounded in human empathy,” he said.

The success of MADANI education depends on the synergy of all parties including political leaders, civil servants, teachers, parents and students.

He also called for reform in appointing education leaders, citing Finland as an example where leaders are chosen from among experienced educators, not through political considerations.

“When education is used as a space for influence, the focus shifts from developing people to managing perceptions. Educational leadership must be rooted in merit, integrity and pedagogical understanding,” he said.

MADANI EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE

Zainal Abidin further asserted that the future of Malaysia’s education depends on political courage and institutional will to overcome “bureaupathology” — the bureaucratic disease that stifles change.

Although the Madani concept has been introduced, he believes its implementation remains fragmented and incomplete.

“The public only sees small-scale initiatives like ‘Jualan Rahmah’ or ‘BUDI MADANI’ without understanding the broader philosophy behind them. Therefore, efforts to make Madani the central agenda of national development must be strengthened,” he said.

He added that the success of Madani education depends on synergy among all stakeholders, including political leaders, civil servants, teachers, parents and students.

“School leaders and administrators must translate Madani values into school policies through anti-bullying measures, counselling programmes and community activities. Teachers must embody compassion and trustworthiness in their actions, while parents should model these same values at home.

“Students themselves must recognise their role as bearers of these values, showing respect to others and fostering collective well-being,” he said.

Zainal Abidin also noted that national progress cannot be measured solely through economic indicators or technological advancements.

“Without a foundation of human values, a nation becomes fragile in the face of social crises, racial division and identity loss,” he said, expressing confidence that the Madani concept offers a comprehensive framework to fill that void by placing compassion, harmony and well-being at the heart of nation-building and the development of future generations, if implemented with genuine commitment.