SHAH ALAM, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government continues to emphasise the importance of education as a fundamental pillar in building a resilient society, amid concerns over rising crime rates, particularly cases involving violence among family members.
Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the evolving social landscape and pressures of the digital era require educational institutions to play a more comprehensive role in fostering a balance between identity, human values and global connectivity.
“Some individuals tend to become increasingly isolated in a highly digitalised society, creating gaps in understanding, empathy and shared values within social relationships.
“Among the key aspects I wish to stress is the need for us to remain connected in an increasingly interconnected world,” he said in his speech before more than 700 attendees at the exchange of memorandums of understanding in education and the launch of the Form Six Elites Module, held in conjunction with the Selangor Menteri Besar’s breaking-of-fast with the state’s educator community here today.
Amirudin, who is also the state Education Exco, said that failure to achieve such balance could lead to a fragile society, which is more vulnerable to social challenges, including domestic violence and serious crimes, which have raised public concern in recent times.
He said that several recent murder cases involving family members have shown that access to information alone does not guarantee wisdom, emotional maturity or the ability to make ethical judgments.
“We live in a ‘connected world’ where everything is at our fingertips, yet gaps still exist. At the same time, we are increasingly choosing to distance ourselves from one another. Access to information does not necessarily make us wiser or more discerning.
“That is why children must be educated, university students must continue to be nurtured, and the younger generation must be guided through academic, humanistic and life-values-based education. Otherwise, society risks becoming fragile and ill-equipped to face present-day realities, which go beyond expectations and the bounds of logic,” he said.
Commenting on growing anxiety among the younger generation, Amirudin said that changes in thinking patterns, social interactions and lifestyles, driven by social media influence, require a more holistic educational approach, encompassing character development, digital literacy and the strengthening of noble values.
He stressed that education remains the key to progress, unity and the future of the state, and therefore all stakeholders must be mobilised in an integrated manner, to ensure continuous improvement in educational quality for the well-being of the community.
Earlier, Amirudin witnessed the exchange of memoranda of understanding between Yayasan Selangor and TYMBA Education, DHS Hospitality Academy, ATC College, Taleem (M) Sdn Bhd and TPIS Almotahida, aimed at ensuring that existing education curricula and training programmes align with current job market needs and technological developments.
He said that the collaboration has strong potential to provide broader exposure opportunities for students, including greater industry engagement, the expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes, and enhanced career guidance.
-- BERNAMA
