I REFER to “A case of content vs profile” by Prof Dr Yang Farina Abdul Aziz of UKM (The Star, Jan, 29).

I concur and totally agree with the writer that our lecturers and academicians no longer dwell in ivory towers, and that their performance and achievements are constantly bench-marked against the world’s best.

The writer has aptly admitted the need for our institutions of higher learning to be accountable to the taxpayers.

In its drive to fulfil the target of 70% PhD holders among lecturers across local government-funded universities, the Higher Education Ministry has been aggressively sending lecturers overseas to pursue their PhDs.

These lecturers need to fulfil only two general conditions – obtaining a band of 6.5 in the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) conducted by the British Council and be offered a place by a foreign university.

Nevertheless, the ministry is not spending taxpayers’ money wisely in sending many of these lecturers overseas. The ministry spends at least RM500,000 to send a lecturer to do his/her PhD overseas.

First, from past records, many lecturers sent overseas return without a PhD. As such, the lecturers must prove their academic competency before they are funded by taxpayers’ money to go overseas.

They must have published at least one journal article in English on their own accord, and not on an “Ali Baba” basis.

Second, it is a fact that almost all of these lecturers find themselves a job (or even jobs) while studying despite the increase in their cost of living allowance.

I know of a few lecturers who are currently working in the UK, some part-time and some full-time. They told me that it is perfectly fine to not complete their studies within the stipulated three-year period as the ministry would surely grant them a full-salary, six-month extension as well as subsequent extensions.

On the converse, self-funded PhD candidates will try to complete their studies within the shortest time possible.

Third, why must the ministry send so many of these lecturers overseas when they can pursue similar courses at our local higher institutions at a fraction of the cost?

The current scenario is dismal where substandard local universities grant double awards – giving the PhD students a full scholarship on full salary and then a double bonus, e.g. a three-fold increment in their salary and a promotion from DS45 to DS52 – without even considering whether or not these lecturers possess that “mutu istimewa” (special quality) as stipulated in the promotion circular.

It is an irony that despite the “40-years-old ruling”, our universities are still sending academic staff who have already passed the age limit to pursue their studies locally or overseas on full scholarships with full pay.

Stop the rhetoric of ‘internal breeding’ as an excuse to send lecturers elsewhere for a PhD. They can always do a PhD in their respective universities under the supervision of an academically capable supervisor.

The Ministry should monitor these ‘privileged lecturers’ while they are overseas to ensure that they fully concentrate on their studies. If they are unable to complete their studies within the three-year period, direct them to return and not waste taxpayers’ money anymore.

ACCOUNTABLE,

Manchester, UK.

Source: The Star – January 30, 2008