Unlocking Digital Secrets: Why WordPress Is A Hidden Gem In Malaysia Education System? 🚀 ServerFreak

WordPress is a widely used open-source content management system (CMS) in the world. Unfortunately, we seldom see WordPress is introduced to the primary school, secondary school, or tertiary school. If a primary school wish to reach out to their parent audience, teachers usually will opt to use BlogSpot, Google group site, or Wix to create a simple website with information in it. This type of site is easy to set up but not search engine friendly. Usually, parents need to get the unique website link through school teachers. More often, some links are broken or not well maintained. This article wishes to focus on Malaysia Education system and incorporate WordPress into the education system that is suitable for all ages.

Malaysia Education Blueprint (MBE) 2013 – 2025

Figure 1 MEB. Image Credit: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nor-Sadon/publication/290495530/figure/fig2/AS:330122503704588@1455718746924/Figure-2-10-Shifts-in-the-Malaysian-Education-Blueprint-Ministry-of-Education-Malaysia.png

Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) 2013 – 2025 aims to provide an inclusive, high-quality education system that prepared students for the 21^st century’s challenges [1]. The blueprint outlines 6 students’ aspirations on:

Knowledge
Bilingual proficiency
Thinking skills
Ethics and spirituality
Leadership skills
National identity

Assessment Framework in Malaysia

Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia has introduced school- based assessment (PBS) and Psychometric Assessment and Physics, Sports, and Co-curriculum Activities Assessment (PAJSK) since 2013 [1]. MOE is following the MEB plan and abolished UPSR, PMR and PT3 around year 2022 [2]. However, PAJSK has been maintained and used as a merit-based system for students to further enrol into secondary school or tertiary education [3, 4]. While, the government agency, Malaysian Quality Assurance(MQA) under Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) introduced outcome-based education (OBE) framework since 15 January 2015 [5].

PAJSK Merit System

Varied organisers or publishers will propose learning opportunities or competitions with varied PAJSK merit standards so that students can have a higher chance of becoming well-rounded, rather than merely focused on academics.

Figure 3 Score based on competition level. Image Credit: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/pptpajsk-140916213745-phpapp02/95/pentaksiran-aktiviti-jasmani-sukan-dan-kokurikulum-pajsk-26-638.jpg?cb=1410903573

For instances, International Invention, Innovation and Design 2023 (i3dc) 2023 has organised competition for different age group.

Since the tournament has been approved by MOE, each participant will gain 16 points just for taking part. Students acquire presentation abilities through video editing, coding, and robotics in the meanwhile. Even if no prize is won, students are still pleased to participate in the competition. The additional information obtained from the competition and is used to prepare for the future.

How can WordPress integrate into PAJSK?

1) Workshop during WordCamp Malaysia

Figure 5 image credit: https://mdec.my/static/images/mydigitalmaker/achievement/all-mdm-mdm-logo.png

Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC) organised My Digital Marker annually since August 2016. Different workshops on web programming or 2D animation was organised for students and teachers. WordPress Community can cooperate with MDEC and introduced WordPress as a fundamental of web programming or digital literacy.

2) Competition during WordCamp Malaysia

WordPress web design competition or writing competition are very suitable for primary school and secondar school students. PhP and web programming languages are introduced to secondary technical students or Chinese independent school Form 4 students. Web Design competition will be a great opportunity to let students to show case their skills.

Primary school students are more focus on language proficiency. Rather than asking students is play prank or act differently through YouTube shorts, Instagram reels and TikTok, writing competition can help to enhance their writing skills and explore the computing skills.

How can WordPress integrate into Tertiary Education?

Higher education institute provide programmes based on MQA ‘s program standard. Most of the higher education will introduce Python as the fundamental coding language. PhP and JS language are often taught in campus. Additionally, Next JS, typescript, Laravel or different JS framework is learned by students too. WordPress meetup and WordCamp Malaysia is a major event for students to learn the CMS. To add on, to host the website, server side or web hosting can be introduced to the students. Industry players often feedback that final year projects of students are locally hosted or hosted temporary on cloud computing. A budget friendly web hosting can be introduced to students to further enhance their server handling skills.

WordPress Meetup is a particularly good meet up event to meet with someone like minded. However, based on the past JB WordPress meetup experience, tertiary education students seldom attend physically. Mostly are entrepreneurs, programmer or freelancers are attending the events. Although I have introduced some WordPress workshop with the minimum commitment fee (EG: RM10), students prefer to spend their free time working part-time as online tutor or restaurant waiter. Some students just laid back and become potato coach, sticking to their mobile game. The generation gap between Gen Millenium and me are very wide. Additionally, I have no data on other state’s students’ engagement with WordPress meet up.

How can WordPress integrate into Continuing Professional Development (CPD) ?

Figure 6 Image credit: https://www.nationaltrainingweek.gov.my/img/ntw_logo.1b63af9e.png

HRCorp organised National Training Week around May or June annually since year 2023. The objective is to enable Malaysians to play an active role in advancing the nation’s growth and well-being, emphasing lifelong learning culture. Any individual, company or organiser are allowed to provide training through their platform. WordPress Community can use the hour of code concept to introduce WordPress to Malaysians.

Conclusions

CMS is considered as a matured technology where less researchers are looking to enhance or further explore on it. However, Automattic has the effort to incorporate or evolve the CMS from distinct perspective. Popular language framework like JS is introduced and integrated into it. AI automations are adapting and adopting into WordPress too. To conclude, WordPress is truly a hidden gem should be further explored by Malaysians and any users from the world.