KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he already has ideas on how to improve the education system in the country.

Having been appointed as acting Education Minister hardly two weeks ago, Dr Mahathir said he was still in the process of attending briefings by the Education Ministry to understand its functions and responsibilities.

"We find there are many things that need to be reviewed, (to see)  whether  they are good or not.

"We also find that people normally make comments and we will take into consideration their comments and decide if we need to make changes or not,” he told reporters after attending a Bank Rakyat conversation session with the Prime Minister here today.

Dr Mahathir was appointed the acting Education Minister effective last Jan 3 following Dr Maszlee Malik’s resignation from the post .

Dr Mahathir said the aim of the Education Ministry is to educate students so that they could live a perfect life.

"Our aim is to educate children so that when they grow up, they can live a good life, able to earn a living, become a productive person and not one who is solely dependent on assistance,” he added.

On a request by the from National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) for the government to consider adding Influenza A to the list of infectious diseases that requires quarantine leave,  Dr Mahathir said he would think about it.

The prime minister said he was also studying on the call for the government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC). — Reuters