NOVEMBER 7 — Like most Malaysians, I echo Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s condemnation of politicians who send their children overseas for high-quality schooling but block progressive educational reforms at home.

As someone who’s been in this particular sector for almost two decades, I can see first-hand how badly we need positive change.

In that vein, I wish to add to the two ideas Syed Saddiq supports, namely, extended classes for core subjects and subsidising the purchase of digital devices for families from the bottom 60 per cent of the income group.

What follows are two ideas which seek not only to improve the present system but to maybe overhaul it as well.

It is very unlikely either of them will be implemented on a large-scale anytime soon; my hope is that individual schools or even departments (who are new to the proposals) will take them to heart and, with some luck, a quiet revolution may begin all over the country.

1. Teach teachers drama

Malaysian schools need Al Pacino. Or, given the hole in our national treasury, perhaps we should fly in Shah Rukh Khan instead.

Whoever it is, we need drama in our schools. Our classrooms are starving for enthusiasm, our students crave a lot more than "lectures” and rote learning.

Worse, our educators tend to look less happy and passionate (and far less motivated) than people working in a Complaints Department.

Every Malaysian who wishes to teach, hence, should be a qualified dramatist as well. Sandiwara is terrible in politics but it can be a boon for the classroom.