The deputy prime minister said innovative teachers were capable of equipping students with new millennium skills such as the ability to think wisely, problem solving and having a high level of creativity.
"In this context, before entering the classroom, an innovative teacher would have studied the curriculum and evaluated the results he or she wishes to achieve," he said in his speech at the national-level Teachers Day 2012 celebration themed "Innovative Teachers Boost National Education Transformation", at Dewan Jubli Perak, here, Wednesday.
Muhyiddin said innovative teachers would not be tied down to a certain method of teaching and learning in the classroom, but would instead think outside the box to find new methodology and approaches that were more effective.
The priority of innovative teachers is ensuring the students are capable of using the knowledge taught in the classroom, not just to succeed in the examinations but to also be able to solve problems faced in the real world.
"Innovative teachers are teachers who can provide a most conducive learning environment and the biggest space for the students to develop wise thinking."
Muhyiddin said teachers with the ability to evaluate the achievements and potential of their students holistically and always taking proactive measures to improve the students' level of excellence in order to be competitive in an increasingly challenging world, were also innovative teachers.
"Innovative teachers are teachers who always think about the future challenges their students will face after they leave school, and whether the knowledge they gained in school can give them the edge in competing in the real world."
Muhyiddin was confident that if all teachers in this country were innovative teachers, the goal of producing human capital that were highly knowledgeable, creative, innovative and skilful could be achieved.
To strengthen the culture of innovativeness in school, the Education and Higher Education ministries were drawing up an Innovative Human Capital Development Action Plan to inculcate a culture of innovativeness and creativity among students, he said.
Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said through this action plan, schools would act as the implementing agencies for a creative teaching and learning process.
"It is hoped that the Innovative Human Capital Development Action Plan will be fully used by teachers as a guideline to achieve the national aspiration of raising competitiveness which is measured by the people's capacity to be innovative."
He said cooperation between the ministry and Malaysia Innovation Agency to enculturate thinking skills through the i-Think programme was also a new approach suitable to be used by teachers to improve mastery among the students.
"This programme is being pioneered by 10 schools and we hope to extend it nationwide to improve the quality of teaching and learning," he added.
At today's celebration, Muhyiddin also presented the National Education Leadership Award to former Education deputy director-general Datuk Omar Mohd Hashim and National Private School Eminent Teacher Award to Datuk Hassan Harun.
Four former educators also received the National Eminent Teacher Award 2012. They are Datuk Ahmad Azmey Abu Talib, Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, Mohd Azman Abdul Rashid and Lim Ia Lee @ Lim Irene.
- BERNAMA
