KUALA LUMPUR: There must be a balance between formal and informal education in order to produce good future leaders, said the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He was addressing the importance of institute of higher learning students who should place equal focus on informal education apart from their achievements on formal education.
"If you look at the successful leaders today, they are all-rounders in both formal and informal education. "For most leaders, it is not all about achieving first class honours, but while on campus there is a balance between academic and being active in university student affairs," said Ahmad Zahid at the Students Parliament 2017 appreciation dinner, here, tonight.
He added that such exposure is needed for varsity students to know what reality is like out there.
"We cannot live within the realm of idealism only, varsity students must know what is out there beyond their campus lives.
"The reality out there is not as beautiful as it may seem," he said.
Ahmad Zahid added that he is impressed with the students performances who participated in this round's student Parliament debates.
"I am impressed at the contents that have been debated by the students.
"I would say that some of you have better debate attitudes compared to some of the existing MPs.
"I'm not surprised that some of you may take the place of the deputy prime minister and maybe before 2050, some of you would take over the higher education minister's position," he said.
Noting that the general election is drawing nearer, Ahmad Zahid said that there could be possible candidates that could be drawn from the participants of this batch's Student Parliament.
This year, 212 students from 20 public and private institutions of higher learning would attend the sitting, which is the third in its series, to share their views, including on efforts to improve the status of local universities.
The two-day Students Parliament sitting took place at the Parliament Building on July 18 also served as a platform for varsity students to debate and voice out their opinions and aspirations on the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) initiative.