KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has acknowledged the issue raised by Bagan MP, Lim Guan Eng, concerning the recent visit by the Afghanistan Education delegation to the MoE, as reported in the media.
It said the visit programme for the Afghanistan Education Ministry delegation was conducted based on the guidance and advice of the Foreign Ministry.
It also received support services from other relevant ministries and agencies for security screening and continuous monitoring until the programme concluded.
"This visit is an effort to support Malaysia's foreign policy direction towards Afghanistan, with the Malaysian Government ready to provide assistance in terms of capacity development in the fields of health and humanitarian efforts, which will contribute to the social progress of the country," it said in a statement,
Through this visit, the MoE delivered a presentation that provided a comprehensive overview of the national education system, including education for girls and women in Malaysia.
"We showcased an inclusive education system with a focus on increasing access and equity across socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, and geography. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, including eliminating gender disparities and ensuring equal and inclusive access at all education levels," it said.
"Additionally, this visit exposed the Afghanistan delegation to seeing and understanding the best education models in a respected modern Islamic country at an international level," it added.
The Afghanistan delegation also expressed their intention to make Malaysia a reference for best practices in developing their educational policies, particularly in curriculum development, teacher training and development, and educational technology.
"The MoE's commitment aligns with the statement made by the Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, last year, who expressed readiness to enhance cooperation with Afghanistan. At the same time, education rights cannot be denied.
"Therefore, Malaysia is committed to and fully supports the right to education for women and access to education for girls," it said.