The National Union of Teaching Professions has expressed sadness on Education Minister Maszlee Malik’s decision to resign.

NUTP president Aminuddin Awang (photo, above) said Maszlee had rolled out several initiatives to improve the education system, including efforts to restore dilapidated schools, reduce corruption, and to introduce a free breakfast programme.

“The NUTP has seen his diligence as an academician to fix and improve our nation’s education system with its five million students, 450,000 teachers, and 150,000 support staff under the Education Ministry (…)

“Unfortunately, our country’s (future) is determined by its political direction and not true education,” he said.

Moving forward, he said there are still several issues at schools that need to be resolved, and urged Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to consider those matters.

He said teachers are still burdened by "irrelevant" work, and Maszlee’s resignation would hamper the transition of technical and vocational training institutes towards being industry-led.

In addition, he said there is still much work to be done to ensure education is accessible to all, particularly people with disabilities.

Meanwhile, in an immediate response to Maszlee’s resignation, National Higher Education Fund Corporation chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Maszlee’s contributions would not be forgotten.

“It is a huge and challenging responsibility to whoever entrusted with it. I am confident his legacy as education minister will not be forgotten.

On Instagram, Maszlee finds sympathy from former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who described Maszlee’s decision to resign as "harsh".

“You had the toughest portfolio in the government, and it’s impossible to see drastic changes in less than two years. I can think of a dozen other ministers who deserve to go.

“I heard you were well-liked by the teachers and introduced many meaningful reforms.

“I wish you well, Maszlee. The wheel of fortune is always turning. Chin up,” he said.

As for Johor Umno Youth chief Mohd Hairi Mad Shah, he said Maszlee had made the right decision to resign before making the nation’s education system any worse.

“Maszlee’s failure to manage and stand firm on the Jawi issue, and the free breakfast program, has caused much controversy.

“Maszlee also appeared weak in handling the nation’s education policy and often yielded to pressure from DAP,” he said.

He urged that Maszlee not only relinquish his post as education minister but also as the Simpang Renggam MP.

The NGO Gerakan Pembela Ummah, meanwhile, said Maszlee should have resigned earlier.

“He has failed on many issues such as strengthening Islamic and National Language education, assistance for people’s religious schools and failed to resist pressure from Dong Zong and DAP on issues such as the United Examination Certificate, the "communist comic" and the Jawi issue until the prime minister had to defend the government’s education policies.

“He is also immature on many issues such as the ridiculous idea of black shoes, swimming lessons in hotels and so on, as well as Malaysia’s fall in Programme for International Student Assessment science and mathematics rankings,” said Ummah deputy chairperson Mohd Zai Mustafa.