Isu dan Hala Tuju Pendidikan Ekonomi Universiti di Malaysia

Abstract

Economics education in Malaysian universities ought to address in a balanced manner three fundamental functions - career; scholarly, and the development of the mind. Market signals indicate that economics discipline per se has not been able to satisfy all the needs of the economics profession. It needs to be complemented with knowledge and skills from related disciplines, particularly business management and quantitative techniques. Nevertheless, economics should continue to be taught as a programme in universities to cater to the specific demand for knowledge and expertise in economics. A balanced approach towards economics education necessitates a thorough review of its fundamental aims and the epistemology of economics. In this regard, the teaching of economics has to incorporate more local realities while simultaneously addressing the changing global economic scenario as well as the paradigm shifts affecting economic development philosophy. Some conventional economic theories might be inappropriate to explain local complexities and the on-going changes. Understanding these intricacies will help economics graduates to grasp the strengths and weaknesses of the methods of economics while advancing the understanding of Malaysian economic realities.

Key words: economics education, scholastic function, epistemology of economics, development paradigm shift, globalisation

ABSTRAK

Pendidikan ekonomi universiti di Malaysia perlu menangani secara seimbang tiga fungsi utama, iaitu fungsi kerjaya, fungsi kesarjanaan dan fungsi pengembangan minda. Petunjuk pasaran memberi gambaran bahawa disiplin ekonomi kurang berupaya memenuhi kesemua keperluan kerjaya dan perlu dilengkapkan dengan ilmu dan kemahiran daripada disiplin lain, khususnya kuruns perniagaan dan teknik kuantitatif. Walaupun begitu, ekonomi harus dikekalkan sebagai satu program di universiti memandangkan wujudnya keperluan khusus untuk ilmu dan kemahiran ekonomi. Justeru, ketiga-tiga fungsi asas pendidikan ekonomi perlu diimbangi dan untuk itu, penelitian semula matlamat asas dan epistemologi ilmu ekonomi diperlukan. Diteliti daripada perspektif ini, pendidikan ekonomi seharusnya meningkatkan penerapan realiti setempat dengan mengambil kira realiti perubahan corak ekonomi global serta anjakan falsafah pembangunan ekonomi itu sendiri. Sebahagian teori ekonomi mungkin tidak sesuai untuk menghuraikan realiti setempat dan perubahan yang berlaku. Para pelajar perlu didedahkan kepada keterbatasan teori serta kaedah pengaplikasiannya. Dengan cara ini lulusan ekonomi diharapkan akan lebih berupaya untuk menghayati kekuatan dan kelemahan kaedah ekonomi di samping meningkatkan kefahaman mereka tentang realiti ekonomi Malaysia.

Kata kunci: pendidikan ekonomi, fungsi kesarjanaan, epistemologi ekonomi, perubahan paradigma pembangunan, globalisasi