Reshaping the Curriculum for Academy in Factory in Malaysia.

Academy in Factory (AiF) was recently introduced in Malaysia to cater to the talent development and education attainment for a future-ready workforce. Though ideally expected to be an effective initiative, a lack of a strong curriculum framework hinders its implementation. To date the literature on AiF is very limited. It was found that its vague definition and characteristics, non-harmonised interaction between industry and academia, and non-existing curriculum framework are among contributing factors to its ineffective implementation. Thus, this study is aimed at reshaping a curriculum framework that is responsive to its aims and objectives. Building upon an extensive review of literature on AiF, industry-based curriculum, employability and human capital development, and best practices in the international context, the proposed framework is hoped to serve as a reference to improve its current practice.

An analysis of inclusive education practices in East Java Indonesian preschools.

Poor access to quality education among preschool students in Indonesia is a cause for concern. To address this issue, the first step is to identify the current level of inclusive education practises in these institutions. Thus, this study is aimed at identifying the level of inclusivity of Indonesian preschools, particularly in East Java, from the perspective of education practitioners. This study employed a sequential explanatory mix design. A survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were utilised in collecting the data. A total of 277 education practitioners, including principals and teachers at the preschool level, were randomly sampled to answer the questionnaire. As interview respondents, 12 teachers and principals were recruited via purposive sampling. Generally, the findings indicated that community building for inclusive education was found to be at an average level (M = 3.418, SD = 0.323), whereas building inclusive values in preschools was found to be at a high level (M = 4.020, SD = 0.414). In support of this, the findings of the semi-structured interviews suggested that the school community was aware of the differences among students and that respecting each other was generally practised among the school community. However, poor community involvement to support inclusive education was a challenge in most Indonesian preschools. These findings are crucial for stakeholders and policymakers to continue promoting community awareness and supporting inclusive education in these institutions.