Tan Sri Johari Bin Mat, PhD
Born in Malacca, Malaysia, Dr. Johari has been the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia since September 1994. His academic qualifications include a B.A.(Hon.) University of Malaya (1968), a diploma in Training Techniques from the Royal Institute of Public Administration, London (1971), MPA, UCLA (1976), Ph.D., USCLA (1979), and a diploma from the Advanced Management Program, Harvard University (1997).

He has also held other senior management positions with the Malaysian public service, including Secretary General, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, and Secretary General, Ministry of National Unity and Social Development. He has been Director of the National Institute of Public Administration, and Director for Klang Valley Planning in the Prime Minister’s Department. He is a Senior officer of the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service, and a Corporate Member of the Malaysian Institute of Planners.

Some of his recent activities are: Chairman, Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization High Officials Meeting (1995–1996 and 2000–2001); Guest Professor on Public Administration, University Technology Malaysia; Vice President, Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO; Adviser, Governing Board, Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada, since 1997; Chairman, ASEAN Special Committee on Education (1996–1998); President, Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Service Association (1996–1998); Co-Chairman, Inter Governmental Joint Working Group on Education with Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia and New Zealand; Management Board Member of Malaysian Public and Private Universities, namely University of Malaya, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Multimedia University (MMU), University Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), University Putra Malaysia, University Technology Malaysia, University Utara Malaysia and International Islamic University Malaysia.

Dr. Johari’s particular areas of expertise are Public Administration and Comparative Government; Development and Politics of South East Asia; Organization Analysis and Development; Management and Reforms of Higher Education; Urban and Regional Development Planning. He has had wide ranging involvement in academic and international activities at both the official and personal levels. Starting in late 1970s and during the 1980s he was researcher, seminar participant and consultant to APDC (Asia Pacific Development Center), UNCRD (United Nations Center for Regional Development, Nagoya, Japan), East West Center, Hawaii, USA, and UNESCO.

Dr Johari’s experience during challenging and eventful years as Director General of Education is especially valuable to Learning Wise as we begin our first operations in Malaysia. In 1996 and 1997 six new Acts of parliament were approved. A number of strategic policies in areas of science and technical education, teacher training, private higher education, encouragement of foreign students to Malaysia, new infrastructure projects and teachers welfare schemes were introduced. The last two years also saw the establishment of four new public universities and 3 new private universities in Malaysia, along with numerous private sector colleges. New bilateral international relationships have also been established between counterpart Ministries of Education of Malaysia and Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Canada and China. Although he has not had a typical academic career, his positions in the National Institute of Public Administration and in the Ministry of Education provided him with substantial experience in teaching and research, with many publications.

Dr. Johari has also taken on leadership roles in a number of social and non-governmental associations and organizations. In the late 1980s he was the Secretary of the Malaysian Red Crescent Building Committee; for many years he was a committee member of the Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Services Association and was the President of this important professional Association during 1996 – 1998. He is currently the Chairman of Koperasi Setia Sdn. Bhd., a cooperative society for senior civil servants in Malaysia. He is currently serving as Advisor to the ‘Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation’ whose main caring activities are hospice services to the terminally ill and the training of volunteers.

He has received major honors in his country, including the PSM (Panglima Setia Mahkota) by His Majesty The Yang Di Pertuan Agong, the King of Malaysia which carries the title “Tan Sri”, and the DMSM (Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka) by the state of Melaka which carries the title “Datuk”.