Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin was born in Taiping Perak’s Asam Kumbang on April 28, 1940. He received his early education in both Taiping and Ipoh before embarking on a teaching career in 1962, during which he was appointed to head Sekolah Menengah Abdul Rahman Talib in Kuantan. He received a BA (Hons) from the University of Malaya in 1966, an MA from Stanford University in 1970, and a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley, the United States of America in 1978. Throughout his career, Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid attended various management courses including at Harvard University Business School (HBS).
In 1978, he began working in the Planning and Research Department at the Ministry of Education, where he was Department Deputy Director until 1980; after which he was Negeri Sembilan Education Director until 1982, and during which he introduced the Blueprint Project – an objective-based management concept which he further strengthened in 1983 as Kelantan State Education Director, with two new concepts: Educability and Empowerment.
Tan Sri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid held the posts of Chief of the Federal Council of Schools Inspector in 1987, Director of Curriculum Development from 1987 to 1990, Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia from 1990 to 1991, and Deputy Director General 1 of Education Malaysia from 1991 to 1992.
Upon taking the reigns as Director General of Education Malaysia on February 27, 1993, he introduced eight core standards to raise quality levels in education, i.e., Unity, Management and Leadership Style, Caring Service, Empowerment, Tracking System, Knowledge Culture, Caring School, and Excellence Culture.
Many concepts that were considered bold and revolutionary at the time were carried out under his administration; among them, Zero Defect and Caring School. Another innovation was the concepts of Master Teacher and Super Principal. Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid also introduced the concept of 'science and mathematics bootcamp' in an effort to ensure 70 percent achievements in those subjects at SPM level. In the year after the introduction, SPM Science and Mathematics recorded a rise to 68.9 percent achievement before exceeding the 70 percent target the year after.
His true grit shone in schools that had previously been deemed underdeveloped. Among these was Sekolah Jalan Bayam, now Sekolah Menengah Ahmad Maher, in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This school emerged Malaysia's best school of SPM 1999, beating all other regularly outstanding schools.
For his enormous contribution to both nation and country, he was awarded the PSM – which carried the title Tan Sri – by the Seri Paduka Baginda the Yang DiPertuan Agong in 1994; as well as the PPT from Negeri Sembilan, the KMN and the PSM (Federational), the PSK (Kelantan), the DMSM (Melaka), the DPMP (Perak), and the SPMT (Terengganu).
While he was at the Ministry of Education, Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid was also appointed to various international roles; among them, consultant for UNICEF's pre-school project and to the Institute of Innovation and Technology in Manila, as well as council member of the Islamic Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Rabat.
Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid remained active in the education arena post-retirement in 1998. He was appointed by UNESCO to be a consultant to the Ministry of Education Saudi Arabia. For his immense contribution to international education, he was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa by the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom. On August 21, 2007, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Education Management from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia.
In 1998, he was appointed to chair the Board of Directors of the PTPL Group of Colleges – the biggest Bumiputera private college in Malaysia – as well as the Senate of Management and Science University (MSU); both institutions of popular choice among students of medicine and surgery, health science, business management, information science, engineering, and professional studies.
Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin also served as Chairman on the Board of Directors to Universiti MARA (UiTM) and corporations such as Guthrie Group Berhad, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB).
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Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin was born in Taiping Perak’s Asam Kumbang on April 28, 1940. He received his early education in both Taiping and Ipoh before embarking on a teaching career in 1962, during which he was appointed to head Sekolah Menengah Abdul Rahman Talib in Kuantan. He received a BA (Hons) from the University of Malaya in 1966, an MA from Stanford University in 1970, and a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley, the United States of America in 1978. Throughout his career, Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid attended various management courses including at Harvard University Business School (HBS).
In 1978, he began working in the Planning and Research Department at the Ministry of Education, where he was Department Deputy Director until 1980; after which he was Negeri Sembilan Education Director until 1982, and during which he introduced the Blueprint Project – an objective-based management concept which he further strengthened in 1983 as Kelantan State Education Director, with two new concepts: Educability and Empowerment.
Tan Sri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid held the posts of Chief of the Federal Council of Schools Inspector in 1987, Director of Curriculum Development from 1987 to 1990, Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia from 1990 to 1991, and Deputy Director General 1 of Education Malaysia from 1991 to 1992.
Upon taking the reigns as Director General of Education Malaysia on February 27, 1993, he introduced eight core standards to raise quality levels in education, i.e., Unity, Management and Leadership Style, Caring Service, Empowerment, Tracking System, Knowledge Culture, Caring School, and Excellence Culture.
Many concepts that were considered bold and revolutionary at the time were carried out under his administration; among them, Zero Defect and Caring School. Another innovation was the concepts of Master Teacher and Super Principal. Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid also introduced the concept of 'science and mathematics bootcamp' in an effort to ensure 70 percent achievements in those subjects at SPM level. In the year after the introduction, SPM Science and Mathematics recorded a rise to 68.9 percent achievement before exceeding the 70 percent target the year after.
His true grit shone in schools that had previously been deemed underdeveloped. Among these was Sekolah Jalan Bayam, now Sekolah Menengah Ahmad Maher, in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This school emerged Malaysia's best school of SPM 1999, beating all other regularly outstanding schools.
For his enormous contribution to both nation and country, he was awarded the PSM – which carried the title Tan Sri – by the Seri Paduka Baginda the Yang DiPertuan Agong in 1994; as well as the PPT from Negeri Sembilan, the KMN and the PSM (Federational), the PSK (Kelantan), the DMSM (Melaka), the DPMP (Perak), and the SPMT (Terengganu).
While he was at the Ministry of Education, Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid was also appointed to various international roles; among them, consultant for UNICEF's pre-school project and to the Institute of Innovation and Technology in Manila, as well as council member of the Islamic Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Rabat.
Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid remained active in the education arena post-retirement in 1998. He was appointed by UNESCO to be a consultant to the Ministry of Education Saudi Arabia. For his immense contribution to international education, he was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa by the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom. On August 21, 2007, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Education Management from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Malaysia.
In 1998, he was appointed to chair the Board of Directors of the PTPL Group of Colleges – the biggest Bumiputera private college in Malaysia – as well as the Senate of Management and Science University (MSU); both institutions of popular choice among students of medicine and surgery, health science, business management, information science, engineering, and professional studies.
Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin also served as Chairman on the Board of Directors to Universiti MARA (UiTM) and corporations such as Guthrie Group Berhad, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB).