posted 27-04-2001 08:58 PM            

The Community here needs urgent solutions to educational needs for the kids - whatever form of Malaysian education.

Should the Vision School be politically debated - and even derailed - while our kids keep growing up in a hyper-competitive world of K-Economy?

One thing is for sure, we are gaps behind the First World. And time is lost due to too much politicking - no matter which side one is on. Sigh!

Is such argument produced below still relevant? Looking forward to some intellectual discussion.

JEFF OOI
jeffooi@usj.com.my

* * *

Media Statement by DAP National Chairman Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on
Thursday, April 26, 2001:

Cancel Vision School for Subang Jaya

MCA Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Hon Choon Kim said yesterday that the
Cabinet yesterday has agreed that a Chinese new primary school would be
built in Johore Jaya in substitution of the original Vision School.

This should be good news except for the following five considerations:

Firstly, can Hon be trusted or could yesterday's Cabinet decision be
overturned like the Cabinet decision of February 21, 2001 that new Chinese
primary schools would be built according to "need" under the Eighth Malaysia
Plan which led the former MCA Minister and now MCA Secretary-General and
Central Education Bureau chief, Datuk Dr. Ting Chew Peh to publicly hail
it as a "historic breakthrough for the future of Chinese education" in
Malaysia! Hon should clarify as to when and why the Cabinet revoked the
February 21 decision to build new Chinese primary schools according to need
under the Eighth Malaysia Plan - and why there were no objections from MCA
Ministers.

Secondly, did the MCA Ministers raise in Cabinet yesterday the proposal to
delete the reference to Vision School Concept in the Eighth Malaysia Plan
(Para 4.102 - page 122) until there is full consultation and agreement of
all communities by way of a formal amendment of the document in Parliament?

Thirdly, did the MCA Ministers secure Cabinet agreement that out of the 200
single-session new schools to be built under the RM3 billion economic
stimulus package announced by the Prime Minister on March 27, at least ten
per cent or 20 of them will be new Chinese primary schools?

Fourthly, did the MCA Ministers raise in Cabinet the New Deal for
Mother-Tongue Education under the Eighth Malaysia Plan with the target to
build 250 new Chinese primary schools for the next five years to meet
increasing demand for Chinese primary school places by all Malaysians
regardless of race - as there are now 70,000 non-Chinese pupils studying in
Chinese primary schools in the country.

Fifthly, will MCA Ministers ask the Cabinet next week to cancel the Vision
School concept for Subang Jaya and build instead a new Chinese primary
school in Subang Jaya?

- Lim Kit Siang -

posted 01-05-2001 12:16 PM         

In my opinion, the only way for racial
integration is to go back to our old education system ie. english or at least
science and mathematics are taught in english so that we can compete in the K-economy. Students in the best classes should be selected based on their grades and NOT their race. The other criteria is to have devoted teachers and disciplined teachers that do their job well such as those found in chinese schools. Furthermore, the canteen there should also be sensitive to the feelings of ALL races, such as no pork AND no beef. (and not just catering to a single race). One more criteria is to stop imposing
one's religious beliefs on other races.

It is totally naive to think that a single
education system will promote racial integration. A good example is in indonesia
where there are still racial riots even though chinese there do not receive
education in their mother tongue. Another
example can be found in the united states
but to a lesser degree.

I remember my secondary school days in
victoria institution where science and mathematics were taught in english which helped greatly in my transition to overseas university studies. Students of all races
could speak and mix freely with a common language that is economically and globally useful.

Anyone who has gone to some of MPH bookstores, know that the "customer service
officers" cannot even string a simple sentence of english and yet they are in a company that sells ENGLISH books. I have tried to converse in english several times to them and it drew blank faces.

Unless the national schools realized AND
accept their deficiencies, chinese school
will always be in high demand !!!! not some
naive "vision" schools.

posted 02-05-2001 08:59 AM            

This is my personal account in the 80's. I was broke and payday is half a month away. There is this bloke called Yassin Hamid. He had about RM120 to live through two weekends. But he loaned me everything except to keep 30 bucks to buy his fiancee lunch.

We barely knew each other for more than a year. But there was this brotherly trust. It may have been the professional ties for we admire each other's work producing TV scripts. But look, nobody forced "national unity" (big word uhh!) down our throat. Give us the freedom to know each other, and it's there!

That's the kind of bonding we had 20 years ago, not now. We saw - and still see - Malaysians beyond the colours. It's the politicos who are myopic.

posted 02-05-2001 11:29 PM            

Vision school or any school for that matter, should be about formal education but we should also take the opportunity to CONCIOUSLY use it to improve on racial integration.

Yes, I agree, it should not be centred on a one-race view of the society. I was educated in a convent school. Although our headmistress was a Catholic nuin, she instilled in us respect for each other race AND religion. We did not need government programs with big sounding names to drill us to integrate. We saw each other as a member of the human race. We saw past the ethnicity. During assembly, we sang songs in praise of God - no mention of which religion. This taught us above the love of our own God. I remember when a student passed away. The whole school came out to pray, led by the religious group for which the student belonged to. Students of the other religions joined in the prayers without any conflict.
Yes, we all prayed together.

As a mother of young kids, let me tell you that young kids cannot see the physical difference between races. We, the adults taught them how to do it. If you ask a kid whether their friend is a <insert a race here>, they cannot tell you.

In other words, we, the adults have to change our own ways and the way we bring up our kids. (applies to both parents, and teachers) If we can do that, there's no need for government intervention with political-career-boosting programs. By the time, the kids go into Standard 1, it's too late. They are already on that downhill path.

posted 25-05-2002 10:00 AM            

From the Chinese press
Encouraging response to first Vision School project

CONTRARY to initial public scepticism, the Tun Tan Cheng Loke national type Chinese primary school, the country’s first Chinese school set up under the Vision School concept, has received encouraging support from parents in the neighbourhood.

A visit by Nanyang Siang Pau to the school, housed in the Vision School complex in USJ Section 15, Subang Jaya, showed that more than 180 pupils were enrolled in the school.

Of the 180 pupils enrolled, according to the daily, 80 were registered for Year One next year and 100 for Years Two and Three.

The majority of the 80 Year One pupils are from Subang Jaya, while 100 Year Two and Three pupils have been granted transfer to the school from their present schools in Puchong, Sungai Way and Subang Jaya.

The school is scheduled to begin classes for the 100 Year Two and Three pupils from June 5.

The USJ Section 15 complex also houses the Datuk Jafaar Onn National Primary School and Tun Sambantan national type Tamil primary school.

Subang Jaya state assemblyman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng who is also the chairman of the school’s board of governors told Nanyang that encouraging public response had prompted the school to adopt the “first come first serve’’ intake policy instead of the usual practice of “local residents first".

Lee said that there were only 40 places left for next year’s Year One and urged parents to make haste if they wished to enrol their children in the school.

In order to clear public misconception about the Vision School, Lee said the authorities made it a matter of policy that the school would only accept those who voluntarily sought admission there.

Lee, according to the daily, expected more Years Two and Three pupils from the schools in the vicinity to ask for transfer to the school in the next week or so before classes began next month.

The three primary schools in the USJ Vision School complex, according to Nanyang, shared a common assembly hall, playground and canteen.

Lee told the daily that the three schools in the complex were free to decide the activities they could have together and activities they would like to hold separately.

The Vision School is a government project to foster racial unity by having a Malay school, a Chinese school and a Tamil school housed in the same complex to provide opportunities for interactions among schoolchildren of the three races.

posted 30-05-2002 01:55 PM            

LC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------
From Malaysiakini

Education policies to blame for segregation

Kong Zi
6:26pm Fri Apr 5th, 2002

Now I refer to the article 04040015132.php> "Student segregation issue a bonus for vision school concept: Umno" in which Perlis Umno information chief Abu Bakar Ismail mentioned a few very interesting ideas that I can't help but rephrase it here again.

> "The findings of the independent committee on student segregation have
> further proven that the concept of vision school will help foster national
>

The first sentence itself is a major mistake, since the findings of the
independent committee indicated there was no student segregation (hence the
apology from NUTP's secretary-general, Siva Subramaniam). If "no segregation"
is the outcome of the findings, how did Abu Bakar come to the conclusion that
vision school will help? Unless he agrees that there is segregation?

> "According to the committee's summary report, there is a wide gap between
> the percentage of Malay and non-Malay students in national schools, and
> this could only be corrected through the implementation of the vision
>

Everyone knows that for a solution to be viable, we must first find the
cause. The above statement by Abu Bakar says that, "this could only be
corrected" without pointing out the cause and explaining why it is the only
way.
Let's examine the real reasons for the so-called "gap". Non-Malay Malaysians
learned while in schools that they are treated differently from their Malay
counterparts. They know they have to study harder for entry into a local
university and that certain courses are out of their reach.
They're told that they're not eligible for this and that scholarships. And
they'll be told not to be too smart. Of course, there are much more "they'll
be told not to do this and that" which I'll refrain from discussing here.
So, for once, before implementing any policy, try to think what exactly is
the root cause of the problem and who are guilty for creating it in the first
place.

> "As Malaysians, we should be prepared to fight for it. The non-Malay
> organisations should not oppose the vision school concept before studying
> the real reasons behind it which is to instill the importance of national
>

It seems Abu Bakar is the one who is really missing the real reasons behind
it. The real reasons, as I have discussed above, is not just the word "unity"
but rather the reasons behind the "unity". The word has become meaningless
for many of us because it has been overused and exploited by many parties for
many years.

It is used to silence dissenting voice. Those who hold different opinions are
accused of being “not in unity". But consider this: civilisation advances
because of creativity, and creativity stems from mind that dares to differ.
If we had one mind and no variation, then our outcome will be pretty much
like The Borg in Star Trek. Of course, there is time when we should work as
one too. But for the rest, we should appreciate diversity.

> "The main function of this council is to discuss issues related to education
> and find amicable remedies collectively. This would help prevent any
> education issue from being blown out of proportion and cause unnecessary
>

Abu Bakar should define what has been "blown out of proportion"? Whenever
someone points out a mistake and calls for an investigation into the folly,
it is "blown out of proportion". The only thing that seems to be blown out of
proportion, I think, is the pride of the Education Ministry.

He should also define what is "unnecessary problems"? The segregation issue
is critical to the nation's unity and education is of utmost importance to
the country's future. I'm glad that at least the problem is disclosed to the
public and investigated. Why should this all-important issue be kept from the
public? Afraid of public distress?

The public is more resilient than that. On the contrary, the only thing that
could make them go awry is keeping information from them and letting them
discover it when it is way too late to repair the damage.

posted 30-05-2002 06:09 PM            

As I, and many others, have said in the past, kids are innocent of the reality behind the differences in our skin colour. An it is the duty of us adults to preserve such purity.

We have heard, and continue to hear, stories about racial polarisation in public universities. It is very hard to recondition the minds of young adults who have opinions deeply entrenched in their lives. So, is starting a racial integration programme at childhood level a noble thing to do?

I stand by the premise that if kids are best left to be oblivion of their racial differences. There must be only one race, not only for the kids, but for us all too. Taking the example of what is happening at institutions of higher learning, do we want the young to dawn in the revelation that Malays, Chinese and Indians are not necessary, so to speak, of the same species? Will the Vision school concept provide the platform for the kids to raise questions on ethnicity?

I observe in many national type primary schools that the little children of all races sit in one classroom, learn the same stuff, play the same games, eat the same food, all together, totally oblivious of their racial differences. And I am very happy for that.

Unfortunately, our political framework is undoing the good of such beauty. Do we really need to have UMNO for Malays, MCA for Chinese and MIC for Indians? Won't a BN for Malaysians be a better formula for racial integration?

Looking deeper, elected representatives are supposed to speak for their constituents. But if politicians present themselves being there to champions the cause of their race, won't that mean that they are shortchanging those of a different race who had a share in electing them into power? We all know that representing constituents and representing a racial community are not always compatible functions. Isn't that why we have half baked politicians around - tongue tied followers who fear the loss of position and power should they speak their hearts out?

And in this game, the very reason why Vision Schools are supposedly required is defeated. For the machinery is built on racial differentiation. Day in and day out, pages after pages of the media, we hear and read of Malays and Chinese and Indians. We are constantly reinforcing the fact that we are not prepared for one Malaysian race.

Yes, we must have a starting point. But unless we adults mature and break out of our multi coloured shells, we will continue to debate the same argument generations down the line, Vision schools or not.

posted 31-05-2002 06:44 PM            

Oleh BH Ng

Isu Sekolah Wawasan yang nampaknya pendam untuk
seketika kini menjadi buah mulut masyarakat Cina
selepas penduduk-penduduk USJ dan Subang Jaya menolak
pembentukan sekolah tersebut.

Kontroversi isu itu sehinga kini masih menimbulkan
kekeliruan orang ramai. Ramai yang rasa hairan kenapa
pergerakan pendidikan Cina, Dong Jiao Zong begitu
tegas membantah Sekolah Wawasan, sehinggakan mereka
dilemparkan gelaran-gelaran seperti ¡°chauvinis¡± dan
¡°extremis¡± dalam perjuangan itu.

Dong Jiao Zong, terdiri daripada Persekutuan Persatuan
Lembaga-lembaga Pengurus Sekolah-sekolah Cina Malaysia
(Dong Zong) dan Gabungan Persatuan Guru-guru Sekolah
Cina Malaysia (Jiao Zong).

Sebenarnya bukan mudah untuk memahami kebimbangan
kami. Isu ini terpaksa dilihat dari sudut sejarah
pergerakan pendidikan bahasa ibunda, kelakuan dan
sikap kerajaan serta falsafah pendidikan negara
kita,¡± kata Ketua Eksekutif Dong Zong, Bock Tai Hee.

Sekolah Wawasan dikatakan berkonsepkan sekolah rendah
yang mempunyai dua atau tiga buah sekolah rendah, yang
berlainan aliran dan ditempatkan di sebuah kawasan
yang sama. Sekolah-sekolah rendah itu disambung dengan
menggunakan jambatan penghubung dan berkongsi
kemudahan.

Matlamatnya ¡ª mengikut Kementerian Pendidikan ¡ª
adalah untuk mewujudkan perpaduan di kalangan
murid-murid yang berbagai bangsa, agama dan latar
belakang, serta menggalakkan integrasi antara pelajar.

Walau bagaimanapun, interpretasi Dong Jiao Zong
berlainan sama sekali. Dong Jiao Zong membantah konsep
¡°di bawah satu bumbung¡± Sekolah Wawasan, tetapi
bersetuju dengan matlamat perpaduannya. Dong Jiao Zong
berpendapat, perpaduan boleh dicapai melalui cara-cara
lain tetapi bukan melalui Sekolah Wawasan berkonsepkan
¡°di bawah satu bumbung¡±, yang sebenarnya bertujuan
melaksanakan ¡°matlamat muktamad¡±.

Kedua-dua ¡°konsep di bawah satu bumbung¡± dan
¡°matlamat muktamad¡± jelas dinyatakan di dalam
Laporan Razak 1956 yang menjadi asas kepada dasar
pendidikan BN/UMNO.

Telah dibuktikan bahawa konsep ¡°di bawah satu
bumbung¡±, akhirnya, berjaya menghapuskan sekolah
pelbagai aliran (sekolah Melayu, Cina dan Tamil), dan
ditukar kepada sekolah satu aliran (sekolah Inggeris).
Ini sama seperti Sekolah Integrasi di Singapura dalam
tempoh 1960 hingga 1987.

Apabila kerajaan BN melancarkan Sekolah Integrasi pada
tahun 1985, Kementerian Pendidikan pernah mengkaji
kejayaan Sekolah Integrasi di Singapura dalam
menghapuskan sekolah pelbagai aliran kepada sekolah
satu aliran, dan sangat berminat melaksanakannya untuk
mencapai ¡°matlamat muktamad¡±. Sekolah Wawasan yang
diumumkan pada tahun 1995 dan 2000 masing-masing
sebenarnya adalah sama seperti Sekolah Integrasi.

Semasa Sekolah Wawasan menjadi satu isu hangat,
Timbalan Perdama Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi pernah mengakui bahawa Sekolah Wawasan dan
Sekolah Integrasi adalah sama sekali.

Dong Jiao Zong melihat Sekolah Wawasan sebagai alat
yang akan mengurangkan sekolah-sekolah vernakular, dan
akhirnya tercapailah matlamat muktamad, iaitu semua
sekolah bahasa ibunda akan ditukar menjadi sekolah
kebangsaan yang menggunakan Bahasa Kebangsaan sebagai
bahasa pengantar yang seragam. Sekolah Wawasan
merupakan satu langkah peralihan untuk mencapai
¡°matlamat muktamad¡±.

Menurut Naib Pengerusi Gabungan Persatuan Guru-guru
Sekolah Cina Malaysia, Loot Ting Yee, walaupun bahasa
yang digunakan dalam pelbagai aliran sekolah berbeza,
namun isi kandungan dan rangka kursusnya adalah sama
sekali. Oleh itu, bahasa yang berbeza tidak bermasalah
kepada perpaduan.

¡°Bahasa bukanlah satu-satunya alat untuk perpaduan.
Yang paling penting adalah sama ada pelbagai kaum
mempunyai hubungan kepentingan yang sama, sama ada
kita sesama diri mempunyai matlamat yang sama,¡± kata
Cikgu Loot.

Sesungguhpun menggunakan bahasa yang sama, rakyat di
China dan rakyat di Taiwan tidak semestinya dapat
berintegrasi dan faham sesama sendiri, kata beliau.

Pejuang pendidikan Cina ini, yang menjadi ¡°crowd
puller¡± masyarakat Cina, dikritik oleh beberapa
pemimpin tempatan di Perlis yang pro-BN, semasa beliau
berkempen sebagai individu untuk calon Keadilan, Khoo
Yang Chong, dalam pilihanraya kecil Indera Kayangan
baru-baru ini.

¡°Selain itu, bagi kebanyakan pelajar lepasan sekolah
rendah Cina, mereka tidak menghadapi masalah dalam
penggunaan Bahasa Melayu,¡± katanya.

Cikgu Loot berkata, Sekolah Wawasan hanya merupakan
rancangan kerajaan untuk melaksanakan ¡°matlamat
muktamad¡± dalam dasar pendidikan negara.

¡°Sekolah Wawasan seumpama jemputan masuk ke dalam
satu perangkap. Selepas masuk, apa-apa pun boleh
berlaku. Nak stim, rebus, goreng, hanya ikut suka
mereka,¡± kata Cikgu Loot.

Cikgu Loot menegas, sejak kemerdekaan, bilangan
sekolah rendah Cina semakin berkurang dan itu
merupakan satu krisis kepada masyarakat Cina.

¡°Mereka ingat, dengan menyembunyi berita Sekolah
Wawasan, ini akan membutakan mata masyarakat Cina dan
melenyapkan suara bantahan,¡± kata Cikgu Loot.

Cikgu Loot berkata, masyarakat Cina seharusnya
berwaspada terhadap taktik ¡°pengepongan¡± kerajaan
BN.

¡°Mereka membina Sekolah Wawasan yang serba moden dan
lengkap di kawasan yang amat memerlukan sekolah Cina,
dan, pada masa yang sama, tidak membenarkan pembinaan
sekolah Cina baru di tempat itu,¡± kata Cikgu Loot.

Aktivis Pendidikan Cina, Lee Ban Chen juga
berpendapat, perpaduan tidak dapat dicapai melalui
paksaan, sebab perpaduan dibentuk atas prinsip
sukarela dan perbincangan.

Lee menegaskan, penghormatan kepada pelbagai jenis
bahasa ibunda bagi kaum-kaum yang berlainan perlu
dicerminkan dalam falsafah, polisi dan pentadbiran
pendidikan negara kita.

¡°Dasar kerajaan yang kabur dalam pendidikan bahasa
ibunda mengakibatkan rakyat tidak percaya (janji-janji
kerajaan), bahawa, sekolah rendah Cina tidak akan
pupus pada akhirnya,¡± kata Lee.

¡°Meletakkan ketiga-tiga kaum dalam satu bumbung tidak
semestinya menjaminkan perpaduan, yang penting adalah
ajaran ibubapa terhadap anak mereka untuk menghormati
budaya dan tradisi antara kaum.¡±

Lee juga berpendapat bahawa objektif muktamad kerajaan
BN adalah menghapuskan sekolah rendah Cina. ¡°Sekolah
Wawasan cuma merupakan taktik mereka,¡± kata beliau.

Menurut Lee, dalam buku garis panduan pertama Sekolah
Wawasan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Pendidikan
pada tahun 1995, jelas dinyatakan ¡°matlamat
muktamad¡± pada seksyen 4.2: ¡°¡­Bahasa Kebangsaan
sebagai bahasa pengantar yang seragam bagi semua jenis
sekolah dilihat sebagai satu ciri yang paling penting
dan perlu dilaksanakan sepenuhnya secara
beransur-ansur.¡± ¡ª iaitu dasar asas dalam Laporan
Razak 1956.

Walaupun kenyataan seksyen 4.2 tersebut digugurkan
selepas bantahan kuat masyarakat Cina, agendanya masih
tersembunyi dan kekal sampai hari ini.

Idea Sekolah Wawasan sebenarnya telah muncul sejak
Ogos 1985. Menteri Pendidikan pada masa itu, Abdullah
Badawi, mengumumkan kerajaan akan melaksanakan Program
Sekolah Integrasi, iaitu meletakkan ketiga-tiga aliran
sekolah sekali dan berkongsi kemudahan untuk memupuk
¡°perpaduan nasional¡±.

Program itu dengan serta-mertanya ditolak oleh
masyarakat Cina dan Tamil, pertubuhan-pertubuhan
bahasa dan budaya, serta parti-parti politik seperti
MCA, Gerakan dan DAP. Akhirnya program itu digantikan
dengan Program Integrasi Perpaduan Pelajar yang
dipersetujui oleh Kementerian Pendidikan dan Dong Jiao
Zong.

Mengikut penganalisis, Kementerian Pendidikan tidak
bersungguh-sungguh melaksanakan Program Integrasi
Perpaduan Pelajar kerana ia tidak dapat mencapai
¡°matlamat muktamad¡±.

Sepuluh tahun kemudian, iaitu Ogos 1995, Menteri
Pendidikan pada masa itu, Najib Tun Razak, mengumumkan
bahawa kerajaan akan membina Sekolah Wawasan di bawah
Rancangan Malaysia Ke-Tujuh (1996-2000).

Sesungguhnya kerajaan BN boleh memupuk perpaduan
rakyat melalui pelbagai cara, mengapa Sekolah Wawasan
dilihat begitu kritikal?

Menurut Dong Zong, latarbelakang Sekolah Wawasan boleh
merujuk kepada kejayaan kerajaan Singapura menukarkan
sekolah Melayu, sekolah Cina dan sekolah Tamil kepada
sekolah Inggeris melalui Rancangan Sekolah Integrasi.

Pada tahun 1960-an, atas nama ¡°perpaduan nasional¡±,
kerajaan Singapura melancarkan Rancangan Sekolah
Integrasi, iaitu meletakkan sekolah yang pelbagai
aliran di bawah satu bumbung.

Dari Sekolah Integrasi yang pertama pada tahun 1960,
sehingga sekolah integrasi yang ke-59 pada tahun 1969,
kerajaan Singapora berjaya menukarkan tiga aliran
sekolah yang bukan Bahasa Inggeris kepada sekolah
berbahasa Inggeris dari tahun 1960 hingga 1987. Proses
peralihan dan penukaran ini memakan masa 27 tahun.
Sehingga tahun 1987, sekolah Melayu yang berakar-umbi
lebih daripada 100 tahun di Singapura juga ditutup
akhirnya.

Menurut Dong Zong, sehingga pertengahan tahun 80-an,
tiada lagi sekolah-sekolah Melayu, Cina ataupun Tamil,
tinggallah sekolah Inggeris sahaja.

Dalam satu laporan Dong Zong, ia menganggap, Rancangan
Sekolah Integrasi Singapura 1960 yang mengamalkan
Bahasa Inggeris sebagai medium pengajaran adalah sama
dengan Rancangan Sekolah Integrasi 1985 dan Sekolah
Wawasan (1995 dan 2000) yang diketengahkan oleh
kerajaan BN, yang berhasrat menggunakan Bahasa
Malaysia sebagai medium pengantar utama. Kedua-dua
kerajaan mengambil ilham ¡°matlamat muktamad¡± yang
berasal daripada Laporan Holgate 1950.

Sejak penjajahan British, ¡°matlamat muktamad
(ultimate objective)¡± menghantui minda
pencinta-pencinta pendidikan bahasa ibunda. Ini dapat
dilihat dari Laporan Holgate 1950 yang menyatakan,
¡®we are convinced that the ultimate desirable
objective should be free (and, finally, compulsory)
primary education in the medium of English.¡±

Laporan Holgate, yang bertujuan melaksanakan sekolah
Inggeris dan menghapuskan sekolah bahasa ibunda,
ditolak sebulat-bulatnya oleh masyarakat Melayu dan
masyarakat Cina pada masa itu.

Laporan Barne 1951 yang seterusnya mencadangkan bahawa
¡®in principle, we recommend the end of separate
vernacular schools for the several racial communities,
and their replacement by a single type of primary
school common to all. We recognise, of course, that
since this end can come only gradually, vernacular
schools will continue for some years concurrently with
the development of the National School. We ask,
however that in the allocation of public resources to
primary education priority should be given to the
National School.¡±

Menurut Dr. Kua Kia Soong dalam A Protean Saga: The
Chinese Schools of Malaysia, Skim Sekolah Kebangsaan
yang dicadangkan dalam Laporan Barne, dan kemudian
menjadi dasar melalui Ordinan Pendidikan 1952, telah
menyatupadukan pelbagai pertubuhan Cina pada masa itu
untuk melindungi kewujudan sekolah-sekolah Cina.

Walaupun sekolah Cina dan sekolah Tamil masih wujud
disebabkan realiti politik, namun kerajaan BN telah
mewarisi polisi Laporan Barne. Sekolah Cina dan
sekolah Tamil banyak ditutup.

Sejak kemerdekaan negara, sekolah Tamil sahaja, sudah
berkurang daripada 888 buah pada tahun 1957 kepada 526
buah pada tahun 2001. Peratusan penutupannya setinggi
41 peratus. Sekolah rendah Cina juga berkurangan
walaupun penduduknya bertambah. Sila rujuk kepada
Jadual 1.

Jadual 1: Bilangan sekolah dan pelajar mengikut aliran
sekolah bagi tahun 1968 dan 2000
1968 2000 Tambah/Kurang
Bil. Sek * Bil. Pelajar * Bil. Sek * Bil. Pelajar * Bil. Sek
* Bil. Pelajar
S. Kebangsaan 2,770 * 666,389 * 5,407 * 2,218,747 * + 2,637 * +
1,552,358
SJK Cina 1,332 * 434,914 * 1,284 * 622,820 * - 48 * +
187,906
SJK Tamil 670 * 81,428 * 526 90,280 * - 144 * + 8,852

Rancangan-rancangan Malaysia telah diperalatkan untuk
mencapai ¡°matlamat muktamad¡± dengan cuba menyekat
dan melemahkan pembangunan sekolah rendah Cina dan
Tamil. Pembinaan sekolah Cina dan Tamil yang baru
serta perpindahan sekolah, yang kekurangan murid,
menjadi sukar sekali sehingga BN memperalatkannya
sebagai ¡°gula politik¡± untuk memancing undi semasa
pilihanraya. Malahan, sekolah Cina dan Tamil terus
ditutup dalam rancangan-rancangan Malaysia (Jadual 2).

Jadual 2: Pertambahan dan pengurangan bilangan sekolah
di bawah Rancangan Malaysia
Rancangan Malaysia Keenam(1991-1995) Rancangan
Malaysia Ketujuh(1996-2000)
S. Kebangsaan + 205 + 259
S. Kebangsaan (Khas) + 1 + 1
SJK Cina - 4 0 0
SJK Tamil - 12 - 5

Selain itu, sebahagian besar kewangan dan projek
sekolah telah diperuntukkan kepada sekolah kebangsaan,
manakala sekolah Cina dan Tamil hanya mendapat
peruntukan yang amat sedikit, sehinggakan terpaksa
meminta dermaan wang dan barangan daripada masyarakat
masing-masing untuk pembangunan sekolah dan pelajar.
Masyarakat Cina menamakan derma tersebut sebagai
¡°second income tax¡±¡ªcukai pendapatan yang kedua.

Kesan daripada persaingan sengit dalam Pilihanraya
1990 yang menghadapi barisan parti pembangkang
termasuk Semangat 46, kerajaan BN menambahkan projek
pembangunan kepada sekolah Cina dan Tamil secara
mendadak. Tetapi, selepas kemenangan besar BN dalam
pilihanraya tahun 1995 dan 1999, bilangan projek untuk
sekolah Cina dan Tamil telah dikurangkan dengan
dahsyatnya (Jadual 3).

Perlu diingatkan bahawa kebanyakan projek untuk
sekolah Cina dan Tamil lebih kepada pembinaan bangunan
tambahan, kerja-kerja pembaikan dan penggantian.
Manakala, pembinaan sekolah baru adalah amat sukar,
kecuali semasa pilihanraya, walaupun, pada masa yang
sama, ada juga sekolah Cina dan Tamil yang ditutup.
Pada keseluruhannya, sekolah Cina dan Tamil semakin
berkurang walaupun penduduknya semakin bertambah
(Jadual 4).

Jadual 3: Bilangan projek mengikut aliran sekolah di
bawah Rancangan Malaysia
RM Ke-6 (1991-1995) RM Ke-7 (1996-2000) RM Ke-8
(2001-2005)
Bil. Projek % Bil. Projek % Bil. Projek %
S. Kebangsaan 884 44.31% 753 91.16% 924 94.57%
SJK Cina 817 40.95% 50 6.05% 37 3.79%
SJK Tamil 294 14.74% 23 2.79% 16 *1.64%
Jumlah 1995 100% 826 100% 977 100%

Jadual 4: Pengagihan peruntukan kewangan kepada
sekolah di bawah Rancangan Malaysia
Rancangan Malaysia Keenam(1991-1995) Rancangan
Malaysia Ketujuh(1996-2000)
Bil. Pelajar(1991) Peruntukkan (RM) Bil.
Pelajar(1996) Peruntukkan (RM)
S. Kebangsaan 1,847,721(73.01%) 1,133,076,000(89.72%)
2,128,227(75.30%) 1,027,167,000(96.54%)
SJK Cina 583,218(23.04%) 102,726,000(8.14%)
595,451(21.07%) 25,970,000(2.44%)
SJK Tamil 99,876(3.95%) 27,042,000(2.14%)
102,679(3.63%) 10,902,000(1.02%)
Jumlah 2,530,815(100%) 1,262,844,000(100%)
2,826,357(100%) 1,064,039,000(100%)

Lee menegaskan perbincangan rancangan Sekolah Wawasan
ini tidak dapat diasingkan dari realiti sejarah.

¡°Jika ia benar-benar memanfaatkan rakyat, kenapa
rakyat tidak menerimanya?¡± tanya Lee.

Semangat yang sama diwarisi dalam Laporan Razak 1956,
di mana ia berbunyi, ¡°We believe further that the
ultimate objective of educational policy in this
country must be to bring together the children of all
races, under a national educational system in which
the national language is the main medium of
instruction, though we recognise that progress towards
this goal cannot be rushed and must be gradual.¡±

Dalam kata lain, ¡°matlamat muktamad¡± Laporan Razak
dilaksanakan melalui cara ¡°meletakkan pelajar
pelbagai kaum di bawah satu bumbung¡± (iaitu konsep
¡°di bawah satu bumbung¡± Sekolah Wawasan) dan
dilaksanakan sepenuhnya secara beransur-ansur,
sebagaimana yang dicerminkan dalam garis panduan
Sekolah Wawasan.

Seterusnya, Akta Pendidikan 1961 Seksyen 21 (2)
mencetuskan pergerakan bantahan masyarakat Cina pada
dekad 60-an sehingga akhir-akhir ini. Akta itu
menyatakan, ¡°where at any time the minister is
satisfied that a national-type primary school may
suitably be converted into a national primary school
he may by order direct that the school shall become a
national primary school.¡±

Akta itu mendapat reaksi bantahan yang kuat daripada
masyarakat Cina yang dipimpin oleh Pengerusi Jiao Zong
pada tahun 1954 hingga ke 1961, Lim Lian Geok, yang
dilucutkan kewarganegaraannya serta permit
perguruannya akibat pendirian Lim yang kukuh dalam
pergerakan pendidikan bahasa ibunda.

Kerajaan BN telah berkali-kali menipu masyarakat Cina
dalam banyak perkara pendidikan. Umpamanya, pada tahun
60-an, melalui pelbagai jenis taktik, sebahagian besar
sekolah menengah Cina telah ditukar kepada sekolah
Inggeris dan akhirnya menjadi sekolah menengah
kebangsaan. Banyak perkara yang dijanjikan oleh
kerajaan tetap menjadi janji kosong sahaja dan
kerajaan masih ¡°memandang serong¡± terhadap
sekolah-sekolah asal yang ditukar tersebut.

Oleh itu, boleh disimpulkan bahawa unsur-unsur sejarah
inilah yang membentuk kebimbangan, kesangsian dan
bantahan masyarakat Cina, terutamanya Dong Jiao Zong,
terhadap Sekolah Wawasan.

¡°Prestasi kerajaan selama beberapa dekad ini tidak
dapat membuktikan keikhlasan mereka, mereka tidak
dapat meyakinkan rakyat,¡± kata Lee.

Walaupun seksyen 21(2) Akta Pendidikan 1961 telah
dihapuskan atas bantahan kuat masyarakat Cina dan
India, tetapi ¡°matlamat muktamad¡± masih kekal wujud
di dalam Akta Pendidikan 1996.

Akta Pendidikan 1996 membuktikan, kerajaan BN masih
memegangkan kepercayaan ¡°matlamat muktamad¡±, kata
Lee.

¡°Soalnya bukan berkongsi padang atau kantin, tetapi,
apakah kerajaan ini telah menggugurkan polisi
pendidikan unilateralnya? Bagaimana mereka dapat
membuktikannya?¡±

¡°Masyarakat Cina telah berulang-kali mengetengahkan
cadangan meminda seksyen-seksyen (yang mengancam
perkembangan pendidikan bahasa ibunda). Mengapa
kerajaan BN tidak boleh menggubalnya, supaya rakyat
rasa lega hati,¡± kata Lee.

Lee berpendapat, polisi pendidikan kerajaan seharusnya
memupuk semangat menghormati pelbagai kaum.

¡°Dong Jiao Zong tidak percaya kerajaan selama ini
kerana polisi kerajaan yang tidak adil terhadap
pendidikan bahasa ibunda,¡± kata Lee.

Bock menyeru semua pertubuhan-pertubuhan Cina di
seluruh negara meluluskan resolusi membantah Sekolah
Wawasan, sepertimana yang berlaku pada tahun 60-an
hingga 80-an, resolusi menyeru kerajaan menggugurkan
Seksyen 21 (2) Akta Pendidikan 1961.

¡°Sebagai seorang warganegara yang membuat sumbangan
kepada negara, usaha memupuk penggunaan bahasa ibunda,
perkembangan budaya dan tradisi melalui sekolah bahasa
ibunda adalah sesuatu yang begitu semulajadi. Seperti
pernafasan, tidak dapat ditekan dan ditolak,¡± kata
Bock.

¡°Itu adalah hak dan penghormatan sebagai seorang umat
manusia untuk memelihara bahasa, budaya dan
tradisinya.¡±

¡°Pendidikan bahasa ibunda adalah hak asasi manusia,
dan hak asasi tidak boleh bertolak-ansur sama
sekali,¡± kata Bock.

Menurut Bock, pengajaran ¡°satu subjek¡± bahasa ibunda
adalah berlainan sama sekali dengan sistem pendidikan
bahasa ibunda yang menitikberatkan pengajaran,
pentadbiran dan peperiksaan dijalankan dalam bahasa
ibunda.

¡°Usaha membentuk sumber manusia yang berbakat dan
berpengetahuan untuk negara bukan sesuatu yang
¡®chauvinistik¡¯ atau ¡®extremis¡¯. Sebaliknya, usaha
ini membuktikan betapa cintanya penyokong-penyokong
pendidikan bahasa ibunda terhadap negara, yang sudi
menyumbang tenaga dan wang,¡± kata Bock.

Menurut Bock, kerajaan BN boleh meluluskan sebarang
akta atau undang-undang untuk menindas hak rakyat.
Tetapi, rakyat juga berhak tidak mengiktiraf akta-akta
yang kejam.

¡°Seperti yang dinyatakan oleh Lim Lian Geok, semasa
memperjuangkan hak dan kepentingan, kita tidak boleh
takut akan pengorbanan,¡± kata Bock.

¡°Sekiranya kerajaan ikhlas, ia harus meluluskan
perundangan yang menyatakan, setiap kaum mempunyai hak
membangunkan pendidikan bahasa ibunda sendiri, dan
kerajaan juga wajib membantu pembangunan itu.¡±

¡°Kerajaan juga harus menggugurkan fahaman pendidikan
yang unilateral, kerana ia harus mengiktiraf akan
negara kita terbentuk daripada berbilang kaum, kerana
pendidikan bahasa ibunda sama beratnya dengan nyawa
sendiri,¡± kata Bock.

Walau bagaimanapun, Bock mengakui dalam masyarakat
Cina juga menghadapi perpecahan, akibat kepentingan
politik dan kawalan media, yang mungkin akan
menghalang pergerakan Dong Jiao Zong.

Habis.

posted 03-06-2002 11:50 AM            

Today, one year after, we begin to hear
clarion calls from the stakeholders.

This one in Berita Harian, 03.06.2002
warrants extra attention.

I hope Datuk Lee Hwa Beng does read Bahasa
papers and give us some insights.

JEFF OOI

posted 03-06-2002 11:56 AM            

Sekolah Wawasan diminta guna satu aliran

KUALA LUMPUR, Ahad – Penerimaan konsep Sekolah Wawasan oleh semua pihak, terutama pemimpin kaum selain mewujudkan sistem pendidikan adil untuk semua, mencerminkan sikap tolak ansur dan ketaatan kepada negara.

Presiden Kesatuan Guru-Guru Melayu Malaysia Barat (KGMMB) Prof Madya Dr Abdul Rahman Daud, berkata pelaksanaan sekolah itu perlu dibuat secepat mungkin bagi mempercepatkan integrasi kaum.

Abdul Rahman berkata, bagaimanapun sekolah itu harus menggunakan satu aliran dengan bahasa Melayu dijadikan bahasa pengantar, manakala bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa kedua.

“Melalui pelaksanaan konsep satu aliran, anak kita dapat disatukan pada masa akan datang dan wujud satu bangsa Malaysia yang menerima satu sistem pendidikan.

“Kesanggupan kaum lain menerima sekolah ini mencerminkan sikap tolak ansur dan keikhlasan dalam membuktikan taat setia kepada negara,” katanya ketika menghubungi Berita Harian di sini, hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Presiden Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim yang mencabar pemimpin kaum lain di negara ini menolak sistem aliran jenis kebangsaan dan menerima ikhlas pelaksanaan Sekolah Wawasan.

Perdana Menteri, [b]Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir dalam pertemuannya dengan Exco Pergerakan Pemuda Umno, Jumaat lalu, berkata pelajar Bumiputera tidak boleh terus mengharap hak keistimewaan orang Melayu dalam bidang pendidikan, sebaliknya harus menerima hakikat bahawa mereka perlu bersaing.

Sementara itu, Presiden Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, berkata pemimpin kaum lain tidak harus menolak konsep Sekolah Wawasan demi kepentingan negara.

Katanya, kaum lain perlu sedia berkorban dan bertolak ansur dalam penggubalan sesuatu dasar.

Katanya, jika hanya satu kaum saja merasakan dirinya diminta berkorban tanpa menerima balasan, akan timbul suasana tidak sihat yang akan menggugat perpaduan negara.

“Sebarang pembentukan dasar di negara berbilang kaum memerlukan tolak ansur dan pengorbanan bagi memastikan keputusan yang dicapai adil dan dapat diterima semua pihak.

“Kita tidak mahu timbul keadaan yang mana satu pihak diminta mengorbankan pelbagai kepentingan sedangkan pihak lain yang meminta-minta itu kurang atau langsung tidak memberi atau mengorbankan apa-apa,” katanya.

posted 03-06-2002 02:57 PM            

BERITA MINGGU
Ahad, 2 Jun 2002

Pemimpin kaum lain dicabar terima Sekolah Wawasan

KUALA LUMPUR: Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) mencabar pemimpin kaum lain di negara ini menerima konsep Sekolah Wawasan dengan ikhlas dan menghapuskan sistem pendidikan aliran jenis kebangsaan bagi memastikan pendidikan dinikmati semua pelajar bermula pada peringkat sekolah rendah.

Presidennya, Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim, berkata pelaksanaan Sekolah Wawasan berasaskan pendidikan kebangsaan perlu dilaksanakan segera bagi memastikan semua pelajar pelbagai kaum bukan saja bersaing untuk mendapat tempat ke pusat pengajian tinggi malah ketika mereka mula bersekolah.

posted 04-06-2002 12:22 AM            

Union Opposes Any Move To Close Tamil And Chinese Schools

IPOH, June 3 (Bernama) -- The National Union of Tamil School Teachers of
Malaysia opposes any move by any organisation to eliminate national type
primary schools in the country.

Its president, Shahul Hamid Mydin Shah, said that the present system
whereby Tamil and Chinese schools exist, guaranteed by the constitution,
should be allowed to continue as there had been no problem in their
existence.

"It has contributed to national intergration and racial harmony in this
country. The concept of Sekolah Wawasan (Vision School) should be further
enhanced so as to create national integration rather than calling for the
closure of Tamil and Chinese schools," he said here.

Shahul Hamid, who is also the secretary general of the Congress of
Teachers Unions in the Education Services Malaysia, said that recently
there were calls by people to close down national type schools so that
there would only be a national school system so as to forge national
integration.

He said that the issue cropped up recently following Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement that non-Bumiputeras would account
for 10 per cent of students to be accepted in Mara Junior Science Colleges
(MRSMs) and matriculation courses from next year.

Some groups have opposed the proposal and called for the closure of Tamil
and Chinese schools so as to have only national schools and for students
to compete on merit.

"The union calls on educationists, politicians and NGOs not to be
emotional in this issue but rather to think rationally on the education
issue which has a long-term effect on the nation," he said.

Shahul Hamid said that the existence of Tamil and Chinese schools had been
guaranteed in the Education Act 1996 and at such, no parties should
question their existence, which may lead to destabilisation of racial
harmony in the country.

He said that the union supports the call by the prime minister so that
MRSMs and matriculation courses be opened to non-Bumiputeras.

"This will create competitiveness among the races in the country in the
field of education which is healthy," he added.

-- BERNAMA

posted 04-06-2002 12:30 AM            

I sent two separate emails to YB Datuk Lee
Hwa Beng, asking for his guidance on how to
overcome confusion on Vision School as
inflicted by the articles in Berita Minggu
and Berita Harian.

Here's my messages to him:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Ooi"
To: ; "Y.B Dato Lee Hwa Beng"
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 12:26 PM
Subject: [uSJ NewsGroup] Berita Harian: Sekolah Wawasan diminta guna satu aliran

TO:
Subang Jaya Community and
YB Datuk Lee Hwa Beng
============================

Re: Subang Jaya Vision School http://www.usj.com.my/forum/Forum1/HTML/000798.html

When I started this thread on Vision School
27.04.2001, the concept was noble, the
policy evasive, and the implemention blurry.

Today, one year after, we begin to hear
clarion calls from the stakeholders.

This one in Berita Harian, 03.06.2002
warrants extra attention.

Three prominent personalities, namely president of
Kesatuan Guru-Guru Melayu Malaysia
Barat (KGMMB) Prof Madya Dr Abdul
Rahman Daud, president of Gabungan
Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS),
Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim, and president
of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim),
Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, have made
public their interpretations of the Vision
School concept, which may be distortion,
and yet which may become reality if
their lobby goes through.

>From the various newspaper reports and
public forums, we were given the
understanding that Datuk Lee Hwa Beng
and Datuk Seri Ling Liong Sik were both
instrumental in bringing Vision School to
Subang Jaya.

In our community, I hope Datuk Lee Hwa Beng
does read Bahasa papers and care enough to
give us some insights to cast away any
confusion.

JEFF OOI
Attached with the Berita Minggu article.

* * *

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Ooi"
To: ; "Y.B Dato Lee Hwa Beng"
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: [uSJ NewsGroup] Berita Harian: Sekolah Wawasan diminta guna satu aliran

Related to an earlier post on this topic, I found
another statement by GPMS in Berita Mingguan
02.06.2002

posted 04-06-2002 03:53 PM         

Well, it seems that some of the fears that were stated by the chinese education movement may be justified after all. The so-called vision school may be what the chinese call "kua yong tau mai gau yuk" or a trojan horse .... The marketing concept of "unity" is nice on the outside but inside .... who knows ???

If certain quarters are really keen on unity, they should abolish all discriminatory policies between non-bumi and bumi! After so many generations, the non-bumi are still treated like second-class citizens/immigrants in the country that they are born in and the only country they have lived in (for most of them).

I recently met a malay that migrated to united states (not born) and they certainly were not discriminated against in terms of jobs/universities etc. He spoke to me that he doesn't agree with the quota and other discriminatory policies in malaysia.... Unfortunately, he is in the minority.

There are quite a number of short-sighted people in malaysia. They should recognize that vernacular schools does contribute to the economy of the country. If I were a multi-national company trying to establish a based in south-east asia and having customers from china, taiwan etc, would I choose malaysia or indonesia (no real chinese speakers/writers)

posted 05-06-2002 10:30 AM            

First vision school complex opens its doors

PETALING JAYA: Classes at the country’s first vision school complex, which encompasses SK Dato Onn Jaafar, SJK (C) Tun Tan Cheng Lock and SJK (T) Tun Sambanthan in USJ15 Subang Jaya, start today.

Surawati Sulaimen and her husband Aminuddin Adnan were among over 300 parents who were at the school complex yesterday for the pupils’ registration and orientation programme.

“We think the vision school concept is a good idea as it will let our children mix freely. We have been taking a look around the school and we are impressed with its facilities,” said Surawati who accompanied her daughter Shahira, nine.

INTEGRATION... (from left) Avnett
Kaur, Ainnoora Afdzal Manoo and Chong Sue
Yi, who will be classmates at SK Dato Onn
Jaafar, getting to know each other.

Year Two pupil V. Manojh who was transferred from another Tamil school to SJK (T) Tun Sambanthan said he was excited at the thought of starting classes in a new school.

SK Dato Onn Jaafar headmaster Mohd Arip Mohd Katan who welcomed parents to the school earlier, had explained that the vision school concept was to promote racial integration.

SJK (C) Tun Tan Cheng Lock headmaster Tan Hock Thiam advised parents whose children bring food from home to be sensitive of the other races.

SJK (T) Tun Sambanthan headmaster Subramaniam Sinnasamy said parents who wanted to register their children at the school could continue to do so.

posted 05-06-2002 02:37 PM            

Even people from the same ethnic origin are fighting among themselves. So on what basis does our leaders think that "Vision School" can bring about the elusive national unity in this country? If you really need an example, look at MCA, look at PAS vs UMNO,
is there a single trace of unity?

In the era of globalization, diversity is a competitive advantage that many countries can only dreamt of. Even the world reknowned universities such as Harvard, Standford, MIT etc. have make it a point in their enrolment policy to ensure that their student intake reflects the gender, racial, geographical and cultural diversity of this global village. They pride themselves for being able to achieve that because it helps maximize the learning experience of all parties involved.

I work for a Multi-national corporation and it is also the company policy to ensure that the employees that it hires are from as diversified a background as possible. The company strongly believe that diversity will help in stimulating new ideas and ways of doing things, which in turn bring about key advantages that enable them to compete in the global marketplace.

Here in Malaysia, we have the ethnic and cultural diversity that can be used to our advantage. Why do we still subscribe to the outdated and narrow-minded philosophy of "national assimilation"? Has Indonesia done better as a result of this?

It is a universal belief that education is the best way for ones to achieve success. Our government should support and encourage genuine education regardless of the mechanism it is delivered. Why impose all kind of restrictions on the development of national types primary schools? Why bother to introduce "Vision School" with a hidden agenda under the pretext of national unity?

posted 05-06-2002 02:51 PM            

Let's review the education reports/acts/ordinance since the past
for an afterthought on the opening day of the vision school............


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Barnes Report 1951

" In principle, we recommend the end of separate vernacular schools for
the several racial communities, and their replacement by a single type of
primary school common to all. We recognise, of course, that since this end
can come only gradually, vernacular schools will continue for some years
concurrently with the development of the National School. "

" ... Chinese and Indians are being asked to give up gradually their own
vernacular schools, and to send their children ... to schools where Malay
is the only oriental language taught..." (pp.23-24)



Education Ordinance 1952

In the 1952 Ordinance, the right to mother tongue education was not given
due attention. Any school using mother-tongue education as a medium of
instruction was described as a "vernacular school". Under s.2 (the
Interpretation clause) of the 1952 Ordinance, a "vernacular school" is
defined as "a school which is not a national school and in which the
principal medium of instruction is a vernacular language."



Razak Report 1956

" 12. We believe further that the ultimate objective of educational policy
in this country must be to bring together the children of all races under a
national educational system in which the national language is the main
medium of instruction, though we recognise that progress towards this goal
cannot be rushed and must be gradual. "



The Education Act 1961

" 21(2). Where at any time the Minister is satisfied that a national-type
primary school may suitably be converted into a national primary school he
may by order direct that the school shall become a national primary school. "

The Education (Amendment) Act 1972

In 1972, the Education Act 1961 was amended as a result of the recommendation
of the Aziz Report 1969 to the effect that the Boards of Management of
fully-assisted schools should be abolished.

A new section s.26A (relating to the winding up of school board of managers
and governors) was added to the Education Act 1961. Under s.26A(1), every
board of managers and governors may be wound up by the Ministry and will cease
to be the employer of teachers and other employees.

posted 06-06-2002 08:08 AM            

Sekolah Wawasan dapat sambutan

SUBANG JAYA 5 Jun - Kompleks Sekolah Wawasan Subang Jaya yang penubuhannya pernah dijadikan kontroversi, hari ini memulakan sesi persekolahan dengan murid-murid dan para guru pelbagai kaum penuh semangat muhibbah.

Tinjauan Utusan Malaysia sehingga pukul 10 pagi ini mendapati ketiga-tiga aliran sekolah di kompleks itu masih menerima pendaftaran kemasukan murid baru walaupun sesi pembelajaran bermula pukul 7.45 pagi.

Ketua Sektor Pengurusan Sekolah, Bahagian Sekolah, Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Selangor, Abd. Aziz Abd. Manaf berkata, bilangan murid terkini di kompleks itu telah meningkat kepada 433 orang berbanding hanya 333 orang semalam.

Menurut beliau, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Dato' Onn Jaafar mempunyai 300 orang murid, SK Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SKJC) Tun Tan Cheng Loke (103) dan SK Jenis Tamil (SKJT) Tun Sambanthan (30).

"Dakwaan yang mengatakan bahawa sekolah ini tidak berjaya ternyata meleset kerana kalau kita lihat ibu bapa yang menghantar anak-anak mereka, langsung tidak terpengaruh dengan tohmahan itu," katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Semalam, kompleks yang menggabungkan sekolah tiga aliran mendapat sambutan kemasukan murid yang menggalakkan, sekali gus menjadi satu petunjuk positif bahawa penubuhannya mendapat sokongan masyarakat berbilang kaum di negara ini.

Kompleks itu, antara lain, bertujuan mewujudkan integrasi kaum dan memberi peluang murid mengenali budaya dan adat resam kaum masing-masing.

Sebelum ini ia menerima bantahan beberapa pihak termasuk Jawatankuasa Kerja Pembangunan SJKC Subang Jaya dan USJ yang menuntut kerajaan menukarkannya kepada SJKC bagi mengatasi masalah kekurangan sekolah aliran Cina di Subang Jaya dan USJ.

Selain itu penubuhan kompleks itu dijadikan isu oleh pihak pembangkang semasa berkempen pada pilihan raya di kawasan Ketari, Pahang baru-baru ini.

Abd. Aziz berkata, bilangan murid di kompleks itu dijangka terus meningkat dari semasa ke semasa sehingga mencecah lebih 1,000 murid.

Menurutnya, kompleks itu mempunyai sebanyak 23 orang guru iaitu 12 orang di SK Dato' Onn Jaafar, tujuh orang di SKJC Tun Tan Cheng Loke dan empat orang di SK Jenis Tamil (SKJT) Tun Sambanthan.

Dalam pada itu, seorang murid tahun tiga, Mohamad Aris Fatullah, 9, berkata, dia amat bertuah dapat mengikuti pembelajaran di sekolah itu yang mempunyai pelbagai kemudahan.

``Selain itu, di sini ramai kawan yang terdiri daripada berbilang kaum,'' katanya.

Murid lain dari kelas yang sama, Kancana Shanmuganathan, 9, berkata, dia yakin sekolah itu dapat menawarkan pembelajaran yang lebih baik untuk dirinya.

posted 06-06-2002 07:14 PM            

Vision school in USJ opens its doors with an impression
Yap Mun Ching

Most primary schools in Malaysia are are meant to accommodate a maximum number of students with limited resources.

Therefore, the newly opened USJ 15 vision school is certain to impress anyone setting foot into its compound. Barely recognisable from the school blocks that most Malaysians have grown up with, the first purpose-built vision school in the country is a series of cream-coloured complexes spread over a large area generously proportioned into classroom blocks, school fields and multi-purpose areas.

The vision school concept was first unveiled to the public in the mid 1990s. The government, in proposing to place primary schools of different teaching mediums in the same compound, expressed its intention of promoting unity and integration among students of various races while allowing students the freedom to choose their preferred language of instruction.

On the ground, the complex comprises of three schools named after former leaders of the nation — SK Dato’ Onn Jaafar, SJK(C) Tun Tan Cheng Lock and SJK(T) Tun Sambanthan — and built around a large central square aptly named the Dataran Wawasan (Vision Square).

Each school has 18 classrooms, a covered concourse on the ground floor, as well as resource rooms, libraries, computer rooms, science laboratories and administrative offices.

Share everything

However, true to the intention of the concept’s architects, the students will share the use of the square, canteen, field, school hall, basketball court, a stand-alone surau (left), as well as a future hockey pitch.

Despite or perhaps because of the controversy over the vision school proposal over the past few years, the symbolic opening of the USJ15 school this week took place without much fuss.

Educationists had expressed concerns that the arrangements would eventually lead to an erosion of independence of Chinese and Tamil schools.

Met at his office today, SK Dato’ Onn Jaafar principal Mohd Arip Mohd Katan dismissed these claims saying that he and his counterparts are still planning joint activities in line with the schools’ mission of unity.

“We will have a joint assembly once a month in the school hall. In October, we will also conduct a prize-giving ceremony and school concert,” said Arip, who was formerly headmaster at SK Sri Petaling in Selangor.

According to him, the schools’ joint assemblies are conducted in four languages — Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil. In the meantime, until a confirmed gathering place has been chosen for the daily morning assembly, students are gathered in the school canteen before dispersing to their respective classrooms.

Arip added that the number of students are increasing daily as parents walk in with transfer requests for their children.

Depending on requests

“Yesterday, we had 216 students and today, 221 students,” said the principal, pointing out that several parents were at the office to register their children.

Although the school is only operating on a two-classroom per school year basis for Standard One to Three, Arip said each school has a maximum capacity of 630 students. He added that by the following academic year, classes for Standard Four will be opened while it is also likely that Standard Five classes will also be added depending on the number of requests that the school receives.

Meanwhile, public response to SJK(C) Tun Tan Cheng Lock also appears to be encouraging with 106 students registered to date.

According to principal Tan Hock Thiam, over 40 percent of the students transferred from SJK(C) Han Ming in Puchong to be closer to their homes in USJ.

“We have only six to seven vacancies left for next year while 60 students have already registered for 2004,” said Tan, adding that five parents have also registered their children for the 2008 school year.

The headmaster also revealed that out of the 47 Standard One pupils, several had transferred from national type schools as they had not been able to obtain places in Chinese schools earlier.

Across from the Chinese school is a quieter side of the complex as only 33 students have been enrolled so far in SJK(T) Tun Sambanthan.

Low Indian population

Principal S Subramaniam said there are less students as the USJ Indian population is below 2,000 and the community is also served by another Tamil school in USJ20.

When met at the school canteen, parent Lourdesamy told malaysiakini his son and nephew had been transferred to the Tamil school here because of the school’s proximity to their home and impressive facilities.

Another parent said he transferred his Standard Two son to join the national school here as he was dissatisfied with the teaching staff at another Subang Jaya school.

“There were too many temporary teachers in the old school. I looked at my son’s workbooks and only a few pages had been done. This school has a lot of promise. It may be better,” said the parent, who added that several other students from the same school had also transferred.

Seen in this light, the vision school concept appears to hold a lot of promise. However, the true test will be whether students, aside from their own classmates, will be able to fully integrate despite the language differences which will remain a key distinction among the schools and their pupils.

SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200206060015883.php

posted 07-06-2002 04:46 PM            

* Press Statement By Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) In Response To The Opening of Vision School In USJ

1) DJZ reiterates its firm opposition to the Vision School. From the inception of the concept to its implementation, Vision School is based on the wrong premise that the existence of current segregated schools having various mediums of instruction hinders national integration. On the contrary, the unfair policies practiced by the government are the root cause that impedes national integration.

2) Since Independence, the government has been marginalizing and curtailing the development of Chinese and Tamil schools. For decades, the vernacular schools have been facing the problems of under-funding, poor facilities, insufficient teachers and overcrowding. The current situation in Subang Jaya/USJ is a clear example.

3) In order to ease the pressure for the demand of additional Chinese schools by the communities, the government opted for the Vision School. Through the Vision School program, the government will implement a new system of school administration and structure to gradually achieve its ulterior motive of having mono-lingua education policy. To the Chinese and Indian communities, despite having various modifications to the concept, the ulterior objective of the Vision School to have one language of medium of instruction remains unchanged.

4) DJZ firmly believes that the Vision School in USJ 15 is different from the existing Chinese schools in its administration, modus operandi and its legal status. The Chinese community must closely monitor the situation, comprehensively understands the bitter historical background, the intention and ulterior motives of Vision School. Parents should heed the calls of the majority of Chinese community and for the sake of future Chinese education, NOT send their children to the Vision school. At the same time, the government must, in densely populated Chinese areas, build more Chinese schools. DJZ urges all facets of the community to exercise their basic democratic rights, as enshrined under the Constitution, to oppose the move to build Vision School and demand instead for more Chinese schools.

6/6/2002

posted 07-06-2002 10:50 PM            

----- Original Message -----
From: "Y.B Dato Lee Hwa Beng"
To: "Jeff Ooi"
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 5:35 PM
Subject: RE: SEKOLAH WAWASAN

Dear Jeff Ooi,

Thanks for your info on the above that appeared in the Malay press. This
will increase
the Chinese educationists' fear that Vision School will ultimately replace
all existing
Chinese Schools.

Bye.

Yours In Service,

posted 07-06-2002 10:54 PM            

Chinese education lobby group reiterates opposition to Vision School
Yap Mun Ching

An influential Chinese education lobby group today reiterated its opposition to the Vision School, saying its ability to achieve national integration is doubtful as long as unfair policies as practised by the government exist.

“The Vision School [concept] is based on the wrong premise that the existence of current segregated schools having various mediums of instruction had hindered national integration,” said the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia and United Chinese School Teachers Association of Malaysia, collectively known as Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ), in a press statement.

The Vision School concept was introduced by the government to place three primary schools of different teaching mediums — Malay, Mandarin and Tamil — in the same compound with the expressed aim of promoting integration and unity among students of various races.

Earlier this week, the first purpose-built Vision School opened in USJ15 with an initial enrolment of some 350 students in the three new primary schools.

“To the Chinese and Indian communities, despite having various modifications to the concept, the ulterior objective of the Vision School [plan] ... remains unchanged,” the group said in its press statement.

However, DJZ insisted that the government had introduced Vision Schools so that it can implement a new system of school administration and structure to gradually achieve its “ulterior motive” of a monolingual education policy.

Distinct differences

The organisation added that more separate Chinese schools should be built in accordance with demand instead of Vision Schools, whose administration, modus operandi and legal status are distinct from those of the existing schools.

“The government has been marginalising and curtailing the development of Chinese and Tamil schools. For decades, the vernacular schools have been facing the problems of under-funding, poor facilities, insufficient teachers and overcrowding.”

The organisation also asserted that to ensure the rights of the ethnic Chinese to education in their mother-tongue, parents should not send their children to the Vision Schools and instead demand for more Chinese schools to be built.

Last year, Chinese education lobby groups and parents successfully campaigned for the conversion of another Vision School complex in Johor Jaya to be converted to a full Chinese school.

However, similar efforts to call for the conversion of the USJ15 complex into a full Chinese school were unsuccessful.

posted 08-06-2002 08:19 AM            

* Vision School ( Tan Cheng Lock School)

Location
=======
Sited on a piece of prime land and along the main road, surrounded by densely populated residential houses. Easily accessible

Building
======
Majestic and opulent if one is allowed to use the description. 100% funded by government. Built and completed in less than a year.

Facilities
=======
First class with all the amenities and computers fully paid by the government

Staffing
======
No problem

** Chee Wen (The Poor Cousin)

Location
=======
On the fringes of Taman Subang Mewah. Away from the main stream residential areas. How many of you have been to the proposed site? Land donated by a private developer.

Building
=======
After more than 2 years, still to see any structure, except for the school signboard. 10% funded by government although it is a fully aided school.

Facilities
=======
Except for the normal classrooms fixtures, the rest will be paid for by public donations

Staffing
======
The HM has been waiting for a school clerk since day 1.

* Similarity

However both schools shared one similarity. The Chairman of the school board of directors is our ADUN, Datuk Lee Hwa Beng.

posted 08-06-2002 11:09 AM         

The Moderator's private message to the writer reads as follows:

WITHOUT PREJUDICE & COPIES TO FELLOW MODERATORS
===============================================

Dear jetlee,

I hope you are reading your emails in your USJ Fastmail account.

I have been alerted about your posting under the thread "Subang Jaya Vision School" on June 8, 11.09am at URL:
http://www.usj.com.my/forum/Forum1/HTML/000798.html

It has been pointed to me that that the article is bound to test the sensitivity level of politicians and lay people alike.

We respect the freedom of speech in cyber space, non censorship policy, unregulated forum, etc.

However, those who post articles which could incite racial disharmony should be counselled in private. We wonder if you would like to consider "voluntarily" withdraw your article which our moderators felt may dislodge perspective and fuel debate on the credibility of this community website which promotes frank discussions on building a Bangsa Malaysia, not to destroy it.

Hope to receive your response within 24 hours, or we will moderate your posting on June 12. This is something we rarely do, but will do whenever necessary.

Thanks

JEFF OOI
Founder & Administrator
www.usj.com.my

* * *

Here is the typical REAL story of "unity" in malaysia. Hope you guys can get some laughs out of it.

posted 09-06-2002 11:44 PM            

-------------------------------------------

From: "Bala Pillai"
Reply-To: malaysiaindians@yahoogroups.com

Anpulla Thamil Innaiya Nanbargale,

The state of Tamil society in Malaysia is really sad. In the area of language schooling, the Chinese community led by very respected Chinese Community Education Group, Dong Jiao Zong, do hundred-fold better job pro-rata than the Tamil community does. The Tamils are stuck on a handout mentality, the Chinese take risks, make money and have more than enough to fend for themselves and their community.

They stand up for their rights more. They realise that time and lobbying costs money and contribute generously to it. They realise that not contributing to it, will cost Chinese society even more. The Chinese mind is not servant-like, i.e. not anti-symbiosis. Nor are they as dualistically warped, with a nice dose of religious opium to hide it, as the Tamils. They are not as text-book driven -- they are more "feeling" and "gut instinct" driven.

Thanks to the Chinese-Malaysians, there is some lobby against the sneaky, back-door destruction of Tamil schools. Savvy human beings know that much harm brought on by vested interests is not done in front, but through back-door ways.

anpudan../bala

----- Original Message -----
From: sjkc [Subang Jaya/USJ SJK(C) Working Committee]
To: usj_subangjaya@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 2:28 PM

Subject: Press Statement By Dong Jiao Zong (DJD) In Response To The Opening of Vision School In USJ

Press Statement By Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) In Response To The Opening of Vision School In USJ

1) DJZ reiterates its firm opposition to the Vision School. From the inception of the concept to its implementation, Vision School is based on the wrong premise that the existence of current segregated schools having various mediums of instruction hinders national integration. On the contrary, the unfair policies practiced by the government are the root cause that impedes national integration.

2) Since Independence, the government has been marginalizing and curtailing the development of Chinese and Tamil schools. For decades, the vernacular schools have been facing the problems of under-funding, poor facilities, insufficient teachers and overcrowding. The current situation in Subang Jaya/USJ is a clear example.

3) In order to ease the pressure for the demand of additional Chinese schools by the communities, the government opted for the Vision School. Through the Vision School program, the government will implement a new system of school administration and structure to gradually achieve its ulterior motive of having mono-lingua education policy. To the Chinese and Indian communities, despite having various modifications to the concept, the ulterior objective of the Vision School to have one language of medium of instruction remains unchanged.

4) DJZ firmly believes that the Vision School in USJ 15 is different from the existing Chinese schools in its administration, modus operandi and its legal status. The Chinese community must closely monitor the situation, comprehensively understands the bitter historical background, the intention and ulterior motives of Vision School. Parents should heed the calls of the majority of Chinese community and for the sake of future Chinese education, NOT send their children to the Vision school. At the same time, the government must, in densely populated Chinese areas, build more Chinese schools. DJZ urges all facets of the community to exercise their basic democratic rights, as enshrined under the Constitution, to oppose the move to build Vision School and demand instead for more Chinese schools.

6/6/2002

posted 11-06-2002 07:39 AM            

Berita Harian 10/6/2002:
Ling angkuh: Pemuda
Kenyataan Bumiputera tidak perlu kuota ke IPTS

Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein:

“Sekarang kami mahu MCA membuktikan pula komitmen dan sokongan padu terhadap usaha menempatkan lebih ramai pelajar Bumiputera di IPTS. Sebenarnya, kita agak kesal kerana MCA sebelum ini tidak memberikan sokongan penuh terhadap penubuhan Sekolah Wawasan.

“Sudahlah tidak memberi komitmen Ling tidak sensitif perasaan Bumiputera terhadap pelaksanaan Sekolah Wawasan, kini beliau menyatakan kuota Bumiputera tidak diperlukan dalam pengambilan pelajar di IPTS.

Utusan Malaysia 10/6/2002:
Pemuda UMNO kecam Liong Sik
Presiden MCA dianggap angkuh tolak cadangan kuota 10% untuk bumiputera di IPTS

Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein:

"Malah MCA langsung tidak ada pendirian dalam mewujudkan Sekolah Wawasan," jelasnya.
.

.
Click headlines to read the full stories,
or participate in the Web Forum discussion at the Warung Politik channel.

posted 21-06-2002 10:21 PM            

Prepare to suffer same fate as Suqiu, Chinese education movement told
Yusof Ghani

Umno Youth today warned the Chinese education movement Dong Jiao Zong that they would face similar action to that of lobby group Suqiu if it persisted in campaigning for the maintenance of Chinese schools in Malaysia.

Speaking when proposing the motion on education at the Umno annual general assembly today, Dr Zamri Abdul Kadir blamed the influential body for putting too much emphasis on Chinese education that “they forget that they are also Malaysians”.

“This sentiment is very dangerous. It can affect the national integration, and we will fight anyone who act as stumbling block towards national integration,” said Zamri, who is from Umno’s Teluk Intan division in Perak.

He also warned Chinese newspapers against playing up the education issue.

Zamri said as an independent country which is facing globalisation, there is no need for every ethnic group in Malaysia to have schools in their mother-tongue language.

He went on to challenge other races in Malaysia, namely the Chinese and Indian Malaysians, to accept the vision school concept.

Read the full story at:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/200206210016110.php

posted 22-06-2002 09:30 AM            

Anyway, if you follow the UMNO assembly and listen to the politikus speeches, you will laught. Many so call 'pemimpin' talked like there was law in this country, make up rules and regulation as they go along. Cakap macam orang jual ubat di Chow Kit, showmanship saja, tak berisis! Banya pula yang sungguh beremosi, kononnya nak rela mati mempertahankan bangsa. Nak pertahankan dari siapa? siapa yang nak berlawan? Semuanya ada undang-undang, ada system yang sedia ada, kita ada parlimen, kita tak perlu "bagnsawan" yang main Hang Tuah hari ini!

Sekian sumbangan dari saya.

posted 22-06-2002 01:52 PM         

Umno demonstration

In 2000, Umno Youth showed their disdain at the Malaysian Chinese Organisation Election Appeals Committee, or Suqiu, for its 17-point demands which allegedly include the calling for the abolishment of bumiputra rights.

A group of Umno Youth, led by its deputy chief Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, demonstrated outside the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall — where Suqiu was housed — and demanded the lobby group to retract its demands.

Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, who is also Umno Youth exco member, was reportedly to have said that the Malays were willing to “bathe in blood” to defend their privileges.

------------------------------------------

How come nobody was arrested for the actions above ? Why were they above the law ? Can you believe these people while they are talking " racial integration " now ??

What Howard said is sure true !

posted 24-06-2002 07:58 AM            

Don't blame politicians and government servants for their stand against your cause. They have their own rice bowl to fill.

Speaking of globalization, isn't that the very essence why English and Chinese are so much more important than BM which is held to heart for nationalistic values only? This is not to deride the beautiful language of our homeland, but facing the reality that our young, evolving and relatively unknown (as a global) language will not be able to stand up and be counted in the race among giants.

PM has finally shown his utter frustrations at the way the Malays are so content to be shelled up in their esiting cocoon of comfort. Eat your hats out, ladies and gentlemen, nothing will change. Malay youths will still be lingering unproductively in the backlanes of Chow Kit and shadows of KLCC. They will fill the seats of Mamak stalls, guitar in hand and fag between lips till the break of dawn. There will be more illegal motorcycle races to come.

Is this the product of education? Or is the medium of instruction the only factor in education?

As long as the veil is not lifted and the dust shrouding the evils which have become social norms (albeit unacceptable) is not wiped away, PM will be wailing on centre stage for the same reason year after year as long as he lives.

To my Malay countrymen, I beg you to open your eyes and ears and hearts. Don't let the web of patriotism enslave you to limit your non materialistic assets. You should be the ones fighting for the right to learn a third and perhaps a fourth language. Keep in mind that even as it is, you are being somewhat restrained from learning even a second language and for that the doors of globalisation are being slammed shut in your face.

posted 28-06-2002 08:40 PM            

Two Chinese education groups said Umno Youth’s warning last week that they would face possible hostility similar to what lobby group Suqiu had suffered was a result of the public pressure that the party’s wing was facing lately.

“We noticed that Umno Youth had been criticised regularly in recent weeks and this is perhaps why they chose to target Chinese newspapers and other similar organisations.

“We regret that Umno Youth had to make such a remark about us,” said United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) and United Chinese School Teachers Association of Malaysia (Jiao Zong) in a joint statement.

It was issued by Dong Zong chairperson Quek Suan Hiang and Jiao Zong chairperson Ong Chiow Chuen.

In recent weeks, Umno Youth chief Hishamuddin Hussein had suggested that private colleges impose a 10 percent bumiputra quota in their students intake, and this had sparked off strong debate between those who were for it and against it.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad — who had earlier called for bumiputra students to buck up — however put a stop to the debate when he said there was no need to impose such quota in private colleges.

Last Friday, at the Umno annual general assembly, Youth exco Dr Zamri Abdul Kadir accused the two influential Chinese education groups and Chinese dailies for forgetting that “they are also Malaysians” and acting as a “stumbling block to national integration”.

Stern actions

Zamri also warned that Dong Zong and Jiao Zong may face stern actions like those directed against Suqiu, or the Malaysian Chinese Organisation Election Appeals committee, which had called for the removal of the distinction between bumiputra and non-bumiputra before the 1999 general election.

In 2000, hundreds of Umno Youth supporters led by its deputy chief Aziz Sheikh Fadzir demonstrated outside the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall which housed Suqiu, and threatened to burn down the hall if Suqiu refused to retract its appeals.

Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, who is also Umno Youth exco member, was reported to have said then that the Malays were willing to “bathe in blood” to defend their privileges.

Quek and Ong in their joint statement said it was “unreasonable” for Umno Youth to threaten them.

“Our stand reflects the wishes and aspirations of the Chinese community. We do not oppose racial integration but we do not agree with the implementation which requires minority races to abandon their culture and language,” they said.

They added that “mother-tongue education in a pluralistic society like ours is a basic human right”.

At loggerheads

The two educationists also said Mandarin education is part of the national education system as it uses the same syllabuses like other schools, but a different teaching medium — Bahasa Melayu in national school, and either Mandarin or Tamil in national-type schools.

“Mandarin primary schools do not get support from just Chinese parents but non-Chinese parents as well,” they said.

They said there is an estimated 65,000 non-Chinese students who constitute 12-15 percent of the total number of those studying in Mandarin primary schools.

“If the government keeps accusing Dong Zong and Jiao Zong of opposing racial integration, it is tantamount to denying the reality of the 1,284 Mandarin primary schools in the country,” they said.

Dong Zong and Jiao Zong are known to have been at loggerheads with the government over several education issues, most notably the vision school project — a government proposal to place primary schools of different teaching mediums each in the same compound.

The education movements claimed that vision school aims to gradually achieve the government’s ‘ultimate objective’ of a monolingual education policy.

posted 30-06-2002 03:25 PM            

Which are the countries have integrated races successfully? Why do you said so? How did it happen?

On the other note, I like to share with you some of my experiece in my school days. I studied in a Chinese Primary school, then move on to a Malay Medium secondary school. I make many friends during the 6 years in the secondary school, Chineses, Malays and Indians. We visit each other during Hari Raya, Deepavali and Chinese New Year. We have a lot of fun in school.

After SPM. I only see one of my Malay classmate in Form six - for two months. What happen to all of them? I was told all those Malay students who score Grade 1 Malay have went overseas, one grade 3 student went to ITM, the grade two students went for Matriculation in local University. The only one who went to Form six for 2 months went to a University in USA.

Since then, I never see them again!

I have not make any new Malay friends in the University since we no longer have classmates under the Uni's system.

Friend, are you naive? Inexperience? or haven't live long enough in this country to understand the politician?

Tell me, in the newspaper, who are the ones who always make racial statements? Sometimes, I wonder what else do they contribute other than create racial tension at the same time put the blame to the educationists and the peace loving citizen!

posted 30-06-2002 08:45 PM         

"Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, who is also Umno Youth exco member, was reported to have said then that the Malays were willing to “bathe in blood” to defend their privileges."

If certain quarters of our community prefer to resort to violence to quell differences in opinion, this country will be destroyed by years of development effort. It is easy to destroy but not easy to build ! Look at the hiroshima bomb....

Please enlighten me as to why "malay privileges" can be taken away when the minorities just want to learn their own mother tongue ???

Let us learn from canada which has a similar situation as to malaysia. The majority are english people but a sizable minority are french (quebec). The french are allowed to have their own medium of instruction as part of their "national integration".

posted 10-07-2002 10:52 PM            

Subject: FW: Vision School fails to impress
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 11:28:04 +0800 Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 10:40 AM
Subject: FW: Vision School fails to impress

Vision School fails to impress

Disappointed Anak Malaysia
Subang Jaya
5:22pm Mon Jul 8th, 2002

I enrolled my child in the new Wawasan (Vision) school hoping that the
quality of teachers would be better. However, this is not the case. The
quality of teachers we have these days is appalling, with the exception of a
handful few.

The respect shown by teachers, and administrators in the Wawasan National
Primary school to parents, is depressing. Parents have been passed
condescending remarks as well as shouted at on the third day the Wawasan
school opened. All these were done in front of the pupils and teachers. Are
these the moral values we are imparting to our children?

The lack of communication among parents, teachers, and the Education
Ministry is appalling. Most parents are afraid of complaining directly to
the school for fear of repercussions on their children. Perhaps the best way
would be for every school to form an Internet forum where parents can give
feedback on the experiences we face in schools. It may be better if every
class can have its own e-group.

The school or the Education Ministry should monitor the feedback if they are
serious about instilling confidence in the Vision school project. They
should make an effort to nip problems in the bud.

The parent-teacher association (PTA) has not been formed either. The
headmaster is always having one excuse or another saying he needs to meet
the minister or director of education to get this done.

Meanwhile our children are in dire need of a good education system. It is
their democratic right, and we can't do anything without the PTA in place.

The school doesn't even have a telephone yet and there are not enough
teachers. Some classes have overrun their capacity - there are classes with
48 pupils. Is this the 'quality' school we wish to introduce to the rest of
the country?

Pupils are also required to bring a plastic bag for their rubbish as the
wastebasket in the class is meant for the teacher only. This is really
perplexing.

The latest requirement is that the children have to bring their own
storybooks to read during recess as they are required to read after they
have finished snacking. Those who did not bring any books have their names
taken down by the prefect.

And who can we air our grievances to? The headmaster is too busy attending
kursus (courses) and visiting the kementerian (ministry). If he is always so
busy, it's about time he learns how to use the Internet so that we can at
least e-mail him our grouses.

To cap our concerns, the school syllabus is not only not well designed, but
it is actually unsuitable. My child who is in Standard One of the National
Wawasan school came back with homework, an extract of which is enclosed here
(see letter's end) for the readers to judge if it befits the understanding
of a seven-year-old.

The teacher had neither explained the words nor the homework to the kids. It
was more like homework for the parents than the child. I tried to explain as
much as I could to my child, but realised that it was futile as there were
just too many words that my child didn't understand.

The teachers do not seem to care if the work may be beyond the understanding
of young minds. Gone are the days when the education system was designed for
the steady progress of the students. Standard One teachers had to ensure the
pupils have a good grasp of writing, spelling, speech and simple sentence
construction before moving on to more complicated work.

The emphasis then was to ensure the children understood what the lesson was
all about. Now the emphasis is to bombard the children with as many words as
possible and expect them to cope somehow. Or is it just bad planning on the
part of the teachers or education ministry?

_____

Judge for yourself if these homework extracts for Moral Studies and Bahasa
Malaysia are suitable for seven-year-olds:

Isi tempat kosong dengan perkataan yang sesuai:

jiran, ternampak, memelihara, mengurung, ponteng, rugi, berkat, kaum,
mengganggu, bermuafakat

1. ___ sekolah ialah perlakuan yang tidak baik. Pelajar akan ___ jika
dia tidak pergi ke sekolah. Orang ramai yang ____ pelajar yang ponteng
sekolah perlu melaporkan hal itu kepada pihak sekolah.

2. ___ ialah orang yang tinggal paling hampir dengan kita. Kita
mestilah hidup berbaik-baik dengan jiran. Jika kita ada ____ anjing, kita
patut __ anjing peliharaan kita supaya tidak __ jiran kita.

3. Kita hidup di Malaysia yang aman, tetapi kita semua bersatu-padu.
Kita mestilah __ untuk kepentingan semua kaum. Hidup bermuafakat membawa __.

Bulatkan jawapan yang betul

1. Kita hendaklah ___ dengan baik-baik sebelum bertindak
A. berfikir
B. belajar
C. termenung

2. Kita perlu mempertimbangkan __ sebelum membuat keputusan.
A. upahnya
B. kesannya
C. ganjarannya

3. ___ sekolah adalah perbuatan yang merugikan.
A. Hadir
B. Mengecat
C. Ponteng

4. Kita akan __ jika melanggar undang-undang.
A. dibenci
B. didenda
C. dipuji

_____

Bahasa Malaysia Tahun Satu

Baca petikan di bawah dengan teliti.

Sepak raga bulatan ialah sejenis permainan tradisional yang terkenal di
kalangan masyarakat Melayu. Pada zaman dahulu, permainan ini diminati oleh
golongan istana. Biasanya, permainan ini dimainkan pada waktu petang untuk
mengisi masa lapang.

Permainan ini mempunyai tekniknya yang tersendiri. Para pemain akan berdiri
dalam satu bulatan. Bola raga akan disepak oleh para pemain secara
bergilir-gilir. Pemain yang paling banyak membuat sepakan akan dikira
sebagai pemenang.

Kini, permainan sepak raga bulatan kurang popular. Sebaliknya, para pemain
lebih suka memainkan permainan ini di gelanggang. Permainan ini kini
dikenali sebagai sepak takraw.

A. Baca pernyataan di bawah. Kemudian, tuliskan permainan yang berkaitan
dengan pernyataan tersebut.

Sepak raga bulatan, tingting, wau, seremban

1. Permainan ini popular di Kelantan. Diperbuat daripada buluh dan
kertas. Dimainkan selepas musim menuai.
Permainan: ____

2. Dimainkan dalam bentuk bulatan. Sesuai untuk kanak-kanak lelaki.
Menggunakan kepala dan kaki ketika memainkannya.
Permainan: ___

3. Dimainkan oleh kanak-kanak perempuan. Mereka duduk ketika bermain.
Memerlukan tujuh biji batu.
Permainan: ___

4. Garisan perlu dibuat sebelum memainkannya. Pemain perlu melompat.
Memerlukan dua orang pemain atau lebih.
Permainan: ____