Despite welcoming the proposal made by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan that English-medium government schools are allowed to be re-established in Sabah, DAP Sabah has cautiously reminded Abdul Rahman Dahlan that, how to do it if the education affairs is not under State government’s jurisdiction?
What’s the mechanism which can make Sabah an exceptional model from the national education policy under the current system? As the education affairs is under Federal List of Federal Constitution and it is governed by Federal Education Ministry, what can a Minister in the Prime Minisiter’s Department help to make his proposal becoming real but not only empty promise?
I absolutely agree with Dahlan’s every reason to re-establish the English-medium government schools in Sabah, such as mastery of English is a way to make human capital be more productive and competitive. However, it’s not about the general public agree or not with his proposal, it’s about how to implement this proposal.
The first thing to do is bringing back education affairs under State List of Federal Constitution, before talking about re-establishing the English-medium government schools in the state.
The historical fact is, English medium government schools were established in Sabah before, but were discontinued after the state government at that time decided to give up the power in education affairs to Federal government and follow the national educational policy.
Sabah and Sarawak can look forward to a more liberalised and decentralised education system under a Pakatan Harapan-administered federal government.
Not only about the English-medium schools re-establishment, we need to revamp the state education system totally. We in DAP and Pakatan Harapan recognize the unique position of Sabah and Sarawak vis-a-vis our national education system. A federal government under Pakatan Harapan would decentralize the powers to state, including education affairs, which was once under a state jurisdiction in Sabah and Sarawak.
DAP committed to give full autonomy in the funding and administration of education. The autonomy in education will still be subject to the national curriculum for the purpose of national integration, but more Borneo contents should be carried in the national school curriculum.
Furthermore, Borneonization must be practiced in recruiting teachers in both Borneo states. “We want more local participation in the education sector, to balance the influence of certain quarters who has the objective to convert the religion of the indigenous people without their consent.”
I challenge Dahlan to walk the talk, taking a bold step to push for his English-medium governmental schools reviving proposal.
He might fail to convince his boss, Mr Prime Minister, but please, at least he should put in effort to make his proposal as one of the Sabah BN manifesto in the next general election.