Yesterday, Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has claimed that vernacular schools have agreed to extra 60 minutes of Bahasa Melayu teaching. He said it was a “middle path” formula agreed by Jia Zong , Hua Zong and other “zong”.
However, Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Teachers’ Association), Hua Zong (Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia) and the National Union of Heads of Schools in a joint statement had refuted Muhyiddin that the they have accepted a proposal to raise the language lessons from 180 minutes a week to 240 minutes is untrue.
It is obvious that the Ministry’s formula is a “move two steps forward, then backtrack one step” strategy.
It is also a formula that ignores the wishes of the Chinese community and will therefore be met with strong objections.
In fact, the community must protest against the Ministry’s decision.
Since the three groups mentioned by Muhyiddin as having agreed to the formula have openly refuted Muhyiddin, it is clear that Muhyiddin has made misleading and wrong claim.
I don’t wish to call Muhyiddin a liar but it is baffling how he could have made such a claim.
Hence, he should immediately clarify the truth and tender his public apology.
But what is more important is that he must also comply with the wishes of the Chinese community and withdraw the 240 minutes a week formula.
When Datuk Seri Najib took over as the nation’s new premier in2009, he had declared that “the era where the government knows best is over”.
The government should therefore walk the talk and sincerely listen to the voices of the people.
It must reconsider the other reasonable and legitimate proposals submitted by the Chinese community for inclusion in the National Education Blueprint which include allowing the building of more Chinese independent schools, unconditional recognition of the Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC).
It must be pointed out that there is no provision in the Education Act which states that the Education Ministry should categorise schools into fully aided and partially aided schools.
All schools which have been accepted into the mainstream of our education system deserve full government aid without any conditions.
It is time that the government stops the unfair practice and provides full aid to all schools.