National Education Blueprint

Fear and anxiety under the mysterious veil

2013-08-06 15:38

By LIM MUN FAH
Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE
Sin Chew Daily

The National Education Blueprint 2013-2025 will be launched on September 6, but the government has so far not yet announced its revised version. Fear and anxiety of the Chinese community can be found under the mysterious veil. Although they are unable to achieve exactly the same view on certain issues, the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong), the United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong), the LLG Cultural Development Centre Berhad and other Chinese education organisation, however, are all worried that the Education Ministry might try to change the nature of Chinese primary schools through changing the teaching method.

Undeniably, there is always a big gap between the government and the Chinese community in terms of views and stands on education issue. The government claimed that the introduction of the education blueprint was based on a good intention to enhance the quality of students, teachers and schools, while strengthening students' ability in mastering Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics and Science, to improve the overall quality of education in the country. The Chinese community, however, pointed out that even though the education blueprint has not mentioned the intention to eliminate Chinese primary schools, it set the target to make national primary and secondary schools the first choice of all parents by the third wave (2021-2025).

The Chinese community is most worried that the nature of Chinese primary schools would be wiped off under the "ultimate goal".

Has the Chinese community been over sensitive? Or is there really a hidden agenda in the education blueprint, making the Chinese community extra cautious at every step?

Obviously, it has been a big knot between the government and the Chinese community.

As they are unable to untie the knot, they have different views over the education blueprint.

For instance, the Chinese community is unable to agree to the use of a standard Bahasa Malaysia curriculum for all students in both National and National-type schools starting from the Year 4 cohort in 2014 and a substantial increase for the Bahasa Malaysia learning time to 330 minutes as recommended by the education blueprint. Jiao Zong insists that the Bahasa Malaysia learning time should not be more than 210 minutes while Dong Zong believe that 180 minutes would be enough.

In addition, the English learning time is also controversial. According to the transformation plan, Chinese primary schools have only 120 minutes of English learning time but they are required to use the same curriculum used in national primary schools having 330 minutes of learning time. It leads to the question of how should teachers teach and how should students learn? Union of Chinese Headmasters' president Pang Chong Leong believes that such an English course schedule will eventually cause Chinese primary school students to suffer in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR).

In short, the Chinese community's greatest worry is the "ultimate goal" of the Education Ministry. They are worried that under the "single-stream education" thinking, the nature of Chinese primary schools would be changed, or worse, eliminated. If the government has no such intention, the only way would be to enhance communication with the Chinese community and through direct dialogues, develop a policy that can eliminate the worries of Chinese community, instead of simply calling it "overreaction" while sealing the door of communication and negotiation.

The Chinese community has never questioned the status of Bahasa Malaysia and is always willing to increase Chinese students' standard of the language. It is just having a different view with the Education Ministry in terms of teaching methods. These differences should be resolvable through communication and coordination. Although it takes time and might affect the "targeted effectiveness" of the National Education Blueprint, it is more in line with the public opinion of a win-win solution and could instead enhance its "execution efficiency".

I believe that the smart government will choose the win-win solution.

-- Source

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Actually, I've been meaning to write about this for some time.

This National Education Blueprint is another issue that is precisely what I view as kids suffering for the doings of adults.

While on the whole, the blueprint sounds good, ambitious even. Unfortunately, beneath the grandiose veneer, lies elements of deceit. It's as if these 3 point are sneaked into it on purpose, hidden in plain sight.

The 3 points that will be detrimental to Chinese schools.

1. From 2014, the switch to Bahasa Melayu curriculum from Primary 4 onwards will result in poor academic scores for the students. That is a guaranteed outcome. As a result, the academic performance of Chinese schools will nosedive. Although they reviewed this, but the point that it was included in the first place is a sinister move. The final objective, of course, is to have a standardised curriculum in Bahasa Melayu for all schools, a one school system. With that, it would spell the end of Chinese schools. It would defeat the purpose of studying in a Chinese school when less resources are available for Chinese language.

2. Next is the subject hour for BM & English. The proposed drastic increase in BM hours means that those hours will have to be taken from other subjects because other subjects are currently taught in Mandarin. This would also result in a drop in the students' academic scores. This, in my view, is a veiled attempt to undermine Chinese schools. Even under the present curriculum, there is already a marked decrease in Mandarin subject hours. The problem is, increasing hours for the sake of it is not a solution at all. It's quality, not quantity that matters. The problem that need to be addressed is actually the quality of these language teachers. Some are not very proficient in their respective language subjects.

3. One Secondary school system. Under the blueprint, although vernacular primary schools will still be allowed, the secondary school level are consolidated into one national stream. What will happen to the Chinese Independent secondary schools? If the Chinese language proficiency drops in Primary level, students will have a hard time in Chinese Independent Schools.  So, effectively, the plan is to close these schools.

Looking at the points above, anyone with half a brain can see that one of the objectives of this education blueprint is to eliminate Chinese education.

It seems these people are still not done mucking with education after all these years. They are determined to close the Chinese Schools. If not directly, then indirectly. Mahathir tried it. Anwar tried it. Now it's Muhyiddin's turn. I would even hazard an informed assumption that most Malays share that view. Chinese schools are made out to be a torn in the flesh, with plenty of reasons and justifications, but none are true. It's made out to look like these schools are the cause of all of the nation's problems.

Let me offer a better solution. First, make those national schools to be the schools of choice. Improve them. Just like the days when the mission English-medium schools were the schools of choice. Those days, Chinese schools were not popular at all. Let's just be truthful and honest for once. Can it be done? How long will it take for the current system to be improved to the level of those English-medium schools? More than 40 years have passed since the switch. That is 40 years of decline. So, don't blame me for my skepticism. I don't think they can be brought back to it former glory in 15 years. Improvement, perhaps. Somehow, I do not have much faith in the ones who will actually be implementing it; headmasters, teachers, MOE, LPN, etc.

Those who attended mission schools back in the days have nothing but praise for the system, environment, students and teachers. From the day the English-medium system was replaced with the current system, it was downhill all the way. Besides the low quality of teachers, Islamisation began creeping into the school syllabus and school environment. The same can be said of the country as a whole.

Why do you think we have embarrassing incidences like the shower room & 'balik china' remarks recently, and the years before? It is real. Only when we acknowledge the real problems, will we be able to come up with concrete solutions.

Unfortunately, I find the blueprint lacking in honesty. While I do agree that on the whole, the blueprint looks good, and that kids of various races should be encouraged to mingle, I don't see the current situation in schools as the cause of the racial issues mentioned. I see words of 'unity' peppered throughout the entire proposal. The proposal, in it's current form, will not solve those problem because the root cause is not in schools. It is in adulthood. It is the adults today that are the problem. The adults don't even mix. They live and work in largely homogenous environments. Be honest. The adults are the racists.

Racism and prejudices starts in adulthood, not childhood!

Let's say for the sake of unity, everything spelled out in the blueprint is implemented, with this One School system. Applied from Primary 1 to Secondary 5. Wonderful. What happens after that? Will these students be attending the same colleges? Will all institutions of higher learning be open to all races, based on merit? And what happens after they graduate? Will the government also ensure that these young adults have a fair chance of mixing in a multi-racial environment? In government & public sectors?

You see, when you start to muck around with people's lives, make sure you also think about the results and consequences. You must see it through, all the way. Not half-way and leave it to someone else to clean up the mess, and certain communities to suffer the consequences. The most cruel thing, is to give false hope to a kid, only for him/her to find out later in life that it was a lie. By then, it will be too late. And the cycle repeats itself.

So, it is not just a question of whether the Chinese opposing it or not. Most importantly, is society, all communities, ready and willing. Of course I, like everyone else, would like to see everybody enjoy equal opportunities. But is it feasible and realistic?

The Chinese Malaysians view Chinese schools as their safety net. The language allows them to explore and learn about their culture and identity. Make no mistake that the Chinese Malaysians are acutely aware of their origins. How could they forget, while some of them are now already the 3rd or 4th generation post-independence, are constantly reminded of their roots from young.

Every generation, are instilled in them from young, to be prepared in case of any eventualities. Every parent, preparing their young the best they could, so that they have more options in life.

This must not be construed as being unpatriotic. It's being pragmatic and realistic. This is how insecure the Chinese feel in this country. Were the Chinese Indonesians who flee the country in 1998, unpatriotic? No. They fled because they had to.

Why is it that enrollment in Chinese schools are increasing every year? Why do some of these parents, who went to national schools, are enrolling their kids in Chinese school. These parents can't even speak, read nor write in mandarin at all. They studied in a multi-racial environment, mixed with all races. So, is their decision racial? No. It is has nothing to do with race.

Disunity happens in adult life. It is here, that the solutions are needed, urgently.

Education issues could never be solved with political solutions. If the aim of any education transformation plan is to raise the standards of education, then why the constant threat to vernacular education, specifically Chinese education when these schools have been consistently maintaining and improving their standards?
As history has proven, when politicians meddle with education, we all know how it will end up.

Well, we'll just have to wait and see...

Ruling a big country is like cooking a small fish (治大国，若烹小鲜). When you're frying a small fish, too much poking will ruin the meal - Laozi

 So the meaning is: create general policies and direction, but do not micromanage. To do this well, you must understand the ways of your people and not go against the grain.