An Education System Worthy of Malaysia #40
Chapter 7: Strengthening The Schools
During colonial times the main problem with Malaysian schools was one of access. The English schools then were generally good, some were excellent, but they were not many. They were also necessarily elitist. Education was not for the masses rather for the select and lucky few. Today education has been democratized and made readily available to all. There are many more schools but few are good. Even previously outstanding ones are today a mere shadow of their former glory.
The British perpetuated racial and class divisions with its separate vernacular schools. Its English schools however, succeeded in bringing some segment of the community (primarily the elite and urban dwellers) together. The unity and solidarity of earlier Malaysian leaders could be credited to the fact that they all attended English schools. Today, despite the stated objectives that schools should be a force for bringing the nation together, young Malaysians are growing further apart.
Despite the overall gloom there are islands of excellence. The trick is not to muck up such successes in the zeal for reform rather to enhance and replicate them. In this chapter I will deal exclusively with schools, the next with higher education.
I would not change the total number of school years, but instead of the current format of K-6/7-9/10-11/12-13 (Primary/Lower Secondary/ Upper Secondary/Sixth Form), I would substitute primary (K-6), middle (Years 7-9), and high school (Years 10-13). Most of the changes would be at the high school. All students regardless whether they are academically or vocationally oriented would have 13 years of schooling, an improvement over the present. As for the curriculum, there would only be the four mandatory core subjects: Malay, English, science, and mathematics. These subjects would be taught daily at all levels, and in English, except for Malay.
Each school would design its own program to fill the rest of the day. The ministry would provide only general guidelines for the various subjects. Each school would decide what other subjects to offer depending on the availability of teachers and the demand from students and parents. This gives maximum flexibility to the schools and teachers to display their creativity and innovation. Note that the guidelines govern only the minimum requirements expected of all students.
The schools, especially those in the academic streams, are expected to exceed those standards.
Common Issues Affecting All Schools
MOE has a tight leash on schools, and those ministry bureaucrats are control freaks. Nothing gets done without their approval, not even fixing the leaking roof. The ministry controls every minutiae of the curriculum and syllabus, picks the textbooks, and decides who gets promoted. This monopoly must be broken and the private sector be allowed to participate. Schools are also getting too large and overcrowded as to be unmanageable. With headmasters poorly trained as managers, we have the mess today. The physical facilities too are wanting, and stressed with the added burdens of double sessions.
The ministry must relent and grant schools greater freedom. Many of the reforms worldwide are focused on decentralization as we have seen in Chile. In America there is a trend especially in the larger districts of delegating management from the district office down to the individual school – school-based management (SBM).
It would be foolish to let a small primary school in Ulu Kelantan to have its own management. That would only result in it being a pawn of ambitious local politicians and pompous village headmen. But there are schools with a long tradition of excellence and a large pool of distinguished alumni and parents who could guide their institutions to greater heights if only given the chance. I do not mean that the ministry should let go of these schools entirely. Rather it could influence them much more effectively using subtler yet more powerful instruments like the funding mechanism and in approving their trustees’ appointments. This would also be less crude but more effective than issuing missives and commands. Schools such as Victoria Institution, Penang Free, and the residential schools should be let free or at least be given the option for self-governance. Give them a global budget based on the enrollment, performance, or any other agreed-upon criteria.
With SBM the headmaster would nominate potential trustees, subject to the minister’s approval. The minister thus maintains veto power over such appointments. He should only approve well-qualified and dedicated candidates. As added precaution, there must be sufficient representation on the board from parents, teachers, and alumni. The board would have full authority, including the hiring and firing of staff, and choosing the textbooks. Surely they would be as qualified as those ministry officials. To maintain continuity the board would have staggered appointments, and to prevent entrenched trustees there should be term limits. The ministry would have to draw up model bylaws to govern the board’s authority.
Not every school would be capable of or want to have their independence. Thus before any school be granted SBM, there must be a request by the majority of the teachers. There should also be a mechanism to revoke SBM in case of dysfunctional management.
I would anticipate that a few dozen schools would qualify initially for SBM. Later with their success, they would entice others to take that route. Not only would this lighten the load of the ministry so it could concentrate on those schools that truly need its help, it would also empower our schools to seek their own level of excellence.
The second major factor is size. Many schools are too big, way past their optimal size to be effectively managed. I suggest limiting enrollment in primary school to under 400 students; middle school around 500; and high school, 600. Beyond those, students would be lost in the crowd and disciplinary problems become major issues. Studies indicate that smaller schools are not only safer but also more effective. I have seen the world of difference between the massive comprehensive schools where my two older children attended as compared to the smaller one my younger son went.
America is experimenting with dividing its large schools into smaller units, each with its own teachers and administrators but sharing the same campus. At some schools the students stay with the same teacher for two or more consecutive years. The idea is to have as many adults at that school know as many students personally.
There are many other advantages to small schools. Deborah Meier in her book, The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem, lists some of them. Meier, a pioneer in American education, feels very strongly that the current huge and factory-like atmosphere of many schools is simply dehumanizing, and takes a severe toll on the students. She has successfully demonstrated her conviction by running a small school in Harlem, the toughest inner city environment. Her students have consistently surpassed the national average; if we compare her students to those of other inner city schools the improvement is simply spectacular.
Small schools are more manageable. The teachers know each other and thus are accountable to one another. If someone were slacking, the others would know right away and could gently remind him or her in the common room. The physics teacher knows what the math teacher is doing, and they could coordinate their lesson plans merely by conversing in the hallway. There is no need to have a coordinating committee. Teachers would also know the students better, even those from other classes. When students become exposed to the same few teachers all the time, those adults become valuable role models.
Small schools are not more expensive; in many ways they are cheaper. At large American schools resources are diverted towards crowd control, with metal detectors and policemen. Personnel are consumed with handling disciplinary problems. Small size alone is not enough; it would be meaningless if such schools were not given sufficient autonomy to take advantage of their smallness. Then what we would have are clones of one another, and the mistakes of one get replicated.
My mother was a headmistress of a small primary school in her village during British rule. Because she also lived in the same village, she knew many of the parents. Her pupils were unlikely to bluff their way with her when playing hooky. It would be tough to say you missed school because you were sick when your headmistress saw you climbing the coconut tree that day. Because her school was small she actually taught a class while being a headmistress. I remember many parents bringing gifts of fruits and cakes to my mother during Hari Raya and at the end of the year, all very personal touches. Such occasions easily became informal parent-teacher conferences with valuable information on the child being exchanged. I have followed up with that tradition with my own children by giving token gifts to their teachers on the last day of school. No, that was not an attempt at bribing or currying favor as the grades were already out by then.
When Malaysia became independent, Malay schools were “modernized” and the principals had to fill in all the added paperwork to satisfy the new homegrown bureaucrats. My mother was consumed with administrative chores that took her away from her beloved pupils. She finally gave up her headship to return to the classroom. At the time she was bound by the old rules and could do this without any diminution in her pay. My father too was briefly a headmaster, but after one too many meetings with officials at the state office, he decided to come back as a regular teacher until his retirement a decade later.
I believe the effectiveness of traditional religious schools is attributed to the fact that their teachers are intimately involved in the community. The ustaz not only teaches in the madrasahs, he also leads the prayers at your parents’ khenduri (feast) and your brother’s circumcision rites.
At my son’s school the tradition was for the first teacher of the day to greet each student by name and a firm handshake as he or she enters the class, and the process is repeated with the last teacher as the students were leaving. There is nothing more personal than a handshake and looking straight in the eye of a youngster, and perhaps little words of encouragement whispered now and then.
Today’s schools are so large that such personal and human touches are gone. Not only are headmasters fully consumed with administrative chores, so are the senior assistants. When principals get far away from the classrooms it is easy for them to become detached from the realities. Ask headmasters to name some students they know well, they would be stumped. Today the administrative types are more likely to be promoted over the born teachers. These bureaucrats look upon their promotions not as opportunities to advance their pedagogical philosophy rather as an escape from the classroom.
Dr. Raymond Orbach, renowned physicist and head of the University of California, Riverside, in an address to incoming freshmen told them that his greatest pleasure was to meet and welcome new students; his second, to teach an honors class. This was his way to get a pulse on the most important segment of the campus community – the students. He does not need to get a detailed report from the dean of undergraduate studies; he meets the students every day in class.
Going back to Mrs. Meier, her program is now widely copied nationwide. In her teaching she tries to instill in her pupils and fellow teachers her school’s five broad principles. The first is, “How do we know what we know?” which is simply a way of asking us to weigh and examine the evidence to what we say or hear. The second, “Who is speaking?” that is, whose perspectives? The implication is that there can be multiple viewpoints to be considered. Third is, “What causes what?” a search for relationships, patterns, or connection. Fourth is, “How might things be different?” an opportunity to examine the “what ifs” and various suppositions. And lastly, a simple, “Who cares?” not a cynical dismissal rather another way of saying how and in what way do these things matter in the grand scheme, or to wax philosophical.
These five guiding principles are written down and hung in every classroom. I find them so helpful that I cannot help but repeat them here.
At the polar opposite of the large inner city schools that Meier successfully humanized with her small school movement, are the small isolated rural schools. The problems here are of a different order, quantitatively and qualitatively. Their smallness precludes them from offering enriched programs, and their teachers risk professional isolation. One solution suggested by the Annenberg Challenge is for these schools to form networks for support and sharing of resources. Thus small rural schools in one district could join together to share a music teacher or a mobile computer lab and library. Teachers could also get together for joint professional development courses. The areas for such cooperation and learning together are unlimited.
The next important issue with Malaysian schools is double sessions. The top priority must be to end this. I am disappointed that the funds allocated in the 2003 budget to ending double sessions are considerably less than that of providing IT. The government cannot end double sessions by itself; that would bust the budget. But by allowing for private sector participation, the load would be lightened. The government could also achieve more for its money if it cuts down on expensive and unnecessary projects like building residential schools, and by putting its contracts to open bidding and getting the best price instead of limiting them only to Bumiputra contractors.
The last point is parental choice – the freedom to choose the school that best fit the child. To make this a reality all schools must have adequate hostel facilities to cater for students who live far away. I favor limited hostel facilities attached to day schools rather than fully residential schools simply because the former would be considerably cheaper and more manageable.
If we have freedom of choice, how do we prevent self-segregation? One way is by rewarding those schools with a diverse student body. With the added funds they could enrich their academic offerings; this in turn would make their school that much more attractive to all Malaysians. Conversely we should not fund schools that restrict their enrolment to or attract only students from a particular race or religion. Thus exclusively Chinese, Tamil, or Islamic schools would not get any state funding. Most parents genuinely want their children to be exposed to their fellow Malaysians. Those few who resist, then they would have to pay for their children’s education. The objective is to have children of the different races study in the same classroom, not necessarily all the time but at least during their core subject classes.
This proposal is far superior to the present Vision School concept where students from national (Malay), Chinese, and Tamil schools share the same campus but study in their segregated classrooms. If we are not careful, these Vision Schools could easily degenerate into hotbeds of race-based gangs.
Inevitably with the freedom of choice, some schools would be perceived to be superior than others. Such schools must have clear and transparent admission rules and procedures to prevent favoritism, except for favoring siblings attending the same school.
These common problems disposed off, I return to the essence of my reform.
Next: Preschool and Primary Years (P-6)
October 25th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Dr Bakri,
While system may be important, we should never discount the importance of the educator - the quality of our teachers. It cannot be denied that in the good old days, the La salle schools in Malaysia were consistently good wherever you find them. They were opened to all - rich and poor, of every race and religion. And thank God they were in all major towns of the Country.
The La Salle’s secret of success was in sweet simplicity, i.e., dedicated principals who were strict but fair. They also physically lived in the school. The principals also had a hand in the selection of teachers, ensuring the quality of those who are entrusted with the future generation. Although their recipe of success was not elaborate, the La Salle graduates often find themselves accepted by the best universities in the world.
Contrast the La Salle way to how the Country chooses it’s teachers today. Look at the academic results of the candidates accepted into the teachers’ training colleges. 90 percent of these candidates would have been rejected by the public universities and MARA. So, it’s little wonder why our schools are not getting better.
Remember, in the La Salle schools of that bygone era, most teachers were themselves graduates of those schools. Most were GCE or HSC certificate holders. But boy, they produced so much with so little. And thank God for them.
So, KISS (keep it simple stupid) may be the best solution for Malaysia. Two professions (at least) must be free from racism - doctors and teachers. You really want the best when your life depends on it. You also want the best when your children’s life depends on it.
October 25th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
MALAYSIA SCHOOL SYTEM TAUGHT TOO MUCH RUBBISH.FROM STANDARD ONE TO UPPER SIX,THERE ARE TOO MUCH CONFLICTING INTEREST BY RACIAL BIASED EDUCATIONIST…THE REALITIES…WHEN ONE STUDENT ACCOMPLISHED 10 AS…TEN THOUSANDS DROP OUT…
October 25th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
THE CHINESE FIGHT DEARLY FOR THEIR MANDARIN.THE MALAYS FIGHT FOR MORE RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND THE ELITES AND THE MINISTERS SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO OVERSEAS WHILE HARPING THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL INTERGRITY…THEN SUDDENLY THE CHINESE AND MALAYS KIDS CANT WRITE AND SPEAK ENGLISH AND THE MINISTERS STILL HARPING NATIONAL INTEREST…THEN THE CHINESE KIDS DROP OUT TO LEARN TRADING TRICKS…THE MALAYS ..KERJA KAMPONG..AND THE INDIAN..WASHING CARS..
October 26th, 2006 at 12:43 am
Dear Dr. Bakri,
I read with interest your take on School-Based Management. I would like to point out that the Chinese education movement in Malaysia began as a coalition of SBM-like entities. Today, Dong Zong, the one-half of the Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) represents the United Chinese School
Committees’ Association of Malaysia. In the pre-Independent days they played similar roles as in modern SBMs, where the School Committees were usually made up of donors, professional elites and parents. The board still retains its characteristics today, and although their influence is significantly reduced by the MOE, their role is still substantial especially in renowned Chinese schools such as Foong Yew in Johore.
It was precisely the absolute control of the individual schools have on the curriculum and syllabus that prompted the colonial government to bring them back under the fold of the administration, especially when the threat of communist propaganda was at its apex. While today there is no such fear, the issue of control remains central in the Chinese education movement. The defenders of Chinese education loathed to cede any more control to the MOE. I am very interested in your suggestion to do exactly the reverse, i.e. to hand over more responsibility and autonomy to the schools and their community to look after its own excellence, but I fear we have two insurmountable obstacles.
1. The urban-rural divide will be greater. The Chinese education model have to be looked at carefully to draw the right lessons. One of the problems with SBM is how the fight will be intensified at the local level among teachers, administrators and differing sections of the represented community members. The Chinese schools have seen a lot of such disputes, and invariably, money becomes quite an issue with the dillution of authority. Many cases involve influential board/committee members making it difficult for those who doesn’t go along with the program and this includes accusations of preferential treatment, favours and awarding of contracts (i.e. canteen).
2. How well will the government take it with relinquishing control but still footing a significant part of the bill. Currently, that’s where many of the Chinese schools are at, the government funds the salary of its staff, but has little real power in making changes. As with any schools operating with a strong board/committee of parents, teachers and administrators, the SBM is going to rip up the idea of equity through national education.
I am actually thrilled to read an idea that goes opposite the path of a standard national education system by liberating it, but I couldn’t help but think of its side effects on a nation-wide scale. SBMs might free up a handful of schools to be elitist again, but it hardly addresses the core issues affecting the education system atm. More coming I am sure, and I just can’t wait.
Interesting ideas in the SBM, Dr!
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001184/118487E.pdf#search=’schoolbased%20management’
October 26th, 2006 at 6:49 am
Chinese schools or such ethnic schools being in a position to receive government funding is an anomaly in the context of nation building. The previous Alliance government made a serious blunder by giving life support to such institutions in the name of ‘democracy’ and ‘equal rights’.
There is nothing wrong with allowing such schools to exist funded by private charities and associations. These ethnic schools would have lost their popularity without government funding.
It is not too late to correct such a blunder. The problem is finding a way of least resistance.
Hidup Melayu.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:11 am
We should set up more religious schools. We should revert to single sex schools and protect the virginity of our girls.
How else could we keep the flow of virgins coming to await the arrival of suicide bombers taking up the offer of 72 virgins in Iraq and Afghanistan?
October 26th, 2006 at 7:13 am
A whorehouse in the sky??? Count me in.
October 26th, 2006 at 8:21 am
Hidup Melayu!!
October 26th, 2006 at 8:31 am
Only we have exclusive rights to the virgins. If you wish for them join us. I have enough PE (plastic explosives) and detonators to blow you straight to heaven into the arms of the virgins. Free tickets no need to book with Virgin Airways or Air Asia. Come one come all.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Yes, they told me this Branson guy uses virgins as flight attendants. But recently, he has been losing virgins at a rate faster than he could have them replaced. Do you think Virgin Airways we could do networking with MAS or Thai Airways.
Otherwise, we may have to circulate some of these virgins among the many martyrs knocking at Heaven’s Gate.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Don’t forget. Malay virgins are better than Chinese virgins.
Hidup Melayu.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Dear Hidup Melayu,alQaedah and al-Jihad,
Please stick to MBM’s topic of discussion.
Most threads will finally be about the 72 virgins when the three of you starts to comment.
Maybe one of you should set up a blog just for the three of u to argue about the 72 virgins.
The last few topics by MBM will finally deviate when the three of you gave comments.
I’m sorry if it appears to be rude for me to say this.
But plese let us not spoil the good write up by MBM.
Thank you
Ayub Tulakang
October 26th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
i have commented sadistically on malays before and before i say this, let me assure you that i’m the least racist of people my age.
i need to comment on “fairness” in handpicking futuredoctors although it deviates a little fromthe topic.
i used to wonder why take so many malays in medical school? they mostly end up mediocre anyways(no true nowadays). as i looked around me years later, i saw the point in mediocrity. we all are aware that many non-malays, glass ceiling aside, leave service at the very first instance they can to greener pastures locally or overseas. who do you have manning the rural/district areas once compulsory service is over if not the mediocre malay docs? mediocrity kept them from venturing further.
it is true at present we do not need more mediocre doctors. it is also true that the best students do not make the best doctors. i have seen so many 5As students who become mediocre too if not arrogant and rude. i have seen too many-cakap pandai auta lebih-ones, they appear good though.
the next time you see a humble tudung-ed doc, does not exactly speak the queen’s english, look again. i made the same mistake. takde gaya-does not mean takde skill,ok. also the creme de la creme of non-malays(criteria being so strict as there are not too many of them) are not more impressive than the malay ones.
i also hope that non-malays would stop blaming NEP for all their underachievements and shortcomings. it is quite rampant now especially. we malays know our dilemma, we read about it daily and had our shortcomings hammered into our heads. so much so we have problems aknowledging that we are good when we are. a society is like water, it seeks a level, and it does not exclude intelligence nor corruption.
it is good that we can talk freely about society’s problems, but it appears to be politically incorect to address the other side of the coin. i too am uneasy to use words such as selfish/mercenary/cold-hearted, but we see it all too often. but we cannot say it, we have the cross of NEP to bear on our back. this is what alqaedah/hidup malayu and jihad feels but cannot say-so they pick escapism instead.
we are mature enough to criticise malays. one must remember there is a balance here. otherwise people get sick/mual and start making idiotic comments. such a shame in such a fine blog.
October 26th, 2006 at 10:18 pm
Ayub Tulakang
All the three mentioned by you have nothing worth contributing. Notice they are all one liner? That reflects their IQ and what lies in their cranium. All they think is sex, sex, sex and how to deal with 72 virgins whether Malays, Chinese or others. Usually these one shot people will climax in 2-3 minutes so to make up for their short (pun intended) ness they conjure all these fantasies. Hdup Melayu what for if the Melayu is the one that needs affirmaive action just to get by in their own country.
October 26th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Dear AyubTulakang and other respected Regulars,
I think it is probably best to ignore the trolls. There is no appealing to their better nature. They have none. It’s obvious their purpose is not to make meaningful contributions to any discussion but to hijack or pollute it. In fact it won’t be surprising at all if Crusader, alQaedah and al-Jihad are multiplenicks of the same vile person. Dr Bakri may not want to restrict anyone’s freedom to comment but these vermins should not be fed.
anakhujanbatu
October 27th, 2006 at 3:15 am
Look at American Idol and Singapore Idol. The whole system promotes excellence, creativity, courage and meritocracy. In Singapore, the winners are Malay - namely, Taufik and Hadi for the past 2 seasons.
The whole nation just votes the winners based on each candidate’s merit while issue of race never surface at all. Malaysian should learn.
October 27th, 2006 at 9:34 am
My postings were to test the waters. Sadly it has confirmed my belief time and again that Malaysians are not ready to meet the demands that freedom of speech make on all of us - and to pay the price to have that freedom.
Dr. Bakri does not need patronizing remarks from anyone here. He understands and believes in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which none of you appears to be able to appreciate having lived under authoritarian regimes all your lives.
I must come to the aid of Al Qaedah for trying to introduce humor to liven up the mood here. His preoccupation with the 72 virgins is not to make fun of Muslims and neither does Crusader’s preoccupation with the “whorehouse in the sky” tell us anything new. In fact it does reveal the attitude most if not all non-Muslims have of Muslims.
It is about the need to push the envelop when it comes to discussing new approaches to our education system. We should educate our young to be more perceptive of our role as seen by others, of our place in the community of nations, to be objective and well informed of what others think of us and not close our minds to alternative ways of thinking - however erroneous that may appear to us.
Hidup Melayu.
October 27th, 2006 at 9:45 am
My opinion about Article 153 of our Constitution is that it should have a sunset clause. My opinion on the Chinese school system is that there should never have been a system funded by the government.
Making Malay as the medium of instruction in schools was a mistake.
Hidup Melayu.
October 27th, 2006 at 10:00 am
How unfortunate. Some of us here are still ignorant of the blogging culture. Your make-believe world is still shrouded by pleasanteries, platitudes and lengthy salutations much alike speeches make to glorify Umnoputras at functions.
Must you guys be so serious? Learn a thing or two about humour and try to take things a little easy. It makes you alot better.
October 27th, 2006 at 11:18 am
ibu mertuaku:
I salute your objectivity in your observance and arguments. It is true that there are not too many out there who would have such fine qualities. But you have to also bear something in mind. Such observation and practic had some credence in those days but today when my son tells me that he has been denied a place in the university or my uncle is not able to get a contract, although he would have expected a fair treatment, all because they were non-malays, it is not I who tell my son to dwell on race but the govt and the system which keeps on reminding at every corner about the race, and this has become so entrenched in society as the govt wants to see everything through race ( and now religion).
Your comment on non-malays not patronising the public sector or the civil service is not accurate either. Gone are the days when we have a fair balance of malays and non-malays in the civil service. Promotions for a non-malay is not that easy and ALL senior govt positions go to malays. I can vouch for this as I have had nasty experiences where we are treated as nobodys even if we work our heart out, short of feeling that there is no gratitude. You wouldn’t like to be a non-malay in this country. If you ask me, I will be frank with you - there is no such thing as loyalty or love anymore and I am not alone in this, but I am horrified at your suggestion that mediocre option can be placed at such a pedestal - then what can you expect, a mediocre country with even the once backward Indonesia can outpace us. Surely that can mean no rejoicing. Even the police, army, etc are shunned because of the unfavourable treatment and no prospects for a non-malay.
There is no doubt that Malaysia is a racist country as we breathe and live with race labels, not because we want to but something that is shoved down our throats. Sad but true and there is no likelihood of this changing i the near future. Stop just blaming the non-malays for the ills of the malays or their mediocre status. This is what the govt actually wanted and went on with a policy to marginalise those non-malays with brains -a very selfish and degrading policy but at the end of the day they just shot themselves in the foot, and will continue to commit blunders after blunders but will simply won’t own up.
October 27th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
I’m with you all the way, Al Jihad. All 72 virgins are waiting - they don’t know what they are missing.
October 27th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Hidup Melayu
Now that you have come out in the open about your views and belief, lets have some civil discussions and enough of this ridiculing the Muslims with the 72 virgins and whorehouse in the sky stuff. The First Amendments guarantees freedom of apeech but there is a place and time for everything. There is also the responsibility that comes with Freedom of Speech. As with all things there is a limit and if you go beyond the limit you are liable and will face the consequences.
You believe that there should be a sunset clause for Article 153. Do you sincerely believe that the present government will allow that to happen?
You also said that funding Chinese schools was a mistake and making Bahasa Melayu the medium of teaching was a mistake. What is the alternative or solution. We all recognize that these are mistake, no use regurgating these mistakes. We learn from mistakes and find solutions. What solutions do you offer, let’s hear it.
Bakri has put forward some recommendations based on comparative education systems in other countries. Fair Malaysian and Ibu Mertua ku has also put forward some ideas on how the system should be changed. Let’s be serious and for the sake of “Hidup Melayu” and to ensure that “Melayu Akan Hidu Sempurna” let’s work together crack our brains and come up with a resolution.
October 27th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
Hidup Melayu
Now that you have come out in the open about your views and belief, lets have some civil discussions and enough of this ridiculing the Muslims with the 72 virgins and whorehouse in the sky stuff. The First Amendments guarantees freedom of apeech but there is a place and time for everything. There is also the responsibility that comes with Freedom of Speech. As with all things there is a limit and if you go beyond the limit you are liable and will face the consequences.
You believe that there should be a sunset clause for Article 153. Do you sincerely believe that the present government will allow that to happen?
You also said that funding Chinese schools was a mistake and making Bahasa Melayu the medium of teaching was a mistake. What is the alternative or solution. We all recognize that these are mistake, no use regurgating these mistakes. We learn from mistakes and find solutions. What solutions do you offer, let’s hear it.
Bakri has put forward some recommendations based on comparative education systems in other countries. Fair Malaysian and Ibu Mertua ku has also put forward some ideas on how the system should be changed. Let’s be serious and for the sake of “Hidup Melayu” and to ensure that “Melayu Akan Hidup Sempurna” let’s work together crack our brains and come up with a resolution.
October 27th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
“Now that you have come out in the open about your views and belief…”
I not only have come out in the open but I’ve also come out of the closet. I’m going to brokeback mountain.
October 27th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
ibu mertuaku:
I salute your objectivity in your observance and arguments. It is true that there are not too many out there who would have such fine qualities. But you have to also bear something in mind. Such observation and practice had some credence in those days but today when my son tells me that he has been denied a place in the university or my uncle is not able to get a contract, although he would have expected a fair treatment, all because they were non-malays, it is not I who tell my son to dwell on race but the govt and the system which keeps on reminding at every corner about the race, and this has become so entrenched in society as the govt wants to see everything through race ( and now religion).
Your comment on non-malays not patronising the public sector or the civil service and equating it to lack of loyalty fails to explore he reasons which led to this pathetic situation. Gone are the days when we have a fair balance of malays and non-malays in the civil service. Promotions for a non-malay is not that easy and ALL senior govt positions go to malays. I can vouch for this as I have had nasty experiences where we are treated as nobodys even if we work our heart out, short of feeling that there is no gratitude. You wouldn’t like to be a non-malay in this country. If you ask me, I will be frank with you - there is no such thing as loyalty or love anymore and I am not alone in this, but I am horrified at your suggestion that mediocre option can be placed at such a pedestal - then what can you expect, a mediocre country with even the once backward Indonesia outpacing us. Surely that can mean no rejoicing. Even the police, army, etc are shunned because of the unfavourable treatment and with no prospects for a non-malay. It is only the MCA and MIC guys who still patronise the UMNO led govt as they too enrich themselves on the ill-gotten wealth.
There is no doubt that Malaysia is a racist country as we breathe and live with race labels, not because we want to but something that is shoved down our throats. Sad but true and there is no likelihood of this changing in the near future. Stop just blaming the non-malays for the ills of the malays or their mediocre status. This is what the govt actually wanted and went on with a calculated policy to marginalise those non-malays with brains -a very selfish and degrading policy but at the end of the day they just shot themselves in the foot, and will continue to commit blunders after blunders but will simply won’t own up.
October 27th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Hidup Melayu
No need to go to Brokeback mountain, just go to New Jersey with your partner and you can get married there. Maybe New Jersey is too far, how about strolling along Jalan Bukit Bintang or Jalan Sultan Ismail, lots of lelaki lembut there.
So now how to hidup melayu if you choose that lifestyle. No procreation so Melayu will not propogate. Same sex lifestyle is not the answer to Malaysia’s education woes. Come on Hidup Melayu jangan lah sorak kuat sahaja, bagilah pandangan yang bernas agar Melayu Hidup. Mengapa dah bengang kah atau dah habis modal atau nak tunggu ilham dari 72 anak dara.
October 28th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
While there are a few point of contention I would make with your suggestion, overall I agree with the idea of a SBM system. I believe it could bring improvement but frankly I don’t believe it will get that far because I believe that our government administration particularly local ones and our communities particularly community leadership is lacking in self-help and initiaitive. The real power of SBM is when local administration and local community leadership is strong. The truth is at one time, we had the building blocks for a real SBM program but after 40 years of NEP and BN leadership we have lost that.
No frankly, in the end, the single greatest tool and the biggest handicap for improvement in our schools is still removing the NEP/Malay Agenda. The idea of total control and subsidy must be removed and allow competition and real benchmarking to occur will take the system further than anything else. After that, we can talk about SBM systems and others.
Personally I favour flexibility in the system - the idea of giving repeated opportunities for students to excel. For students not to be lumped in class A, B etc. But rather to be group students strengths and weakness in different areas. Good math students with in good math classes, poor ones with poor ones. Good language classes with good language students etc.. The system is only applicable in SBM system certaintly but at the core of it must be real benchmarking.
In any endeavour, you can’t fix something if you can’t measure it and in education, its very very hard to measure things because of different talents and development of children as well as teachers style and skills. Not being able to measure correctly under the current NEP/Malay Agenda regime just make other initiatives really marginal.
October 29th, 2006 at 4:46 am
….. I have enough PE (plastic explosives) and detonators to blow you straight to heaven into the arms of the virgins. Free tickets no need to book with Virgin Airways or Air Asia. Come one come all.
Al Jihad … I almost fall off my chair reading your virgin humours. You must be very chun … can blow people STRAIGHT into the arms of virgin.
November 20th, 2006 at 10:29 pm
While ‘Malaysians’ are debating about racial quotas, APs, Zakarias, and etc etc. China’s car production is runing on full steam. They will achive in a few years what Proton tried to achieve for decades. Both with vast financial backing, only one with the brains and the knowhow will succed and conquer the asian market, then the world. Pitifully Proton’s survivor is still much in the goverments hand.
Sure, Malaysia boleh.
All these mediocrities and racial segragation has left the country handicapped. This, Malaysia boleh.