Mother tongue education must not be compromised at any cost – former deputy minister

FORMER Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said he fully supported the stand that there should be no compromise on the hours for Tamil language in SJK(T) schools.

“I speak from experience inside the Ministry: curriculum restructuring must never come at the cost of mother tongue education,” he said.

Yesterday, MIC Deputy President, Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, said he had written a letter to the Minister of Education, Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on the proposed reduction of Tamil language teaching hours in SJK(T).

The Tapah MP said the Tamil language goes far beyond basic daily communication. It forms the essential foundation shaping a student's intellect, emotional growth, core values, and cultural foundation during their formative years.

Existing mother tongue teaching hours must not be compromised or sacrificed to make space for new subjects or syllabus modules, he said.

According to Kamalanthan, Tamil is not an extra subject, but the soul of SJK(T).

“Tamil schools are not just schools. They are the primary institution that safeguards our heritage, cultural identity, values and the future sustainability of the Tamil language in Malaysia.

“Reducing Tamil from 12 periods to 10 periods per week is not a small administrative adjustment. It is a 16.7% reduction in the time our children have to learn, master and love their mother tongue during their most formative years,” he said.

Language is not learned by syllabus alone. It is learned by time, practice, reading, writing and immersion. Cut the time, you cut the mastery, he added.

Kamalanathan urged the MOE to maintain, not reduce, the existing 12-period allocation for Tamil language in SJK(T), and guarantee in writing that mother tongue learning time will remain fully protected in the 2027 curriculum.

He also urged the ministry to engage formally with teachers, PTAs, and the Tamil education community before any final decision is made.

“Curriculum reform should strengthen our children, not make our communities anxious.

“Education is about building character and preserving identity. We can, and must, do both,” he added. – November 6, 2026