THE earliest forms of schooling in Malaysia date back more than 200 years, and were set up by different communities to cater to their specific socio-economic needs.
In this regard, schools were ethnically segmented, with Malay, Chinese and Indian vernacular schools using their mother tongue as the language of instruction.
In addition, “sekolah pondok”, or Islamic schools, provided religious education to Malays and other members of the Islamic faith. As per the practice throughout the British empire, the British colonial government established English-medium schools that were subsequently joined by mission schools.
Malay vernacular schools were funded by the colonial government and tended to be rudimentary. Chinese schools were funded by the Chinese community and adopted resources from China, while Indian schools were estate schools set up by plantation estates with 10 or more children as required by the 1923 Labour Code.
In preparation for independence, and the exit of British colonialists, Malaya’s future leaders made plans for a new national education system.
This came in the form of the Barnes Report, Fenn-Wu Report and Razak Report, the last of which established national schools and the national-type school system with a common curriculum. These schools are funded and resourced by the government, which trains and seconds teachers and administrators.
Despite the good intentions, over the years, the education system has been used as a sphere of influence by the political elite, compromising its discipline, quality, content, integrity, culture and community.
The system is now more fractured than ever, divided by race and religion, and the haves and have-nots.
The quality of educators produced by teacher training colleges is in question, and their discriminatory nature is causing resentment, made worse by those in power who use the minority as scapegoats.
Watch the first of our two-part Breaking Down the Issues series on education, and let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected].
This project is brought to you by advocacy and research group Sekhar Institute together with the Good Capitalism Forum, which promotes responsible social capitalism and Malaysia’s hottest news portal The Vibes. – The Vibes, July 18, 2021
