Why, especially the non-Malays are shifting away from the national schools? Well, I think everyone knows the answer.
To say that the Chinese and Indians prefer vernacular schools is total bullshit. If you go back to the 60s and 70s, many of these vernacular schools were on the verge of being closed down. When I was in a national school in the 80s, there were good mixture of all races. So, What happened?
Well, again you have to ask the politicians. Politicisation of the education system started towards the end of 1970s and became full-fledged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. What are the problems?:
1) Poor quality of teachers: teachers being absorbed without any merit
2) Unemployed graduates being absorbed as teachers just to get a job, no commitment necessary
3) Islamization and Malaynisation of the schools. Saying “Doas” and prayers during assembly!. “Doas” and arabic words all over the school compounds!
4)discrimination of non-malay students in classroom and activities. In my son’s school, the agama teacher gave free makan to all Muslim students in the canteen during recess while all the non-Muslim students just watched!!
5) Teachers that do not respect other races and religions. Giving remarks that hurt the feelings of other races.
6) Quota system for the post for Headmasters in national schools : if you don’t believe me please ask your local education department. In my state, only 3-4 post is allocated for non-malays
7) No equal opportunities. Even if a person were to attend a national school in the name of patriotism, is there equal opportunities in further studies? Many of my Malay friends went missing after Standard 6 as they were absorbed to MARA colleges, agama schools and boarding schools. When I reached Form 5, there were only 1 Malay student in the entire Science stream!! After that, comes matriculation which was reserved for only 1 race! Of course, not to forget the scholarship issues etc, where your friend/neighbour with worst result will be given a scholarship for overseas studies! So, why bother sending to national schools.
I received this SMS today from a friend:
“Friend’s kid in convent …. primary tells me that kids streamed according to race not merit. Only handful of non-malays in A class; Arab language (not Jawi) is compulsory. Mandarin/Tamil is not. That also only 1 token class per week and not regular. This country is a gone case”
You can judge for yourself.
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Doc, it’s time to change especially in Johor which has been hardcore for current government. Need to change way of thinking. The goverment media like today will always play racial card. Today’s Utusan Meloya aka Melayu headline clearly pointing towards that… pity Malaysia with advanced infrastructure but still 3rd word mentality
Yup, you are right! I saw today’s Utusan Merapu. There is nothing wrong with what Tony Pua has said. Why people who can affod luxury bungalows and Semi-Ds need discount? Discounts should be based on need and not so called UMNO rights!
If you ask my opinion, 1Malaysia concept mooted by our PM Najib will NEVER EVER gonna work until government is bold enough to have a single education system doing away with vernacular school system.
Good day doctor,
Im a Malay and I agreed with your post. I agreed that we should have single education system where discrimination in race should be eliminated. Anyway do not blame our current government boldness or what, because the main problem here is the mentality of my race itself. We are just too scared of losing our so called ‘power’, till we cant see the better future if we take the other way instead.
Thanks for your comment but as long as we have racial politics in Malaysia, things will never change!
Good day Doc,
I’m an Indian and i did get an opportunity to study in MRSM (Mara Junior Science College). i agree that discrimination is never going to end til the single education system is applied..
really hurting when we non-bumi students in the college often got ignored in the activities with the same single sentence:
SORRY, YOU ARE NOT A MALAY.. they only pin the 1Malaysia button to their chest but never gave real respect to them…
Pathetic..
hye doc,
im malay and a student.. i tried to get along with chinese students but yeahhh we quite awkward to get closer along..
but they seems dun want to befriend with.
but yeah its true the interracial relationship shud be strengthen started from schools.it will be better in future,hopes
dr, you are 200% correct. i agree with you. this 1malaysia is total rubbish. The current goverment is guilty of segregating the races. first, they practise race base politics, next they set up special school, colleges, universities for people of certain type of race only. for example UMNO sets up MARA n Uitm for malays only, then we have TAR college for chinese, not to be missed out MIC sets up AIMST and Manipal to help the indian to achieve their dreams to be doctors (every indian wants at least their son to be a doctor, i was told) . and if thats not enough i can hear the politician shouting ‘Ketuanan melayu’. i wonder if these politician study their history lesson. history writes that all our sultan are not malays. parameswara and sang nila utama was from indonesia and they are of indian origin. and we also have a white Rajah brooke who once rule Sarawak. We should abolished race base politics and fight for the rakyats right. we should all be united as one Malaysian. and that means not 3 malaysian races.
totally agree with you…in my view…politics(especially racist,a lot of them) really destroys our education quality…look at other countries,,they didn’t mixed politics with education..maybe thats why their education is way better and more evolved than ours….=)
Good Morning & How are you Dr,
I ever brought my son Keshav Henrik to consult you at Columbia Asia hospital for his skin allergy problem.
I would like to share with about education? my son studying in preschool at smart reader kids Setia Tropika. last year he has completed1 year (k1) and he was the 1st in exam and scoring full marks.Subsequently he was skip some subjects and transferred to expressed class in smart class.During the graduation day he was not given a good student but he was received a best attendance award? Instead of good student or outstanding award.?Dr my son is very smart he is able to read and write fluently at age of 5 now he is 6years still studying in smart reader kids.We didn’t approached the principal for the said matter but one things i was come to know 1 Malaysia concept in preschool. then later on i come across from teachers because they didn’t vote for best award him due to attitude problem. Dr i started to worrying my son future his ambition is to become a doctor financially i had prepared for him. next year 2013 he is will going to primary 1, i’am totally confuse where and which school to send my talented boy. I have a plan to register him at Seri Omega Private School instead of National School? Dr I’m working as guard in Singapore but i don’t want my son to be coolie like me….
Doctor kindly do advice me for my son future
Appreciate
From Danny.
Firstly, I don’t think a 5 year old kid can have an ambition when he does not even know what is the profession is all about. Let him decide later. I can’t really give you an answer. Sending to a private school cost a lot of money. Even me who has been a doctor for 15 years could only send my kids to private school after going to private sector in 2010. I would suggest for you to send him to a gov school first and see what happens, That was what I did before. I sent my kid to private school only after they reach Standard 4. They are in Sek Seri Cahaya , Permas. You also need to see what attitude problems he has.
Thank you doctor for your prompt replied, Attitude a litte bit naughty due to hyperactive, academic wise he was very good and he able catch up fast.Overall very good boy, for your info Last year i did registered him at national school at sk Impian Emas. But a lot people and friends discourage and advice me that the said school management and teachers are not so good base on thier experinence. Therefore i feel worry for him that gov school might not coach /teaching properly due to poor teaching.Doctor i had gone through very hard time and i was learned in my past life i don’t want my son to have a hard time as me.As long i live i want to give him my level best, i don’t even want to gamble in his life.hopefully he will have a great and great life. I trust in education the only one can shape us into beautiful and feel the smell the real scent of flower. Rather than holding unrecognize paper with us. Doc for tamilan only education can guard us in the near future. Sorry if i say anything wrong here.
Doctor What is your opinion again?
It is difficult for me to answer your question. Yes, education is important but which is the best is difficult to answer. I would suggest for you to send him to a national school first and see what happens. If you feel it is not satisfactory, then you can move him to an international school or private school. Singapore is another option.
Doc,I will take your words and appreciated,today i have spoken to teacher from international R.E.AL permas jaya. She his my son tutor at enopi. She advice me the same as you. Once again thank you for your valuable advice and spend a time to replied me,and i’am sorry for asking you a difficult question.Let me try otherwise i wouldn’t know what’s happening around us.No pain No gain..
Hi Pagalavan,
I was a product of a an urban national primary school, agama boarding secondary school and UM Medical school (class of 91/96).
I noticed in Med school, the products of Chinese vernacular schools and rural students from boarding schools have difficulty to mix around. I believe our prejudices and beliefs are mainly formed in secondary school.
Below are my suggestions to make the national stream attractive for the non-Malays:
1. Abolish the Islamic/ Malay discriminatory attitudes. This is easier said than done though.
2. Allow more non Malays to be admitted into boarding schools and subsequently matriculation/pre-university level. A quota like UM Med school is a practical balance, reflective of our population make up. This would expose the Malays students to a more real world competition, and of course encourage a more united student population. The main prerequisite is the students would need to have gone through a primary national school system.
3. Establish racial quota system (like the above) for the award of tertiary education scholarship, and admission to the public local universities.
A true meritocratic system is the ideal, but we may not be ready yet and from what I see in Singapore, may cause a bigger socioeconomic gap between the ethnic groups.
Shah
There was a racial quota system before but removed by Dr M in 2001. He claim it is for meritocracy but why do we have 2 sets of exams then : STPM and Matriculation.
Dr. Paga, I strongly agree the point you say islamization, it’s definitely true!!! I’m form 3 this year studying in national school but next year will change to private school and the main reason is the quality of the teachers. What sucks the most is my school doesn’t have a principal now. When students speak English to the teachers, they would reply with Malay language. Pretty sad for students like me that cannot speak Malay well. 😦
As a Malaysian, shouldn’t you learn to speak and use Malay well?
You said you are studying in national school but can’t speak Malay? Hmmm, funny!
Ur case would be like studying in the UK and blaming the teachers who cannot reply to your non- English questions
Bahasa Pasar is ok hehe
BM is easy to understand but for me it’s hard to use BM to construct a sentence. Ya national school for 2 years already, my BM score always 66-71% only TT
Praba
Hi doctor, I share the same disappointment over our education system which systematically engineered to enrich one particular race. I’m a product of national school, at that time the teachers still have sense of respect for other races & incident where racial slurs uttered at school assembly was rare. But nowadays it has become a norm even for HM whom suppose to set the example for others to follow. I completed my SPM with good aggregate and called up for interview at UTM but only to get further disappointment, my entry was denied for a simple mistake made in the application form. The so called highly educated lecturer told me to go back and closed the door for my higher education. My future has become dark at that instant but I continued with form six & STPM. After that I got sponsorship in Singapore to do Marine engineering at Singapore polytechnic & work with their national shipping company. Recently I have completed Msc at Nanyang University. I managed to a find a way out from this racist education system but not all my fellow non Bumi was lucky enough. All we are asking is a fair opportunity in education & even that fundamental need in civilized world been denied to us. The special rights and Ketuanan ideology knows no limit & slowly displacing others fundamental rights being a Malaysian. T.D. Mahathir successfully diversified the unity this nation had during struggle for independence. He always said that the British divide and ruled this country but apparently it’s his govt that executed that ideology to the core that has ruined the unity we had. Even though the current PM trying to instill the unity back but all these little Napoleans in schools, local govt and other govt agencies still uphold His predecessor ideology.
I am a malaysian and i sent all my 3 kids to chinese school for extra language and competitiveness as i loss hope in national school. They started thier chinese education 2 years in preschool. Now my 1st one in form 1 and the last one in standard 3. They do face discrimination in chinese school as for selection for school representative and few others. I told my kids that is the way for them to be better interm of competitiveness. I think everybody has to stopped playing racial card. Blaming each other is not going to solve the problem.
Somebody mentioned about the discount for bumis for housing project. Do u think there is no discount secretly being given to others? Just an open secret.
So the thing is everybody need to stop blaming each other. Try to find solution to the current problem. Not creating hatred towards each other.
Yes, exactly. Unfortunately, the government is trying it’s best to keep us apart!
As for house discount, it is given for early birds but BUmis will get the BUmi discount ontop of the early bird discount.Frankly, if a person can buy a high end property, he does not need any bumi discount. That was the argument. It should be reserved for people who earn below certain amount, irrespective of race.
Well clearly the government wants to create a race oriented mind set in this country especially amongst the students. I studied in Indonesia and when I went there I noticed there was an association for all the Malaysian students… n then there was Pertubuhan UMNO. Why would they create an association that is politically based and just for the malays… why not create Pertubuhan BN? And along the way I realised a lot of funds went to UMNO instead of the Msians students assc. Infact their budget in a year just for UMNO student members was higher than the msian students assc. budget!… clearly they are inculcating race based politics at the tertiary education level… For what?… clearly not to visualize their 1Malaysia agenda!
Survival of UMNO is dependent on racial politics!