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Vernacular schools have proven to promote unity, says NGO

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Gabungan Seni Khat Action Team says more than 20% of the students in Chinese vernacular schools are from other races.

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Free Malaysia Today
(From left) Educationist Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi, Gabungan Seni Khat Action Team secretary-general Arun Dorasamy and Malaysian Chinese Language Council president Eddie Heng.

KUALA LUMPUR:
A non-governmental organisation, a Chinese language council and an educationist have dismissed claims that vernacular schools can cause racial disunity.

This comes following a protest by a group of residents from BK5B, Bandar Kinrara, against the proposed construction of a vernacular school in the area.

Gabungan Seni Khat Action Team (SEKAT) secretary-general Arun Dorasamy said the education system cannot be blamed for the lack of unity and that there is no link between disunity and vernacular schools.

“That is just a political or religious agenda by certain leaders. It is not fair to use vernacular schools as a ‘punching bag’ to fit your agenda,” he told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall today.

Also present were educationist Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi and Malaysian Chinese Language Council president Eddie Heng.

Arun said that over the last 10 years, vernacular schools had become more diverse while national schools remained dominated by one race.

He said there are 7,779 national schools (SK) and 1,826 vernacular schools (SJK). Of that number, more than 2,000 national schools are attended only by Malay students.

He said more people prefer vernacular schools as they are more diverse while national schools are more religious in nature.

He noted that vernacular schools are more effective in promoting and strengthening unity and a sense of togetherness as they are attended by pupils from various races.

“There are now over 20% of non-Chinese (students) going to Chinese schools. Interracial understanding is actually taking place in vernacular schools,” he said.

Tajuddin, a professor at UCSI University, said the relevant stakeholders should focus on improving the quality of education at national schools instead of blaming vernacular schools.

He said that if national schools could be made better than vernacular schools, parents would prefer to send their children to national schools.

Following the press conference, Arun said he will lodge a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters against those who had protested against the proposed construction of a vernacular school in BK5, Bandar Kinrara, on April 19.

According to him, the group did not have a permit to hold a protest.

He said the residents believed it was better to build a national school there because most of the residents belonged to one race.

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