Slow work on new Chinese schools

Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ), the umbrella body for the management of Chinese schools, has demanded that the government delivers on the promised construction of 91 new and relocated Chinese schools.

“From 1999 to 2008, the government approved the construction of 16 SJKCs (national-type Chinese schools) and the relocation of 75 SJKCs,” DJZ said in a statement.

“Up to July 15, 2011, only eight new schools have been completed, while 54 of the relocated schools have been completed.

“Three SJKCs are under construction but work has yet to start on five more, while 21 SJKCs are being built for schools that are to be relocated.”

This was conveyed today in a 37-page memorandum to Prime Minister Najib Abduk Razak, covering 15 issues and listing 43 demands.
  
“(DJZ has submitted) his memo in the hope that the government will give due consideration to resolving such problems with the education system,” the memorandum states.

The group claimed that construction of SJKCs and relocation of schools is fraught with difficulties and hurdles, such as the long waiting period for approval, shortage of land and lack of funding.
It also blamed the Education Ministry for setting unreasonable conditions. Among these are that:

- The school has to absorb the cost of construction.
- 80 percent of the total cost must be available, prior to approval.
- School reserve land owned by government cannot be used.

‘Put things right’

DJZ contended that the education system is intended to be based on multi-culturalism and multi-lateralism.

It backed this by quoting the Education Ordinance 1957: ‘The educational policy of the federation is to establish a national system of education acceptable to the people as a whole which will satisfy their needs and promote their cultural, social, economic and political development as a nation, with the intention of making the Malay language the national language of the country whilst preserving and sustaining the growth of the language and culture of people other than Malays living in the country.’

DJZ said the Rahman Talib Report 1960 and Education Act 1961 have ‘twisted and changed the multi-cultural and multi-lateral education system into a unilateral one’ that is now in practice under the Education Act 1996.

It added that Najib should right a serious wrong and solve the woes of the Chinese schools if he is truly a PM for all Malaysians.