Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Secondary School Race Quotas

I wanted to blog on this issue when I first saw a complaint letter from a concerned parent in Tampin, Negeri Sembilan published in the Star two weeks back.
IT has come to my attention that of many other parents that beginning next year, all Form One classes of SMK Tunku Besar, Tampin, in Negri Sembilan, will be formed with the ratio of 90:10 favouring the bumiputras.
Originally, it was explained by the Deputy Minister of Education, Datuk Noh Omar that there'll only be one such "Kelas Rancangan Khas" (Special Programme Class) in each of the schools to cater to top students who failed to gain entry into the boarding schools, or the Maktab Rendah Sains Malaysia (MRSM).

Such classes, apparently will have the quota in place, similar to the MRSMs whereby it's allowed to admit only up to 10% of non-bumiputeras. In addition, the qualification criteria for such class is 5As for bumiputera students, and 7As for non-bumiputera students in the Primary 6 UPSR examinations.

Such a policy in itself, is a highly discriminating policy which justifies the harshest of criticisms.

However, it was left to the effervescent Sdr Lim Kit Siang who provided the necessary evidence in the form of minutes and directives from the State Education Department in Parliament to prove that the said programme isn't just limited to a class in each school, but entire three "national schools" in Negeri Sembilan - SMK King George V, Seremban, SMK Tuanku Muhammad, Kuala Pilah dan SMK Tunku Besar, Tampin. Hence, instead of "Kelas Rancangan Khas", it became "Sekolah Rancangan Khas".

So, despite the Government's discriminatory allocation of RM709 million to build new MRSMs in the country which catered disproportionately towards the bumiputera community as announced by the Minister of Education, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein recently, it appears that the MRSM programmes are cannibalising the national schools as well.

Thanks to our Parliamentary Opposition Leader, the Ministry of Education has retracted the circular by the Negeri Sembilan State Education Department, claiming that they were "never consulted". As reported in the New Straits Times:
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that a circular issued by the Negri Sembilan Education Department imposing a race quota for three of its schools would be retracted immediately as it was not a decision by the ministry and was against the nation's agenda for integration.
The question then which I have is, if indeed the Ministry was unaware of the shennigans in its own state education departments, who seem to possess the uncanny ability to issue directives against national policies, there appears to be a major governance and accountability issues within the Ministry of Education.

And if there are indeed proper governance and accountability controls in place within the Ministry, then surely rogue elements such as State Education Director, Haji A. Hamid bin Abu Hassan must be punished for breaching such controls and acted discriminatorily against national interests.

Will Haji A. Hamid be punished and reprimanded accordingly, not only for the wrong he did, but also to serve as a warning to other State Education officials to avoid such overzealous discriminatory and marginalisation policies? Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, will you act responsibly and justifiably?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

How long does the govt intend to provide ' crutches' to these education paraplegics?

Will they have to deppend on these crutches forever? To their own detriment?

Why is there always a dichotomy in our education system?
One way looking for the best yet on a another way sustaining the paraplegics?

Anonymous said...

Where is the government's commitment for the promotion of human rights and democracy? Has it gone down to the drain just like the brain of that self-centred own race populism seeking Haji .A. Hamid's ?

We do not want to see the country to be turned into one that is ruled by gangsters who rob taxpayers money to rule in civil service; similar gangsters in state government and state councils and similar gangsters in universities; all in the disguised name of parliament

How would this multi-racial country progress and achieve political unity and stability when racial ego policians act irresponsibly and demoralising true national interests and demoralising the rest of its other races citizens

Anonymous said...

I would say this is for their own survival. They intended to create a bunch of trained monkeys to follow their commands. In that way, their status "above all" will remain unchallenged by the educated middle class. They will be the King of Malays.

Stop denying and pushing the responsibilities to other people. Even after you denied, is there any concrete action taken to punish those who acted against the national agenda? Admit it and we might give you another chance. "Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya." The people are watching you, Keris-muddin.

Anonymous said...

"Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, will you act responsibly and justifiably?"

Have you not been reading the papers lately, Tony? The Minister is busy. Sharpening his curved weapon of mass distraction. Or weapon of mass delusion, whatever. Anyway, leave him alone. The poor chap needs more time to practice new moves for his next show, to be held about the same time next year. Why, there are already people asking him to use it, although it is not clear for what. (I use mine from Selangor Pewter as a letter opener. My Aussie friends actually quite like it. One said he saw the same on sale at Central Market, but decide to spent his money on batik prints instead. He said he use the batik scarves for .., oops, sorry I digressed).

Petty issues of education can be left to some of our 1.1 million government servants. (Apologies, but the word "civil" just could not come out of my keyboard; got one kind of virus, I think).

Anon 04:33:32 asked if there will be any punishment. Of course there will be! What a silly question. I can guarantee that 3 of those officials will be identified and given a keras and pedas reprimand, for sure. And after that if they still misbehave, they will definitely be given a more keras and more pedas reprimand. I know one, so dont worry.

I do not understand Anon 04:33:32's reference to a "national agenda". What is it? Is/Was there one? Probably I was not paying attention. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

The multifaceted 'ugly' faces of Abdullah administration have been exhibited to the disgruntled public day by day. This is yet another failed attempt by the 'Gov' servants with the covert directives from the Ministry itself to try out the discriminating policies. The charade later manifested itself while in the parliament which in turn backfired into a fiasco which leaves the Ministry no choice but to retract its flunked policy.

Anonymous said...

If I remember correctly, the last time Sri Lanka imposed racial quotas on university entry, the Tamil Tigers revolted.

Anonymous said...

someone wrote :

" Updated news on the country's current state of affairs:

their communication = wireless
their telephone = cordless
their youth = jobless
their politics = shameless
their education = valueless
most citizens gaji = very less "

~author unknown~

Anonymous said...

their leaders= clueless

Anonymous said...

their PM= wouldn'tcareless
their senators= voteless
their universities rank= bottomless
their education system= hopeless
their graduates= unemployless
their MPs= close-one-eyeless
their people= leaderless
their policymakers= brainless
their NEP= endless
their foreign investment= less & less
their economy= less & less & less

Anonymous said...

their country= bolehless
their illegal immigrants= limitless
their police= trustworthyless
their problems= boundless
their ahlongs= stopless
their sharemarket= valueless
their apostates= graveless
their former PM= gagged speechless
their nonbumis= kerisless
their public transport= useless
their taxis= meterless
their optimism= less & less

Anonymous said...

their nonbumi ministers= ballless
their nonbumi BN parties= scared stiffless
their neighbors competing for foreign investmest = hapless(with laughter)
their economic future= pilotless

Anonymous said...

To end it all here, try to think positive and try not be too heartless. Although the job is thankless, to avoid tomorrow feeling restless, sleep early and
BTW, do you think they allow some foreign tourists be at the beach topless?

Anonymous said...

their ISA= ruthless
their PAS= worthless
their MCA= powerless
their MIC= toothless
their Gerakan= helpless(only help themselves)
their Keadilan= valueless
their UMNO= ruthless

Anonymous said...

sorry lulu a bit delayed on her comment.
okm, the next time you balik, ask your church treasurer's wife about how her HM tried to herd together and form one class exclusively malay students and give all the best subject teachers to that class. good thing the teachers there manage to knock some sense (and fear) into that HM.
or about their school representatives for the math olympiad. hint - it's not their top math student.