Forget Mara primary schools, focus on existing schools, govt told

 

The government must work to make national schools great again so that they will be the preferred choice of parents for their children, says the Parent Action Group for Education.

PETALING JAYA: 

Education activists have rejected Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s suggestion that Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) establish its own primary schools, saying Putrajaya should focus on improving national schools instead.

The Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) said the deputy prime minister’s proposal was a bad idea which risked further fragmenting the education system.

PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Rahim said the education ministry’s prime focus should be on elevating the status and level of education in national schools so that they become the preferred choice of parents.

Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim.

“Instead, right now, the first choice of parents are the international schools, private schools or Chinese schools, depending on their household income. It’s an indication that all is not well with the education system and significant changes need to be made.

The emphasis should be on making national schools great again rather than further fragmenting what already exists. The more fragmented the system, the more difficult it will be to unite the young,

 she told FMT.

Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin agreed, saying politicians like Zahid should help find ways to improve national schools instead of coming up with ideas that would see more students pulled out from the country’s main education system.

He said Zahid’s proposal was another case of politicians seeking their own political survival at the education system’s expense, rather than what is best for children and Malaysia.

Mak Chee Kin.

Already many parents from all ethnicities with the financial means are opting for private and international schools (for their children). Here, our country’s deputy prime minister is adding fuel to it,

 he lamented.

Zahid had floated the proposal when opening the Umno general assembly last week, saying having its own primary schools would complete Mara’s education ecosystem. Mara already has junior science colleges (MRSM), polytechnics and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

In his speech, he said this would ensure the agenda of developing the next generation is bolstered by a robust human capital development syllabus.

Mara falls under the purview of the rural and regional development ministry, which Zahid leads.

Azimah said Zahid should instead focus on enhancing the teaching of science in MRSMs, given the subject’s emphasis is already entrenched in the names of these schools.

These Mara junior science colleges, or MRSMs, by their name alone, are expected to produce scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians and experts in science-related disciplines to provide the pace needed for the nation to move forward,

 she said.

Meanwhile, Azimah said robust human capital development ought to start at the foundational stage, adding that all teachers from preschool onwards must be adequately trained for the purpose.

No matter how difficult a syllabus may be, teachers must be in a position to guide, assist and support students to achieve their potential, she said.

The immediate action to be taken now is to return the dual language programme (DLP) to all MRSMs.

Mak questioned why Mara primary schools were needed for human capital development. He said such a syllabus should be taught in all national schools. - FMT