MCA 'no', MIC 'yes' over standardizing of Bahasa at schools

PETALING JAYA : MCA and MIC today assumed contradictory stands over the government's move to standardise the level of Bahasa Malaysia (BM) among national and vernacular schools as proposed in the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

MCA Youth education bureau chairman Chong Sin Woon said although the blueprint wished to instil the same standard of BM among all vernacular and national schools, this would be impossible as vernacular school pupils are not taught in the language.

"Obviously, they are different types of schools and have different teaching methods. In a Chinese school, the language used is Chinese in all subjects compared to everything being taught in BM in national schools. So practically, we cannot have the same standard.

"We agree that vernacular school pupils should raise their BM standard, but not to be on par with (their peers) in national schools. There need to be a gradual improvement," he told theSun today.

MIC treasurer-general Datuk Jaspal Singh, however, said the standard delivery of BM lessons in all schools would not be a threat and would actually strengthen the national language.

"I think this is a good thing as we should embrace BM as our national language.

"Right now, because of the root problem of differing standards, pupils from vernacular schools find it difficult to attain a credit in BM when they reach Form 5, and therefore, cannot move on and become contributing citizens," he said.

"We should look at this as strengthening BM, which is a good thing. I don't feel it undermines the status of vernacular schools. We want the same standard across the board."

They were commenting on Dong Zong's Sunday rally where 1,100 people from various Chinese organisations demanded that the National Education Blueprint be done away with as it undermines the status of vernacular schools.

"We reiterate the blueprint means big educational reform and a transformation of the entire education system, which is a good thing," said Chong.

"The harmonisation of BM standard in all schools is the only issue we disagree on," he said, adding that MCA and other Chinese groups had chosen to communicate this to the relevant agencies through a memorandum.

- thesundaily.my