KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) has urged the Ministry of Education to have dialogue with key Chinese and Indian organisations, to clarify its guidelines on Jawi teaching which has triggered concerns and disputes among the people.
Its president Tan Sri T.C Goh said with the Jawi calligraphy going to be implemented in the fast-approaching new school session next year, the government should take initiative to address the grave concerns and anxiety of the Chinese and Indian communities over its questionable guidelines.
He opined that an open-and-honest dialogue and discussion is the best approach to resolve the issue.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said Huazong has listed 10 key issues which it hopes the Ministry of Education could clarify, as soon as possible.
The 10 key issues are as follows:
1. The Ministry has yet to provide a definite answer to the request of Chinese and Indian organizations and education bodies, that the school board must be included in the decision-making body over the teaching of Jawi calligraphy at Chinese and Tamil primary schools.
2. Is the Parents and Teachers Association’s (PTA) role just to gather parents’ views in regards to the teaching of Jawi calligraphy?
3. Does the same apply to the school board, if a school is without the PTA?
4. Does the PTA or the school board (in the absence of PTA) has the right to make a decision?
5. In the case of the national type primary schools, which are dominated by Chinese and Indian pupils, can a simple majority (51%) decide not to accept the teaching of Jawi calligraphy, and the minority (49%) must abide by the majority decision?
6. And will the Education Ministry allocate separate classroom to accommodate the 49% of pupils who agreed to take Jawi calligraphy?
7. In the case of the smaller size or the mini national type primary schools in the rural areas, which are dominated by Malay pupils, if 51% of the pupils accept Jawi calligraphy, must the remaining 49% abide by the majority decision even though they are against it?
8. Or, will the Ministry of Education exempt the abovementioned 49% of pupils from learning Jawi calligraphy?
9. And, in the situation of a tie i.e. 50% vs 50%, how to deal with it? By tossing a coin? Drawing ballot? Or other methods?
10. Is the Education Ministry prepared to have an open-and-honest dialogue with the key Chinese and Indian organisations/education bodies, to listen to their views, to clear their doubts and to make necessary improvements to the guidelines on the teaching of Jawi calligraphy?
“It is absolutely important and necessary that the Education Ministry must clarify all the doubts surrounding its Jawi guidelines, so as to avoid more confusions and disputes, after this,” said Goh.
He added that where the Chinese primary schools are involved, the school board must not be sidelined or given a cold treatment.
He also reiterated his earlier statement that, the new guidelines on teaching of Jawi calligraphy is bound to have significant impact on the national type primary schools, especially those in the rural areas which have Malay parents, and that if the issue is not properly handled, it may undermine the long-established unity and harmony of the people.
“The present government must seriously review the guidelines for Jawi calligraphy teaching in vernacular schools without any further delay,” he concluded.-pr/BNN
