The 1 School Concept

I am glad to see that the 1 School Concept Petition was in place recently. We all must agree that the way we are brought up will determine our character and mindset in the future.

The main method is of course through education.

A blog started this petition and mainstream bloggers have publicised this campaign in their personal blogs and also in several political groups in Facebook.



I am sure Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, a leader who listens to the grassroots and the people, will take note of this petition signed by nearly 1000 people now.

Till today, I have not signed the petition.

Upon reading the wording of Kempen Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua, I told myself this is not the way I see things, although the headline is eye catching and interesting.

As much as I am for 1 Malaysia and a 1 School concept, I cannot agree with the contents of petition. The gist of this campaign is a critical point of view against vernacular schools. The main content reads

" Sekolah Vernakular (SJKC dan SJKT) adalah punca utama ketidakserasian dan ketegangan kaum di negara kita tercinta. "

For those who have been following my blog, friends and relatives close to me, you all know how much I support national schools and I have always been critical that vernacular schools are among the main causes of national disunity - a stark contrast of opinion with the stand of the party that I support.

The 1 School Campaign cannot be based on just a condemn of vernacular schools only.

If you have not forgotten, upon completion of major exams like UPSR and PMR, most of the students from a particular race go to other types of school also.

These schools are in place mainly for the creme de la creme of Bumiputera students - specifically Malays.

Although some might argue that the boarding schools and elite schools are open to non Malays also, but the amount of places offered to them can be dismissed as dust.

If vernacular schools are contributors to disharmony, then so are the other school types like Sekolah Berasrama Penuh, MRSM, Sekolah Agama and many more.

1 School Campaign is wrong to begin by condemning the vernacular schools only as they are not the sole cause of disunity among Malaysians.

We must all get things clear that the Government's policy in the provision of Education must rest on a 1 School Concept that ensures Education is attainable and grasped by every single Malaysian with no barriers.

However, variant of the national schools should be permitted to co-exist with the national schools and international schools.

These variants may of course include SBP and vernacular schools where the education in these schools are to be listed under the private schools sector.

Let these other types of schools be funded by the Malaysian community, businessmen and philantrophists.

I hope Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin receives inputs from everyone and not just accept the 1 School Petition as it is.

It will be a grave mistake. Someone should write a better campaign and petition on 1 School.

If 1 School is to be implemented at the expense of vernacular schools, I hope Tan Sri Muhyiddin considers scrapping the other types of schools under SBP, MARA and Sekolah Agama.

These schools should be delisted from under the National Schools Policy and be allowed them to be adopted by the private sector and the communities.

This way, 1 School will be seen as 1 Malaysia.

I love my country and I love the idea of 1 School which unites people under 1 Language and 1 System.

However, this must not be exploited as an opportunity to slam vernacular schools as the main cause of disharmony as other types of non national & non vernacular schools are to be blamed too.