Ministry decision on Jawi issue positive, says Dong Zong president

Lee Chi Leong Lee Chi Leong Updated 6 years ago · Published on 15 Aug 2019 4:53PM · 3 Comments

Dong Zong president Tan Tai Kim says the association needs more time to discuss the ministry's decision with groups that had joined it to oppose the teaching of Jawi in schools. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 15, 2019.

THE United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) views the Education Ministry’s latest concession on the teaching of Jawi in vernacular schools positively.

Its chairman, Tan Tai Kim, said developments on the issue had moved quickly and it needed more time to discuss the ministry’s decision with groups that had joined it to oppose the plan.

“We view this positively. However, we need to talk to the 10 associations that had joined us to oppose this plan to teach Jawi in vernacular schools,” he said today after chairing a meeting on the matter at its headquarters in Kajang.

The cabinet yesterday ruled that Jawi lessons will be taught to Year Four pupils in vernacular schools but only with each school’s parent-teacher association’s consent.

The Education Ministry had said the plan to teach Year Four pupils the script in national schools would proceed as planned.

“The cabinet meeting today again discussed the introduction of the Jawi script in the Bahasa Melayu syllabus for Year Four pupils in vernacular schools in 2020,” it had said.

“In its latest discussion, the cabinet decided that it should be done with the consent of the parent-teacher associations of these schools. National schools will teach the script as planned.”

On its earlier plan to launch a petition to oppose the plan, Tan said a decision would be made after the discussion with the 10 associations.

“It was decided with them. It is best we decide together. We will announce a decision on this later,” he said.

Last Saturday, Dong Zong and the 10 associations had said they would launch a signature campaign to protest against the teaching of Jawi in vernacular schools. – August 15, 2019.

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Comments

  • You can oppose with reasonable logic but do not incite racial sentiments with Islamisation.

    Posted 6 years ago by S L · Reply

  • Tun, jus have one type of Malaysia school & no other kind of school in Malaysia baru

    Posted 6 years ago by Ty Tiko · Reply

    • It will only work if there is no religious element including morning prayers before starting classes with the focus on teaching subjects which are relevant and appropriate for the children to go for higher education and be employable.

      Posted 6 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply