THE Education Ministry is surveying schools to find out how many students are wearing black shoes and socks, in an assessment of the policy a year after it was introduced in 2019.

All primary and secondary schools have been given till January 22, 2020, to find out the number of students who wear white or black shoes in a circular sent to all state education departments.

The circular, dated January 14, is signed by the ministry’s School Management Division director Mohd Jamil Mohamed.

“The ministry finds it is necessary to conduct a study on the implementation of the black shoes policy based on the findings obtained by the schools.

“The study must be completed by the schools before or on January 22, 2020,” Jalil said in the circular.

The Malaysian Insight has learnt that the order for the survey was sent out after a meeting between senior officers from the ministry and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is currently acting education minister.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced Dr Mahathir as the acting education minister five days ago, as a temporary arrangement following Dr Maszlee Malik’s resignation from the post on January 3.

Sources said the meeting took place a day after Maszlee’s resignation. It was attended by the ministry’s chief secretary and deputy chief secretary, as well as the acting education director.

Besides the ongoing survey on black shoes, Dr Mahathir had also asked the ministry for a report on the free breakfast programme in schools that is to be rolled out to 100 selected schools around the country from Monday.

Deputy education director-general (policy and development) Habibah Abdul Rahim confirmed to The Malaysian Insight that the meeting with Dr Mahathir did take place, but would not disclose further details.

“I cannot comment on anything until the prime minister confirms it. There are things the ministry has been asked to act on,” Habibah told The Malaysian Insight.

“There are issues that the PM raised and we will be sending him the notes on our discussion for him to confirm, so that we can be sure we are acting according to his instructions.”

The shift to black shoes for school children was announced by the ministry in October 2018, and that it would be carried out in stages with full implementation in 2021.

At the time, Maszlee said the decision was made after positive feedback from stakeholders such as parent-teacher associations, school management bodies and shoe suppliers.

Parents supportive of the move said it was practical and time-saving, besides helping poorer families save costs from having to keep replacing dirty white shoes.

Maszlee mooted the idea of black shoes for school children about two months after he was appointed minister but was met with much criticism, which was to dog him throughout his time as minister. – January 15, 2020.