La Salle alumni to pitch mission school reforms to Education Ministry

Low Han Shaun Low Han Shaun Updated 5 years ago · Published on 15 Jul 2018 7:00AM · 2 Comments

President Michael Simon says the new government has spurred the Malaysian Federation of La Sallian Alumni Associations to seek reforms. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 15, 2018.

THE Malaysian Federation of La Sallian Alumni Associations will submit a working paper to the Education Ministry with proposals to reform mission schools.

Topping the list is changing all 44 La Salle schools nationwide to be English-medium schools, said the group’s president, Michael Simon.

“We want to take our students back to the English medium,” he told The Malaysian Insight on the sidelines of the 2018 La Salle Games in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

“This is important because we are talking about the ‘New Malaysia’, and our prime minister has made it clear (that English is a priority) by telling civil servants that they have to start going back to English.”

He said the group wants La Salle schools to set an example of how a professional English-medium school is run in Malaysia, and that the group’s proposals have garnered the support of other mission schools in the country.

He said he also wants to meet Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik.

“Because of the new government, we are talking about reforms and looking forward to engaging with the minister.”

Simon said once the working paper is approved by the De La Salle Brothers of Malaysia, it will be submitted to Maszlee.

He said mission schools in Malaysia have faced challenges for “umpteen years”, citing low enrolment and a lack of suitable teaching staff as core issues.

“This does not affect only La Salle schools, but the same challenges have affected missionary schools for years now.

“We have always wanted to engage with the ministry to address challenges, like upgrades, funding and maintenance issues.”

La Salle has 44 schools across Malaysia, with 32 in the peninsula and 12 in Sabah and Sarawak.

Each school has an average of 800 to 1,200 students.

Thirteen mission authorities oversee 433 mission schools, with a student population of 240,000, nationwide.

Apart from a drop in enrolment, such schools – many of which are more than 100 years old – have also complained about a lack of funding for their upkeep. – July 15, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • Being a ('60s) La Sallian myself, it would be wonderful if the suggestion could be implemented. But it could be a hellish venture, what with the extremists in Umno and PAS at their destructive worst at the moment. Logistically too, there are serious hurdles. In my time most of the senior teachers were Indians, many of them India-born. They were extremely competent and strict. Now the faculty ethnic composition has changed dramatically and to reverse it would be a Herculean task if it can be done at all! Still, it is a very good suggestion and worth mulling over.

    Posted 5 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • The issue isn't really about being an "English-medium" school. It is about the quality of education overall. You can have a school teaching in the national language that also emphasizes strong competency in English. Look at the Netherlands, where people generally have very good competencies in English. La Salle could leverage its oversight of schools to institute a stronger program of English training, beyond what is currently required in the government curriculum. This doesn't need a wholesale reform of the La Salle system into English-medium schools, and could be a template for other schools.

    Posted 5 years ago by Boo Kwa · Reply