Jawi in Chinese, Tamil schools only if PTAs agree

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 14 Aug 2019 7:53PM · 5 Comments

Chinese educators have opposed the plan to introduce Jawi and khat in national-type vernacular schools. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 14, 2019.

THE cabinet has ruled that Jawi lessons will be taught to Year Four pupils in vernacular schools only with the individual parent-teacher association’s consent.

In a statement today, the Education Ministry said the plan to teach year 4 pupils the script in national schools will 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 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.”

The ministry is making yet another concession to vernacular education groups after it agreed last week to make khat lessons optional instead of compulsory.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik also said the number of pages for khat would be cut by half from six to three in the Bahasa Melayu textbook.

The pupils would also not be assessed on the subject, he said.

These failed to mollify the United Chinese School Committees Association, or Dong Zong, which said it would launch a petition opposing the teaching of khat in vernacular schools.

Dong Zong chairman Tan Tai Kim said the campaign would have the support of Chinese associations, education boards, parent-teacher associations, alumni groups and Tamil education groups.

He said the petition will call for the Education Ministry to only retain the introduction of khat alongside Chinese and Tamil writing for the Year Five Bahasa Malaysia syllabus.

“Non-Muslim students being introduced to khat is unacceptable to the non-Muslim community and violates Article 12(3) of the federal constitution,”  he said during a press conference.

The ministry today said the cabinet also decided that the schools would only teach basic Jawi and not khat calligraphy in the national schools.

It said the optional subject would be taught in Year Four in 2020, Year Five in 2021 and Year Six in 2022 in national schools.

“The cabinet also decided that only three pages be allocated for the subject in the textbooks. It will not be a subject for examination.”

It said it is hoped that its latest statement will clear up any confusion on the subject. – August 14, 2019.

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Comments

  • Good move. If the PTA of the School wants the khat, then go ahead

    Posted 4 years ago by SY L · Reply

  • The parent-teacher wont consent. Why waste your time?

    Posted 4 years ago by Derrick Tan · Reply

  • Let PIBG BE THE BOSS TO DECIDE. End this issue once and for all.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tam Yan Cheng · Reply

  • Common sense prevailed, thank goodness.

    Posted 4 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Jawi is jawi Bahasa malaysia is Bahasa malaysia Both shld be Separated individually by Itself. Not under one subject pls no mixup

    Posted 4 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply