Give Jawi issue a rest, education rep urges Dong Jiao Zong

Alfian Z.M. Tahir Alfian Z.M. Tahir Updated 6 years ago · Published on 27 Dec 2019 10:15AM · 10 Comments

Acting director-general of education Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim says the ministry has done enough consultations on the Jawi issue. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, December 27, 2019.

IT’S time to put the teaching of Jawi in vernacular schools behind and move forward, said the acting director-general of education, Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim.

The Dong Jiao Zong gathering tomorrow should consider the initiatives taken by the Education Ministry to address the concerns raised by Chinese education groups, she said.

The matter should not be prolonged any more, she said.

“We have changed five times on Jawi and at this point of time, those negotiations and considerations taken by the ministry should be put into account in whatever discussion they’re having.

“Schools are going to start soon and we’re still thinking about Jawi and fear about this issue. It has been reduced from six pages to three and it is not even an hour of lesson. We should move forward,” she told a forum last night.

Six panellists took part yesterday – Ng Chai Hang from from Dong Jiao Zong, Muhammad Faisal Aziz from Abim, Prof Badlishah Sham from Ikram, K. Arumugam from Tamil Foundation, Isabel Pak from KLSCH while Habibah represented the ministry.

Habibah said since the issue became prominent, the ministry had conducted countless engagement programmes with relevant stakeholders.

“On July 25, the issue was raised and the ministry responded quickly and a day later, we had an engagement with relevant parties.

“From that day, we continued to engage with all stakeholders.”

In August, Putrajaya said it would continue with the teaching of Jawi for year four pupils but with some adjustments.

This came after protests from vernacular education groups.

Under the new decision, there are fewer Jawi lessons and on the approval of the respective school’s parent-teacher association.

Malay right-wing groups have warned Dong Jiao Zong against holding a meeting at its headquarters tomorrow. – December 27, 2019.
 

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Comments

  • The fear by Dong Jiao Zong over a page Jawi seems irrational and illogical as it seems like a very small issue. However if we look back at how, in the past, the Education Ministry, had encroached on the Vernacular schools in small mini steps ending with massive changes to the character of the schools. This has happened for Missionary schools too. Can you blame them for viewing this mini steps with massive suspicion? They have been bitten many times before because they did not expect the ulterior motives of the mini steps. There was trust, trust which had been betrayed time and again. So this new DG has to understand the latent fears of the Chinese community rather than look at this mini step as a small issue, which by itself is indeed a small issue. Just delay the implementation while discussing further. Whats the great haste? There are other educational reforms which are urgent but no effort is in place.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

    • Is the Ministry so focused and urgent about implementing this baby little steps because they have a bigger agenda in the macro plans? This is again giving rise to the suspicion of the association. Why the unwarranted haste in the implementation of these small steps??

      Posted 6 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • The best way to give it a rest is to shelf the plan for the time being and have in depth dialog.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Everything STARTS SMALL later IMPOSED AS COMPULSORY . Non Muslims have LOST ALMOST ALL RIGHTS THAT ARE IN FEDERAL CONSTITUTION . NON MUSLIMS IN MSIA ARE ROBBED OF RIGHTS REAL EDUCATION ETC ETC WE BUILD MSIA TOGETHER WHERE IT IS TODAY NOT ONLY THE MALAYS BUILD MSIA WHY ARE U MUSLIMS BULLYING THE NON MUSLIMS. EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NON MUSLIMS IT BUILDS ONE 's MORAL N CHARACTER. Look for YOURSELF WHAT IS THE MORAL N CHARACTER OF MUSLIMS (not all 85%) What Education did muslims ADOPT until TODATE. PLS LEAVE US ALONE WE DO NOT WANT ANY HANDOUTS FROM GOVT NEITHER THE GOVT WILL GIVE US ANYTHING

    Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • PENIPU TETAP PENIPU.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • hello, its not even an hour of lesson, so why the need?...what change will this bring to the students....

    Posted 6 years ago by Maniraju Maruthai · Reply

    • Everything starts with page 1 pls DO NOT UNDERMINE Hv u forgotten non muslims school going children FORCED TO EAT IN TOILETS

      Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • If the MoE persists with Jawi, the parents of non-Malay students should just boycott the class whenever Jawi is taught. As the saying goes, you can bring a horse to the water place but you cant force it to drink.

    Posted 6 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Why introduce in the first place knowing it has no commercial or scientific values! Why waste the student time!

    Posted 6 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit! Jawi is not taught this way. It is taught starting with "alif" , "ba", "ta" & so on. So don't be upset if other people are upset. Furthermore, what is the EDUCATIONAL VALUE of introducing Jawi in this fashion? Why not listen to the reasons of those who object? Reason it out with them, convince them. When you try to force something down the throat, of course the natural reaction is to vomit it out.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply