Vision School fails to accomplish unity mission

Mohd Farhan Darwis Mohd Farhan Darwis Updated 5 years ago · Published on 16 Sep 2018 11:00AM · 7 Comments

The USJ 15 Vision School Complex in Subang Jaya, Selangor, is one of five such schools in the country. The idea behind them is to mix national and vernacular schools on the same campus. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 16, 2018.

POOR implementation is killing the grand idea behind Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Vision School concept, which aimed to integrate pupils of different races from national and vernacular streams by placing their schools in the same complex.

At the USJ 15 Vision School Complex in Subang Jaya, Selangor, one of five campuses nationwide, pupils ate and played during recess with friends from their respective schools – SK Dato’ Onn Jaafar, SJK Cina Tun Tan Ceng Lock and SJK Tamil Tun Sambanthan.

Parents, meanwhile, said their children told them the idea of making friends from other schools within the same campus wasn’t working.

Rahim Bashir, whose four children attend SK Dato’ Onn Jaafar, said the only time they have a chance to meet their peers from the Chinese and Tamil schools was during recess.

“But since they already have friends they from their own class, they will play with those they know. 

“How can they form deeper friendships if they only meet during recess time, eat and then go back to their respective classes?” the 50-year-old entrepreneur told The Malaysian Insight during a visit to the USJ 15 complex.

The USJ 15 campus began in 2002, a year before Dr Mahathir stepped down from his first tenure as prime minister.

The three schools on the campus share facilities, such as the hall, canteen and playing field. They hold assemblies and recess together, but apart from that, each school is run by its own administration.

Another parent, Tamil Selvam, 47, said each school held its own activities and events, giving pupils little chance to collaborate on projects together.

“On Merdeka Day, they (the schools) got together for a combined assembly but after that, they went separate ways for their respective presentations and performances,” said the father of five, who all attend SKJT Tun Sambanthan.

Both Rahim and Tamil praised the idea behind Vision School but said the way they were run would not attain the objective.

“Dr Mahathir’s idea was good but if you ask me, the objective cannot be met in this manner.

“It has not fostered better understanding (between the pupils of the three schools). They still gather in groups according to their own race. My children tell me that groups of pupils will only gather with ‘their own kind’,” said Rahim.

Children rarely mix with those from other races because they go to different schools. – EPA pic, September 8, 2018.

The Malaysian Insight visited the USJ 15 Vision School complex following an interview with Dr Mahathir who said the Bangsa Malaysia concept would remain a dream if people did not take it up themselves.

He also said his Vision School policy had not moved forward after he stepped down in 2003.

The Bangsa Malaysia concept was introduced by Dr Mahathir during his Vision 2020 speech in 1991.

Vision School was his strategy to bridge the racial divide and forge an inclusive national identity in response to concerns that vernacular schools were isolating Malaysians of different races from one another at a young age.

There are only five campuses, with the other four in Alor Star, Kedah; Simpang Ampat, Penang; and Parti Buntar and Seri Tanjung, Perak.

Despite the weaknesses, former National Unity Consultative Council member Anas Zubedy said Vision School had potential if more attention was given to it.

“With a new government, perhaps it is time for an audit (on the schools’ success). The objective of is good and the Education Ministry should give these schools more attention and an appropriate budget,” he said. – September 16, 2018.

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Comments

  • Used to be in the 60's non-muslim students can just pack and eat their own lunch in the canteen even seated next to a muslim, but now, thanks to the high tech Islamic authorities, we have taken porcine avoidance to the nano level. And it does make one wonder if this was Allah's true intent and whether corruption similarly counts as haram or if the religious sensitivities of non-muslims in our schools should be similarly protected? Of course, non-muslims take care to avoid packing pork to school but how do we mingle freely when we have become so food-haram-adverse and so nano-halal?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Take religion out of our school system, and things will fall into place.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Get them to get involved on co-curricular activities together. There should be 1 society or persatuan for all 3 schools ie 1 Persatuan Sejarah, 1 prefectorial Board, 1 common staff room, 1 sports event, 1 football team etc

    Posted 5 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • The other thing to look at is the attitude of teachers. Are they racist or are they those who would like to promote multi racialism? Are the teachers in the 3 schools mixing with each other? What about the 3 heads? Are they communicating and cooperating or are they competing with each other? If the Heads and teachers are not aligned to multi racialism and multi-cuturalism, no amount of effort by the govt will succeed. Put in the right heads and all will start to improve dramatically

    Posted 5 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • Don't call it Vision School, please. It should be renamed as Dumb school where one race and one religion reign supreme over the rest.

    Posted 5 years ago by Jackal Way · Reply

  • I agree with Mike Mok. Joint sports activities, clubs and class swaps are necessary to encourage interaction.

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • The answer has to be simple and all-encompassing. Revisit our time at independence in 1957 & just bring back English. English unites, it educates, it does a lot for the Malays to be more progressive. Otherwise wallow in mediocrity forever!..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply