BAN VERNACULAR SCHOOLS? Then what say Umno to opening UiTM to non-Malays, too?

‘Parents opt for vernacular schools so children can escape discrimination.’

Casey919: If we look at it objectively, vernacular schools provide the three Ds; distinction, discipline and direction. Vernacular schools also provide talent, which is reflected in the brain drain suffered by this country.

What is the use of unity if the children do not know how to speak and write an international language or ignorant of new technology? They can only be employed overseas as maids or labourers.

If there is the fruition of single-stream school, I foresee a lot of parents sending their precious children overseas as early as Standard One. We have made a serious mistake of abolishing English-medium schools, do we need to repeat the same mistake again?

Anon1: Cheras Umno chief Syed Ali Alhabshee, people aren't born into this world already pre-programmed with hatred, racism and religious bigotry in their heads. They are pure and innocent.

It is man (more particularly the adult ape type) who corrupts school-going children with stupid ideologies which results in such hatred and bigotry.

Don't blame the schools when people from your regime started this. Even in your case, it wasn't school which made you incapable of uttering anything smart, but politics and policies of your regime which lead you to your current sorry state.

Debater: If you have a national-type only school system, then you must have meritocracy.

Non-bumiputeras stick to vernacular schools because if they go through the national school system, they are discriminated against when entering local universities or getting jobs.

The standard of the current national-type schools is nothing to envy about and they, including our local universities, are way below the international norm.

Anonymous #70881335: If only the government schools can provide a quality education, most Malaysian parents will not mind sending their children there.

But the quality there sucks, if you know what I mean. Bring back English-medium schools, and the vernacular schools will die a natural death.

SimonTi: The beauty of vernacular schools is that they are truly multiracial where anyone - including Umno Malays - are welcomed to enroll.

The fact is that the supremacist bigots and ‘I am Malay first’ racists in Umno are the main obstacles to unity with their divide-and-rule policy.

Indians, Chinese, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus are not welcomed in racist institutions like Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

These are the institutions fanning racism with their anti-Christians seminars and spewing hatred against the Christians and other minorities.

Centurian: First of all, abolish the quota system. Then we can talk about single-stream schools.

Are you willing to make it a single standard of education system for all the races? If you are not ready for that, then stop talking about unity.

Gaji Buta: Indeed, are we going to also abolish religious schools, Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM), all boarding schools and UiTM? These may also be breeding bigots and extremists.

Mohican: I am an Indian, and not necessarily fond of BN but I sort of agree with Syed Ali and others who are in favour of a single stream.

When we all consider ourselves as Malaysians, why do we need to have different schools for different races in Malaysia? All of us can study in national schools under one roof but if need be, one can study his or her mother tongue as an option.

Gangsterism is prevalent in Tamil schools and one-track mindedness is also prevalent in Chinese schools and other vernacular education system.

We can excel as a nation in a single-stream education without losing our identities. There are no losers in this sort of arrangement and I think the government must be strong on this point without giving heed to politics.

MrM: I agree. Separate school streams are an impediment to unity - however that is not the main impediment to unity.

Yes, all should be in one system but only if the quality of national schools is raised and individual schools given the freedom to tailor the curriculum to the needs of the local students.

For example, let the schools choose if they want to teach Chinese, or to teach science and mathematics in English or Bahasa Malaysia if they prefer.

Cinta: What is wrong with vernacular schools? I really don’t understand where the problem is in terms of national unity.

Six years of vernacular school at primary level should not stop students’ interaction in secondary school or in the university level. But this is not happening. Why?

Ferdtan: Syed Ali’s call to abolish vernacular schools is definitely seditious - if the police were to apply the law equally. This should include Petaling Jaya Utara Umno deputy chief Mohamad Azli Mohemed Saad who made similar call.

In October 1978, Sabah Umno MP Mark Koding was charged with sedition for supporting the abolition of Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools. So why the police are not taking action against them?

Is it because the present offenders are Umno leaders? Are they exempted from seditious remarks? -M'kini