Monday January 17, 2011

Najib: National-type schools here to stay

KUCHING: The Government will not abolish the national-type school system and will continue to assist and recognise them as part of the national education system, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia was the only country in South-East Asia which still defended the vernacular school system through the Chinese and Tamil national-type schools.

“If we look at our neighbours, there are no more vernacular schools although they existed at one time,” he said when declaring open the new RM9.3mil building of SJK Chung Hua Sungai Tapang Hilir here yesterday.

He said to ensure a fair policy for these schools, the Government allocated RM145mil in the country’s economic stimulus package for the development of Chinese national-type schools nationwide.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is amused as Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud points to a photograph taken during the Prime Minister’s visit to Sarawak.

He added that the vernacular school system was recognised not only by the Chinese and Indian communities but also the bumiputras due to the advantage it provided in the learning of Mandarin and Tamil.

He said that since the Education Act was formulated, Chinese national-type schools have attracted 55,975 bumiputra students out of 612,000 students overall.

“The system provides an opportunity for students to learn three major languages – the national language, English and Mandarin,” he said. – Bernama

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