Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

August 7, 2022

Apropos of the school merger proposal for miniature-scale vernacular Chinese primary schools raised by the MOE once again of late, including letters sent to parents of students in the merger list seeking ‘assent of merger’, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong are greatly concerned, thus this joint statement is released herewith:

Dong Jiao Zong notes that the implementation of miniature-scale school merger proposed by the MOE is threefold: (1), to physically merge schools with less than 150 student population; (2), to conduct ‘non-physical merger’ for schools with less than 10 students; (3), to gradually halt the operation of the said miniature-scale schools, viz., stop intaking students from Grade One. Truth be told, over the past few years, the said schools have been receiving merger proposal from the MOE; just that the proposal was declined in the first place. Therefore, hitherto no miniature-scale vernacular Chinese primary schools are participating in the merger project.

2. Further, the merger proposal is believed to generate seminal impacts on Vernacular Chinese primary schools, particularly on whether the operation license of the said schools will be revoked and that is what parents need to be aware of. In this dominating unitary education system, vernacular Chinese primary schools have been experiencing enduring consequences, let alone the non-realisation of systematic construction for vernacular primary schools. The merger simply means the deduction in number of vernacular Chinese primary schools and it is difficult for any number raise in future. Realising the dreadful consequences, Dong Jiao Zong implores relevant school boards to decline the proposal received. In actual fact, Dong Jiao Zong deeply regrets and takes the MOE’s act of sending ‘assent of merger’ letter to parents directly and not mooting with the school as disrespect and marginalisation towards vernacular Chinese primary school boards.

3. Notwithstanding vernacular Chinese primary school relocation is one of the strategic approaches stated to resolve the said issue in the “Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025”, no mechanism responsive to the relocation implementation is at play thus far; it includes appropriation and land provision for the schools to apply. Due to this delay, many zero-intake schools had to address their land ownership and construction fund individually thus could not relocate as planned eventually. For the manifestation of its determination, the MOE is urged to release and formulate a complete and transparent school relocation plan to ensure the smooth progress of the matters.

4. Dong Jiao Zong posits, it cannot allow even one vernacular Chinese primary school to be delisted from operation, and urges the MOE to immediately stop posting ‘assent of merger’ letter to parents. Meanwhile, Dong Jiao Zong is closely watching the merger measure and will convene meeting to formulate development policy for miniature-scale vernacular Chinese primary schools in bid to assure the sustaining progress of Chinese education on this soil.

Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

July 28, 2022

Cliché of MOE Minister against Education as a Profession—

UEC Recognition Should Not Be Politicised Further

Mohd Radzi bin Md Jidin, Senior Minister of the MOE, replied recently in a parliament interpellation saying that the UEC defies national education policy. He added, the UEC can only be recognised when (1) the major medium of instruction of MICSSs is Bahasa Melayu, (2) national curriculum is practiced in MICSSs and (3) MICSS students sit for national examinations. Dong Jiao Zong disagrees with the Minister’s cliché on education as a profession, as it is similar to the position of the past governments and politicians over the years where objective assessment of the UEC does not exist.

First of all, we must remind that UEC recognition was the common election manifesto of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan in the 2018 National Election, including the Malaysian United Indigenous Party which Mohd Radzi bin Md Jidin being a member. One would ask then, does what the Senior Minister of MOE had said in the House of Commons translate the stance of the present government in the upcoming 15^th National Election? Frankly, we earnestly hope that all political parties posit themselves appropriately and speak intelligibly.

The MICSS Unified Curriculum in fact was designed and written in compliance with operating curricular development theories and practices, let alone referring to the subject curriculum standard released by the MOE. As such, essentially it is very much localised and multiple, incorporating both internal and external perspectives for the cultivation of patriotism, not forgetting the all-rounded development in ethics, intellect, physique, social skills and aesthetics attunes with national inherence. Therefore, we hope the MOE will take student welfare, cultivation of man power and education as a profession into account, in order to fairly and pragmatically address the UEC Recognition issue.

The enduring efforts put into by the MICSSs on the cultivation of polymaths for the country, as well as the performance shown by UEC holders actually need no introduction. The government’s denial of the UEC as the admission reference for national universities has little to do with the incompatibility of the UEC within the national education principle, but is the outcome of narrow mindedness and para-political view. It is a standing fact that the UEC has not only been widely accepted for university admission abroad, but also recognised by the MQA for private university admission locally. Moreover, teacher training colleges under the MOE likewise intakes UEC holders.

For the purpose of education, we hope all concerned will discuss the UEC issue from a professional and academic point of departure, and do not politicise it yet again. Simultaneously, we also expect the MOE to release the report submitted by the UEC Task Force led by Eddin Khoo sooner, including the disclosure of its full contents.

Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

May 6, 2022

Dong Zong and Jiao Dong are deeply disappointed over the recent questionnaire sent by the MOE to vernacular Chinese primary school students’ parents nationwide seeking once again their decision on the Jawi script introduction in Grade Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook, thus forwarding this statement in response.

1. As understood by Dong Jiao Zong, the questionnaire survey administered by the MOE over the past two years had concluded, most vernacular Chinese primary school parents disagree with the introductory approach of Jawi script in Grade Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook. As such, the Chinese community had for several times told the MOE not to conduct similar survey continuously as it is not only meaningless, but also a waste of resource. Simply put, Dong Jiao Zong greatly regrets the reduplication of questionnaire survey as it indicates voices from the general public are not heeded. Herewith Dong Jiao Zong urges the MOE to withdraw the questionnaire survey for the year to avoid unnecessary disputes.

2. Ever since the implementation of Jawi script teaching in vernacular primary schools Grade Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong, together with many other local Chinese communities and Indian associations, have repeatedly forwarded constructive proposals and views recommending the adaptation of multimethod approach in bid to accord the multiracial inherence of the country, only not the mere introduction of Jawi scripts, to begin with. Unfortunately, the MOE overlooks and ignores the views of the Chinese and Indian communities and associations; instead, it continuously imposes this inappropriate measure which in actual fact generates resentment.

3. The MOE had claimed that once the curriculum for Jawi script learning in Grade Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook was completed, a thorough review of the contents and model would be in place. Therefore, we believe it is high time now the MOE reviewed this inappropriate measure and adapted the proposals raised; that is, to introduce the calligraphy of all ethnic groups with a multimethod approach in Grade Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook to help students understand and learn the cultural uniqueness of all ethnic groups as it attunes with the multiracial, multilingual, multicultural and multireligious inherence of the country. Simultaneously, Dong Jiao Zong also prompts the MOE to set up a committee comprising representatives from all ethnic groups, including the engagement and appointment of Chinese and Tamil educational associations in discussions, for a conclusive solution to this contentious implementation.

Joint Statement Released by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

February 12, 2022

Relative to the directive sent to some vernacular Chinese primary schools in Kuala Lumpur notifying merely MySTEP system can be used for temporary and relief teacher application and not via parent teacher association as reported by the media, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong are highly concern thus participating in the online interaction convened by the Deputy Education Minister Dato Mah Hang Soon. In the video conference, Dong Jiao Zong explicitly requested the Ministry of Education to review the decision for a more flexible solution on teacher shortage.

1. Teacher shortage in vernacular Chinese primary schools has been a besetting issue for decades which unfortunately has seriously impacted normal school operation and teaching activities, not to mention the approvals of bulk posting transfer to other states last year end which further deteriorates the problem. The Ministry of Education is expected to reassess the existing mechanism collectively in bid to facilitate intensively for a complete fill up of the said shortage.

2. Though the MOE had organised a conclusive recruitment project for 18,702 teachers last July—showing its determination and sincerity to resolve the problem—yet as revealed, certain subject applicants were wanting much to the disappointment of the schools in filling the vacancies in time. Therefore, the schools had to recruit teachers via the school board or parent teacher association with their own expense attributed to uncertainty. Advance planning is indeed needed in preventing further normal school operation interruption as well as compromising students’ learning rights.

3. Dong Jiao Zong realises that the individual recruitment of teachers undertaken by the schools in response to national education inadequacy is a charity work and proven solution. Now that the MOE demands all schools to apply for temporary teachers via MySTEP for quality assurance; yet according to feedbacks from experienced school principals, the cumbersome application procedure and delay approvals of MyStep had ended up teaching planning interruption. Thus, the MOE is told to reassess and review the measure by simplifying the system and application procedure in order not to compromise teaching progress.

4. As informed by the Deputy Education Minister Dato Mah Hang Soon in the virtual meeting, all vernacular Chinese primary schools nationwide could recruit temporary teachers individually as need be, only they must apply from the MOE in advance. Apropos of this matter, Dong Jiao Zong earnestly urges the MOE to disclose the procedure for individual application in bid to tackle the problem earlier from available accounts. As an aside, the MOE is also proposed to release an ad hoc appropriation for the said schools to recruit temporary teachers.

5. Dong Jiao Zong, as a final note, urges the MOE to set up an interactive platform specifically for vernacular Chinese primary schools where major Chinese associations and education institutions are to be convened for opinions regularly. Hopefully, a scientific mechanism which addresses short, medium and long-term needs will be brought about through concerted efforts and informed negotiation; it is also intended for an answer of the problem impacting normal operation of vernacular Chinese primary schools, let alone the extant teacher shortage issue.