 | | | | ||||
|  [
Index
] | ||||||
 | |||||||
| | | | | |||
Build more schools and train more and better teachers in Malaysia Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the shortage of schools and teachers in the country on 1 August 1999. | |||||||
| This morning, I had my regular visit to the Kepong constituency in Kuala Lumpur. I heard comments on the allocations of RM25,000 to each of the four Chinese primary schools in Jinjang. This total of RM100,000 is the result of the Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir's visit to Jinjang on 14 March 1999. At least four persons from different capacities contacted the four schools about the money. They were from a political party such as the Malaysian Chinese Association, MCA. Each person tried to claim the credit. No wonder, the schools were in a quandry. There is a serious shortage of schools and teachers in Malaysia. This includes national and primary Chinese schools. There are over 8,000 primary and secondary schools in the country. Each class has more than 40 pupils. In some urban schools especially Chinese primary schools, each class may have more than 50 pupils. Ideally, each class should not have more than 20 pupils. By the next century, if each class size can be reduced to less than 30, we would have acheived wonders. According to a newspaper report, the Minister at the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Abdul Hamid accompanied by Datuk Sulaiman, the Federal Teritory Barisan National (National Front) Chairman and Deputy Information Minister, would present the cheques in Jinjang | |
South this afternoon. It costs millions to build a school. Rm25,000 may only be enough for building a classroom or buying tables and chairs. Although it is a paltry sum, once it has been announced, it has to be delivered. Sometimes, a school may notice the annoucement, but money is not forthcoming. For example, Jinjang North Primary Chinese School was told by the Education Ministry that it would get RM10,000 in 1992. Seven years later, this money has not been given to the school. Recently, the school has obtained public donations of about RM100,000 to build four new classrooms. The country has to raise the quality of education. One way is to reduce the size of classrooms and to have more and better teachers. We need one-session schools. No matter who is the Government, it will take years. As the Government builds more national schools, it should also have more Chinese primary schools. On the eve of the general elections, some propose to build 5 or 6 Chinese primary schools nationwide. Others have proposed over 20 Chinese primary schools. The Government should study the actual shortage of various types of schools in the whole country, catering for the requirments of each area. The long-term investment in education is important. Malaysians should not compromise on this.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
| | | | | ||||
 | | |||||||
| [ Home | Political | Medical | Personal ] | Article #84 | |||||||
| [ Recent | Archives | Forum | Feedback ] | [
Index
]
| | | | |
| | ||
