The revelation that 162,000 of our students are illiterate, spells doom for the country. It does seem that while the country's policy makers got busy day dreaming of making Malaysia the regional hub for educational excellence, little did they bother looking at their own backyard.

Nonchalantly disclosing the statistics last month (May), Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar only did a 'good' job in exposing the lack of concern the ministry has on the issue.

In his typical couldn't-care-less style, Noh reportedly had this to say on a news so shocking: remedial classes for such students must continue so that by the time they finish school they should at least be able to read or write.

Now, the concern if the ministry has any is only this - that the students should either be able to read or write and not after 14 years in school, achieve both. It is not at any level to produce thinking youngsters who can go out and make the country proud.

Instead of pointing out why the education has failed here, Noh has conveniently assumed this alarming problem into the folds of remedial classes. Just how helpful will such classes be? If they are indeed effective, then the nation would not be having a problem of 162,000 illiterate students would it?

It is so very Malaysia to not tackle the bull by it horns, proverbially speaking. Noh and his 'master' Hishamuddin Hussein should be cracking their heads trying to find a way to help these students and devise a way to ensure that the education system is effective.

The aim of sending children to school is not merely to create future workers for the job market. It is to help them learn well and this entails the task of reading, writing and counting. This is the responsibility the Education Ministry has failed to perform.

Lacking dedication

To our politicians, this piece of news might not be a cause for concern especially since most of them choose private over government sponsored schools when deciding where to send their children.

But what happens to the children who rely on government schools for a decent education? What do these children do when they end up having to deal with teachers who are devoid of motivation and cannot care less whether these children make it or not?

If the rich have money and can buy the best life has to offer, what do the poor have? Hope - this is the only asset the poor have when they invest their children's futures in government schools.

From Noh's unconcerned response, it is obvious that the ministry lacks dedication in wanting to tackle the problem of illiteracy in schools.

Should one take the easy way out and blame the teachers for not doing their job? Or should we empathise with our educators and understand the amount of stress they face as teachers?

Who should we hold at ransom for the news that our students, a big number of them, cannot even write their name, let alone realise the joy of reading? And this the schools knew all the while, but not much was done.

Blame game

Educationists say the system of emphasising education was the culprit. They said a similar scenario came about in the 70s, and the result was the 3M or what is called the 3R in English in schools.

But soon after the 3M took a backseat and the focus once again returned to examinations.

"Let us not play the blame game. Blaming the teachers is not going to improve matters. Instead, school heads, teachers and parents should work together to improve this situation," said one teacher.

Another educationist, said it was the dyslexic problem faced by students that needed to be addressed.

"The issue of dyslexia affecting schoolchildren has been there for donkey years and we have done nothing to deal with it. The big number quoted by Noh certainly includes dyslexic children in schools. Having remedial classes as said by Noh will not help because the real problem has not been addressed.

"When we talk of juvenile delinquency, do we wonder how it has come about? Juvenile delinquents are children who cannot cope in school and end up as miscreants in the classroom. The truth is juvenile delinquents are trained by our education system," he lamented.

Misplaced priority

Education Minister Hishamuddin Hussein on May 17 said the doors of the 32 international schools in the country will soon be opened to Malaysian students as well. The minister said international schools will allocate 40 percent of their places to Malaysians.

This news was no doubt welcomed by both the international schools and parents - disillusioned with government-run schools. But then what happens to those children who are dyslexic and receive no help whatsoever from schools? Does Hishammuddin have any plans for them?

Whilst Hishammuddin might have something big in mind to improve the education system in Malaysia, he should not hurry into doing so as he has yet to solve the various problems affecting our schoolchildren, such as dyslexia and juvenile delinquency.

It is every parents right to want the best for their children. And it is also every child's right to receive the best education and it is here that our schools have fallen short.

Instead of mixing his priorities, Hishamuddin should tackle the immediate issues affecting schoolchildren before setting his sight on international schools.

Our students have long been frustrated with the present education system - let us not disillusion them any more.

JJ RAY started her career with a mainstream publication. A non-conformist, she soon saw the barriers that went up whenever, through her writing, she tried to make the world a home for one and all.