The controversy over the incorporation of computer classes in the formal timetable of Chinese primary schools has been brewing for the last two years since some parents from the SJK(C) Desajaya Kepong (SJKDJ), started to highlight the matter to the education authorities and the mass media in 2008.
The computer class is a Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) activity, run by a third party. Along the way, it has somehow been incorporated into the formal timetable of many Chinese primary schools although this a violation of the existing Education Act. This is confirmed by the Biro Pengaduan Awam via its letter to parent Lee Kok Leong.
The letter states that Gombak District Education Department has found from investigations that the school has included computer classes in its formal timetable. It states that students should not be forced to attend the computer class and no fees should be imposed on the students. The letter further adds that the department has instructed the school to remove the computer class from the formal timetable as it violates existing regulations.
However, despite the above letter, no action was taken by the headmistress to remove the computer class from the formal timetable. Some of us parents met with the HM on June 26 last year. We asked her the reason why she has not acted on the matter. The reason she gave was that she had approval of the deputy education minister (DEM)’s office to continue with the status quo.
We requested her for a formal confirmation from the DEM and later we asked her again in a letter dated July 13. But she did not reply to the letter. On Sept 1, the Biro Pengaduan Awam replied to parent Puan Lim Jit Lee stating that the school had agreed to suspend computer classes from September 2009.
Over the past year, we have called a number of press conferences and held a demo at the school on the issue and our protests have received wide coverage in the Chinese papers. However, despite all the complaints and wide publicity, this HM continues to ignore and defy the orders of higher authorities. For this year, 2010, the computer classes are still included in the school’s formal timetable.
This computer class issue came to a head when we took it to Putrajaya on Jan 21, 2010 where we submitted a memorandum and a solicitor’s letter to the Deputy Education Minister (DEM) Wee Ka Siong. We also held an impromptu press conference outside the Education Ministry.
The next day the Chinese media, reported that the DEM said the following in reply to our memo:
1. As the DEM, he had no power to remove the computer classes from the formal timetable
2. Some 85% of the parents agreed to having computer classes. The minority should abide by the majority. The school cannot force students to attend the computer class. Parents have a right to choose. Students who do not want to attend the computer class can go to the library and do self- study (sic!)
3. The DEM denied he gave approval to the HM to continue with the computer classes but in the same breath he said the ministry had given conditional approval to allow the computer classes in the formal time table
4. According the Education Act, the computer classes are classified as an extra curriculum activity. However, the education minister has the absolute discretionary power to decide on this matter (which means power to include a PTA-organised activity in the formal timetable?)
5. If anyone can forward evidence of corruption in relation to these computer classes, he will act immediately according to the law
With regards to Point 1 and 2, we are surprised to hear the DEM saying that he has no power to act when the HM has obviously violated the Education Act and thumb her nose at her superiors. We are even more disappointed to hear him say that the parents still have a choice over the computer classes in the formal time table and that our children can go to the library for self-study if they don’t want to attend the computer classes.
We would also like to dispute point No 3. Earlier the HM had shown us a letter from Haji Zulkifly Mohd. Wazir, the ministry’s Day Schools Director to us as justification for continuing the computer classes. We believe the DEM was referring to the same letter.
The subject of the letter states ‘Penyusunan Jadual Kelas Komputer di Luar Waktu Induk Kelas’, which to us means ‘Arranging for computer classes outside the formal timetable’. The key word here is ‘Induk’. However, the HM and DEM chose to interpret the word ‘Waktu Sekolah’ as ‘formal time table’.
We then sought clarification from the ministry on the meaning of the word ‘Waktu Sekolah’. Suratno, the official who wrote the letter on behalf of his director confirmed that ‘Waktu Sekolah’ means within school hours but outside the formal timetable.. The letter further states that computer classes can be conducted subject to the following two conditions:
1. It does not affect the study time and subjects stipulated by the ministry.
2. The matter needs the agreement of the headmistress and the PTA
On condition (1), how not to affect when students in Chinese schools are already burdened with studying three languages and a multitude of other subjects? On condition (2), the PTA has to date not called for a meeting to seek the parents’ opinion on the matter..
In any case the BIG question is, can the letter or any instruction from whomsoever in the government supersede the existing Education Act (Akta Pendidikan 1996 (Akta 550? Apparently, according to Wee, the education minister has just that power to overwrite the law! We presume, in this context, the education minister is taken to mean the man himself (Wee) as he is the deputy education minister in charge of all matters related to Chinese schools.
Now that the education ministry has directed that computer classes can be included in the formal timetable, this means that computer class is now considered as one of the approved compulsory subjects. Then the following matters need to be addressed immediately:
1. The computer subject must be treated on equal footing with the other subjects approved by the Education Department. That is:
i. The computer subject must be fully under the charge of the Education Department. It should not be an activity organised by the PTA and run by a third party
ii. Only teachers that are qualified and ministry-certified can teach the computer classes
iii. The syllabus and text books must conform to the standards set by the Education Department
iv. In line with Malaysia’s policy of free primary and secondary school education, the computer classes and the necessary text books must be free of charge. There should not be any notice or request for ‘donations’ from students. All harassment of our children for ‘donations’ to the computer classes must stop immediately. Money ‘donated’ earlier should be refunded.
2. The DEM should give a formal directive to all Chinese primary schools to ensure uniformity of implementation and treatment:
i. Henceforth computer classes will be incorporated in the formal timetable and run as a normal subject
ii. Collection of computer fees should stop immediately and there should not be any collection of fees in the future, not even in the guise of ‘donations’.
As to whether there is any corruption involved in the computer classes, we can only say that there are vast commercial interests involved. The profit margin is in the region of 200% ! Apart from the income from the computer classes in the formal timetable, there is also income from weekend robotic classes and school holidays computer camps. Was there an open tender to select the computer class operator?
On a related matter, since the DEM has such wide discretionary powers, we implore that he use it to resolve longstanding problems in the Chinese primary schools. We ask that the DEM address the following long outstanding issues:
- Overcrowded student population
If he cannot solve these problems due to financial constraints, surely he can instructed that English Language periods be increased. At present, only two periods are allocated for English Language for Standard 1 to 3 and three periods for Standard 4 to 6.
Due to the lack of teachers or for convenience, the two English periods for Std 1 to 3 are often combined into one double period. Thus, these young children are only exposed to the English language once a week. For a new learner, this is no way to learn a language. These two periods are there just to show that English is being taught in Chinese schools.
However, it’s a waste of time and resources to conduct such classes as there is no way these young children will learn the language with an only once a week exposure. The failure of the school system to provide proper education is reflected in the proliferation of English language tuition centers. Many parents are forced to send their children for English tuition to ensure their children have a proper grounding in the English language.
We are sure that parents will give their 100% support to increase the number of English language periods so that our children will have contact with the English language every day of the week. In this respect, the DEM should direct that Maths and Science in English periods be converted to the teaching of English instead.
After all, Chinese schools kids are being taught Maths and Science in Chinese so it’s just repetition to teach the subjects in English again. If our children cannot read in English, there is little hope of them progressing far in acquiring knowledge in computer science as most of the instruction manuals are in English.
The writer is coordinator, Pakatan Suara Ibu Bapa (PSIB).
