National-type Chinese and Tamil schools should allow more teachers from other races to teach in their schools to strengthen unity among the people, a Wanita Umno delegate said today.

Speaking at a debate on the motion on religion and education at the 2010 Umno General Assembly, Wanita Umno representative Norhayati Omar said the number of non-Indian and non-Chinese teachers in these schools at the moment was very few.

Quoting statistics, she said, as at June this year, there were 5,881 national schools in the country followed by 1,291 national-type Chinese schools (SJKC) and 523 national-type Tamil schools (SJKT).

"Of these, there were only 2,245 Malay teachers in SJKC and SJKT," she said.

Norhayati, who is Negeri Sembilan Wanita Umno chief, said based on the statistics, on average, there were less than two teachers in each SJKC and SJKT.

On the contrary, she said, there were 33,777 non-Malay teachers in national schools.

"If there are no opportunities for interactions at the teachers' level, how then, shall the future of our children look like?" she said.

Norhayati also called for the teaching of the Malay language to be strengthened in all schools and for Mandarin and Tamil to be taught in national schools.

‘Green lane’ for scholarships

Meanwhile, a Kedah Umno representative, Prof Dr Ismail Daut called on the government to create what he called a "green lane" in the award of scholarships and study loans, especially to rural students.

He said the government should dismantle barriers to ensure that rural students were able to achieve success through education.

"Certain conditions in the PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation) should be eased further so that those who decide to pursue higher degrees can be exempted from paying their loan until after they completed their studies," he said.

- Bernama