Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has criticised the National Education Blueprint for its silence on addressing fundamental problems of racial and religious polarisation in vernacular and religious schools.

The blueprint also does not address the problems of racism and religious bigotry in national schools, reflecting the country's political rule by Umno, he said.

He added that although these issues exist in national schools, the document is silent on ways to eradicate them and therefore has failed to be an integrated national blueprint on education.

NONE "There is (only) emphasis on the learning of English and Bahasa Malaysia, and mention of homogenity," Ramasamy (right) told the Penang Institute forum on ‘Understanding the National Education Blueprint’.

Other speakers included Penang Institute senior fellow Toh Kin Woon, Senator Ariffin Omar, Centre for Policy Initiatives director Lim Teck Ghee and social activist Wong Chin Huat.

Ramasamy also described the blueprint as an "election document", since education has been politicised in Malaysia, but called for political will to implement the proposals.

He described the blueprint as being no different from other such documents, and Education Minister Muhyiddon Yassin as being no different from other ministers.

"Not to address the fundamental problems of Malaysian education ... is a disaster," he noted, especially when much effort had gone into obtaining input for the blueprint.

‘Where’s the urgency?’

Lim said the report appears to impress but, on closer analysis, it is found to be partial and inadequate, with a time frame which gives little indication of urgency.

NONE "It does not address concerns and fears that the political agenda would be foremost in the implementation," Lim (right) said, but conceded that it is “not such a bad draft”.

The blueprint, recently revealed by Muhyiddin, proposes 11 shifts to improve the quality of education in primary and secondary schools.

After millions of ringgit was spent in coming up with the draft it, details have yet to be disclosed.

Only an abridged version is available on the Unesco website.