Returning meritocracy as a criteria in education will revive national schools as the school of choice for parents of all races, said DAP.

This comes after a study found there is only four percent enrollment of non-Malay students in national schools and 18 percent non-Chinese enrollment in vernacular schools, and the figure is growing.

However, Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid says this trend persists only in rural areas and is not a national phenomenon.

"DAP reiterates its call to put meritocracy and performance back into our education system or else not only will our educational standards suffer but even Malay parents will opt out by choosing Chinese schools for their children.

"If education continues to be politicised and the pursuit of excellence is left behind to enable the BN government to score political points, then our children will be the sacrificial lambs with inferior standards and low competitive levels," DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (photo) said in a statement.

He said Malay parents are opting out of national schools because they are aware that Malaysian students are scoring poorly in international science and mathematics tests.

Chinese vernacular schools place an emphasis on these subjects, he said, and offer up-to-date computer and sports facilities.

"(Malay parents) send their kids there knowing their children are in good hands," he said.

As such, he said the ministry should stop being in denial and address the problem.

Madzir last week said while the ministry will study the findings, his experience is that national schools have multiracial enrollment.

He, however, acknowledged high non-Chinese rural enrollment in Chinese vernacular schools in rural areas, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

The study led by retired National Education Advisory Council member Teo Kok Seong found that more non-Chinese parents are refusing to enroll their children in national schools and opting for vernacular schools.

The study was carried out by a 13-member council of educationists, corporate figures and former top-level education department officers.

It found parents are keeping their children from national schools due to the following factors:

• Poor teaching;
• Administration dominated by a single race;
• Too Islamic;
• Disciplinary issues among students; and
• Schools are not maintained and facilities like computers outdated.

The study also noted that racial preferences in deployment and promotion of capable teachers and administrators have hampered teaching and school performance.