Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have raised issues of mother-tongue education with United Nations Human Rights Council special rapporteur Vernor Munoz Villalobos, who is on a visit to Malaysia.

At a meeting yesterday, several representatives of NGOs submitted books and documents relating to problems faced in delivering Chinese and Tamil mother-tongue education, as part of the wider right to education.

The groups represented included the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia, United Chinese School Teachers' Association of Malaysia, Malaysian Tamil Educational Research and Development Foundation, Group of Concerned Citizens and Education, Welfare and Research Foundation.

Dr Kua Kia Soong, principle of New Era College owned by Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ), said this was an important opportunity to highlight the situation and problems faced in providing mother- tongue education.

"It is vital to let him know about the situation...(to be) highlighted to the council," he said when contacted today.

"(When the council knows the real situation), it can pressure the government to rectify what is wrong."

The meeting was held at the DJZ Higher Learning Centre in Kajang, Selangor, on an urgent basis as it was not part of the official programme.

Villalobos was only scheduled to meet with government officials and agencies during his visit from Feb 5-14, but had insisted on meeting the NGOs to understand the problems they face.

Kua, who moderated the meeting, said that Malaysia - as a member of the UN Human Rights Council - should ensure that minority groups get a chance to learn their mother tongue.

He said it has become more difficult to preserve and promote mother-tongue education since independence in 1957.

"Every year, there is increasing enrolment of students (in Chinese and Tamil primary schools), but the number of schools are being reduced," he said.

Kua, who reiterated that students in universities and colleges are being restricted in voicing opinions on current affairs such as education issues, argued that this is equivalent to restricting their right to education.

Mission report

During his visit, Villalobos will consider the degree to which Malaysia has implemented the right to education.

He will focus on issues not only related to access but also to the quality of education, particularly implementation of right to education among ethnic groups and the situation of higher education.

Villalobos will present a report on his mission to the council at the session to be held next year.

The special rapporteur is an independent expert appointed by the UN Commission on Human Right to help states, and others, to promote and protect the right to education.

Villalobos is currently serving in the Costa Rican Ombudsman's office, and teaches at the Latina University in Costa Rica as professor of civil rights.

He has vast experience in mainstreaming human rights in strategic planning, especially in the field of education.