X-Sender: bala@...
X-Apparently-To: agathiyar@egroups.com
Received: (EGP: mail-8 0 1 3); 26 Jan 2002 06:20:39 -0000
Received: (qmail 12520 invoked from network); 26 Jan 2002 06:20:38 -0000
Received: from unknown (216.115.97.171) by m6.grp.snv.yahoo.com with QMQP; 26 Jan 2002 06:20:38 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO sydneywerks.com.au) (203.22.101.2) by mta3.grp.snv.yahoo.com with SMTP; 26 Jan 2002 06:20:37 -0000
Received: from bala (nas1ppp06.sydneywerks.com.au [203.22.103.198]) by sydneywerks.com.au (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id RAA23860; Sat, 26 Jan 2002 17:20:33 +1100
Message-ID: <001501c1a631$632baea0$6201a8c0@bala>
To:
Cc:
Subject: M'sia: The sad reality of Tamil schools
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 17:19:14 +1100
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200
X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200
From: "Bala Pillai"
X-Yahoo-Group-Post: member; u=1292804
X-Yahoo-Profile: bala2pillai
X-Yahoo-Message-Num: 15209
----- Original Message -----
From: malaysiaindians
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 7:34 AM
Subject: [malaysiaindians] The sad reality of Tamil schools
> The sad reality of Tamil schools
> Marutha Nayagam
>
> 5:12pm, Fri: I refer to Dr Denison Jayasooria's contention that the
> performance of Tamil schools has improved through the efforts of MIC
> (Moving forward together with MIC, Jan 13). He refers to the positive
> results in last year's UPSR exam.
>
> What he has not highlighted is that Tamil schools consistently
> underperform in the UPSR compared with national and Chinese schools.
> Last year, only 33 percent of Tamil school students achieved higher
> than the minimum required grade of C in all subjects compared with 47
> percent for Chinese schools and 52 percent for national schools.
>
> On the other hand, seven percent of Tamil school students scored
> grades D/E in all subjects compared with three percent for Chinese
> schools and six percent for national schools.
>
> The performance of Tamil school students in Bahasa Malaysia is
> appalling. Only 55 percent attained grade C or better in the Ujian
> Kefahaman compared with 65 percent for Chinese schools and 88 percent
> for national schools.
>
> It was even worse for the Ujian Penulisan: only 40 percent attained
> grade C or better compared with 57 percent for Chinese schools and 84
> percent for national schools.
>
> The underachievement in Bahasa Malaysia is a critical factor in the
> overall underachievement of Tamil school students in secondary
> schools.
>
> Going by the results for 2001, 60 percent of students from Tamil
> schools enter remove class without even the minimum level of writing
> skills in Bahasa Malaysia. How can these students be ever expected to
> cope in secondary schools or make it to the MIC university?
>
> MIC has to face the reality of the failure of the Tamil school system
> and not delude itself and the community by highlighting the one
> percent of students from Tamil schools scoring As in all subjects in
> the UPSR.
>
> It is the other 99 percent that the MIC has to worry about. It is a
> fact that most Tamil school students are from the lower income group
> and face the disadvantages and barriers of poverty and social
> marginalisation.
>
> However, by no means are these students inferior in learning aptitude
> and capabilities. What they need is a nurturing school environment
> and innovative learning programmes to help them overcome their social
> and economic disadvantages.
>
> The sad reality is that what MIC can actually deliver to the Tamil
> school system is very limited. MIC is unable to alter the gross
> inequities arising from misguided national education policies related
> to resource allocation, curriculum and management of vernacular
> schools.
>
> It is also unable to enhance the commitment and professionalism of
> Tamil school teachers and headmasters despite many of them being MIC
> members and active MIC politicians. Nor can the community expect MIC
> to alleviate the myriad economic, housing and social conditions of
> the families of children attending Tamil schools.
>
> MIC's role in the Tamil education system therefore remains as one of
> establishing political patronage and perpetuating the politics of
> chauvinism in Malaysia to ensure that the party remains relevant to
> the Indian Malaysian community.
>
> The party therefore neither has the political will nor the principled
> leadership required to champion Tamil education (it will be
> interesting to determine how many MIC leaders send their children to
> Tamil schools).
>
> This is why the call by Jayasooria to "work together (with MIC)
> through common networking and joint action" sounds rather hollow.
>
> The Tamil education system can only be improved through concerted
> local level initiatives by parents, committed community leaders,
> teachers, headmasters and concerned individuals.
>
> These initiatives should focus on key areas such as strengthening
> early childhood care and education, modernising learning facilities,
> modes and the school environment, enhancing the effectiveness of
> teaching Bahasa Malaysia and improving the service conditions,
> professionalism and commitment of teachers and headmasters.
>
> If MIC is sincere about improving Tamil education, it should commit
> the required financial resources to these initiatives and de-
> politicise the Tamil education system.
>
> The question of whether MIC needs to set up a university or not is
> irrelevant to the thousands of Tamil school children who are being
> condemned to a lifetime of underachievement every year.
>
>
> source: www.malaysiakini.com
