Renew prosperity, bring back English schools
COMMENT | In writing my last column for 2018, having focused mainly on the subject of my 30-year passion as an educator, I still believe that there once was a moment, a historical block, in which our country had something going – a political-cultural-educational will – to get this issue of race relations and interfaith understanding not just under control, but flourishing and set on the path of prosperity.
That was the 1970s, when I was in the middle of finishing up my primary education and moving into secondary. That was the time when kids were taught the song "Muhibbah" and schools had an ethnically diverse composition of teachers and students. No Islamisation. No Arabisation. Not yet.
That was when we had English-medium schools. Children instructed in liberal education. A beautiful experience I share below.
I went to an English medium school, Sekolah Temenggong Abdul Rahman (Star 1) in Johor Bahru and went on to a specialised boarding school after being selected through a nationwide filtration process – based on how poor my family was, how eager I was to learn, and how well I did in the Standard 5 assessment exam.
I had a voracious reading appetite, my diet ranging from Greek and Norse mythologies and other fun stuff in the Sultanah Aminah Library to Reader’s Digest magazines my mother bought me (she finished only Standard Three of her schooling) and the World Book Encyclopedia grandpa and mother bought on a many-years-long instalment payment plan from Grolier.
Also, anything I could read in English namely, to keep myself occupied if I were not playing soccer barefoot trying to do bicycle kicks like my idol Pele and other great moves from people such as Eusebio, Johan Cruyff and Mokhtar Dahari, of course.
At 13, I was already taken away from my mother and placed in this Mara ashram-kibbutz-concentration-camp type of experimental educational facility in Kuantan Darul Bauxite (which I heard is now as red as Mars). So, I was there continuing my classes in English.
I had hippie Malaysian and five American Peace Corps teachers who chose not to go to Vietnam to fight the war and instead be with these natives – kampung boys – they could experiment their teaching on. We were proudly called “guinea pigs.” And we gladly told our kampung folks that.
It was a world of strangers I was in and I cried almost every night thinking of my mother. I wrote to her a lot on a fortnightly basis. In Jawi.
The immense feeling of sadness lasted for a few weeks. But soon I made friends from all over the country – kids of my temperament, some with bizarre character and bloated little egos, from Johor to Perlis to Sabah and Sarawak. There were Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazan and hybrids of these. Many talked strange.
Most of us spoke English, Malay, and our own strange village dialect. I spoke Johor-Riau Malay, the standard language I mastered through my mother and my kampung folks. I was with kids whose parents were fishermen, rubber tappers, padi farmers, contract labourers and those you would consider today as the B40 group in a country ran by the few wealthy Malaysians.
In other words, those in that 'Bauxite High School' with Peace Corps and hippie-looking Chinese, Malay, Indian teachers who were trying to educate us in English, we not children of kings and all the king's men.
Not the children of rich businesspersons and politicians, although there was a significant percentage of children from rich and powerful families of the 1970s.
Growing up 'English'
But we were taught in English. We joked in English. Our not-so-clean jokes, too, were in that language. We enjoyed English – mainly American – music and movies in English and by the time we finished high school we were off to places of learning whose language of instruction was entirely in English.
I recall as a 13-year-old, I would gather around friends who would spend time talking about “heavy subject matters” outside the curriculum such as Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Hitler and Rommel’s strategies during World War 2, the nature of the stock market, the nature of pi, Hardy Boys novels, Mad magazines, the Godfather movies, 1960s pop music, Rolling Stones, Harley Davidson and Nortons, the Apollo landing, Muhammad Ali and weapons of mass destruction of the 70s.
Yes, we had passionate conversations in English, at that age. Our conversations about those matters were a natural enriched extension of our Science and Maths subjects that were taught in English (yes, there were no controversies then on English used as a medium of instruction).
Not much about girls we talked about since there were none yet in that school when we “pioneered and founded” it. But that was the impact of English Language instruction. Of liberalism. Of the ars liberalis. Of the free man.
I remember as I reached Form Five, I wanted to be either one of these three things - a rock star, a psychiatrist or a rocket scientist who also designs a better version of the atomic bomb! Sinful thinking. Our parting song was Queen’s We Are the Champions which I still love, although Donald Trump used it as an opening tune for his glitzy-burlesquey campaign victory TV appearance. What a horrifying murder of something I loved and much to the annoyance of Dr Brian May, the band’s great guitarist, who objected to the American president’s use of their hit song.
I was bored while waiting for my Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) results and at night till early morning, at home in Johor Bahru, I’d read this textbook on Psychology of Human Development meant for teachers takings their Master’s degree. I was fascinated by the Freudian Theory, how Einstein’s (photo)mind worked and a range of contemporary psychological issues in America.
I was obsessed with that subject matter at 17. I read my encyclopedias and also my set of books on medicine. It was like a learning explosion and implosion. I read, played my guitar, listened to tons of 70s rock music. I could be passionate because I had access to the language I had used with ease since the first day I entered school.
Because there were English medium schools. Schools to ignite exploring, thinking and to create new things.
I wrote about my passion for reading, a few years ago. This year marked my 31st year I have lived without television. Yes, I stopped watching it and prefer reading, not only because my profession requires me to read and read but because I had access to the gradually different levels of sophistication of the language. I read 100 books this past year, fiction and non-fiction. All in English. I am now more fluent in English than in my mother tongue.
The ease of using the language got me accepted for PhD work in International Education, at the Stanford and Columbia universities. I chose the latter. New York City and Harlem and the ideas of a pedagogy of the oppressed and radical multiculturalism lured me there.
And also, Columbia was where the American pragmatist philosopher John Dewey conceived "Progressive Education", the philosophical foundation of American schooling and democracy. I must have written a strong personal essay on why they should take me in. An essay in English. Of what it means to be an educator and how culture and consciousness shape cognition.
An English poem
A few years ago, sitting by my window sill watching the world outside, I wrote an English poem on my being-ness of neither here nor there:
Snow-covered bamboo leaves
Today I looked out of my window. The world was white.
As white as the snow: falling and falling as if each snowflake must become
A postscript.
Of the longest story ever told.
Each bit of snowfall become one amongst millions and billions.
Of snowflakes that will become a blanket of whiteness
That will be weaved like an endless design of a carpet of a story.
Again, postscripts of a life that will be concluded in white.
Today I looked out of my window. I saw not a single snowflake.
The world was not white.
Leaves from those bamboo trees fall: falling as if each must
Become what a child’s dream is made of.
I saw a child barefoot
Playing with a blowpipe he made out of the postscript of his future.
Running, laughing.
Away from his sorrows, I suppose.
He is a child of Nature.
He looked at me as I looked outside of my window.
We locked eyes.
I saw snowflakes.
I did not know what he saw.
From amongst the bamboo trees, his eyes pierced into mine.
He disappeared.
Not a smile.
Not a frown
he offered as a gift.
In between the snowflakes and the bamboo leaves lie our story weaved.
So what, then?
Essentially, I have shared a fragment of my personal evolution as a consequence of being “languaged” in English. While still a Malay, by definition (what is race and ethnicity anyway but artificial constructs).
I believe it is still a powerful lingua franca. I believe we must change the course of how we school our children. Maybe my experience was unique and my story is a memoir of language use and how English has become my reality and how I continue to construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct realities based on the elements of race, culture, spirituality and religion that have defined me.
Maybe it’s just “my” story. I cannot explain more. It would be an over-story. You will be bored. Just bring back the English Language if we are to gracefully ride the waves of the 21st century. We can renew our educational prosperity. In a world plagued with grave challenges and possibilities.
I love our Malaysian people. I want them to succeed. No child left behind. Whatever colour, race, religion, caste they are from. We had models of great English-medium schools from way back then. No radical Islamisation. No Arabisation. Not yet. Bring them back, still alive. Let’s just do it. Before we see them too, turning into medan dakwah.
AZLY RAHMAN is an educator, academic, international columnist, and author of seven books available here. He grew up in Johor Bahru and holds a Columbia University doctorate in international education development and Master’s degrees in six areas: education, international affairs, peace studies communication, fiction and non-fiction writing. Twitter @azlyrahman. More writings here.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
READER'S COMMENTS:
READER'S COMMENTS:
ChuenTick
1/Jan/2019 at 3:48:08pm
You weave a lovely tale here of your English education background, Dr Azly. Yours can be held up as an example of the good the BN had done for our country in years gone by - but sadly Malaysia has lost such an illustrious son . No, there will be no English schools policy by the PH - holding the reins of power now, it is going back to the same 'ketuanan melayu' s**t of the umnoputras. PH has forgotten all its promises of change as it tries to pacify and win more support from the Malay electorate. But PH must realise, support from the voters that brought it to power cannot be taken for granted!!
Anonymous #45522856
1/Jan/2019 at 9:44:11am
Azly you should have been our Education Minister.I am also lucky to have been in an English school of the seventies,like what you say no Islamisation or Arabisation.And they still wonder why the nons don't send their children to national schools!
ex-wfw
1/Jan/2019 at 3:22:31am
We should also look at the impact of English on the three NE Asian countries: China, Japan and South Korea. Japan started industrialization first and then earned the right to start a World War with the technology learned and then followed by South Korea but both these two countries did not really embraced English as a learning subject in schools. In the 80s or even 90s of the last century, many Japanese or Korean did not really speak English very well even when they traveled aboard to do business. Whereas China when it started the so-called liberalization, English was quickly embraced as a subject, in the early 90s English was taught through the local TV broadcast and today it is made compulsory from year one [according to Dr. Lee in his book AI Super Powers] They have managed to move so fast in every aspect of life that even Trump got frightened. The impact of English cannot be denied since practically all books and papers in research are written in English. Indeed, this is the language for both communication and research! Let us look at the reality of the scenario, this is especially to remind both the ultras and even fence-sitters understand some basic facts of today's scenario. We have some 32 millions Malaysians of which some 20 Millions are classified as Malays. The world population is estimated at 6.5 Billion; and if we want to find the percentage using the calculator in your hand-phone, it would simply won't show as there are still too many noughts in front of the first figure. So if we are not going to be part of the changing world, the world won't miss us. The coming years of the 21st century will be fast, so fast that we could be left blinking. We still have so-called leaders who do not give a damn to all these realities and thought they could change the world! Even within the ASEAN region, if we don't strive to move in tandem with the little dot, then we will be drowned by the other 5 larger members.
flamescanner
31/Dec/2018 at 8:43:33pm
And Not to forget Dr Azly, you were my No.1 draft pick as Minister for Education and I think you should and can still contribute to the thinking at the Ministry.
flamescanner
31/Dec/2018 at 8:39:49pm
Funny, it is now against the law and illegal to use English as a medium of instruction. Why doesn't the ministry suggest that we can implement English as language of instruction at National type schools (SRJK/SMJK) and have B.Melayu at SRK/SMK. We will still learn BM and it should still be a 'must-pass' subject.
Azly Rahman
31/Dec/2018 at 8:36:32pm
"Prudent", yes we share the same vision and we perhaps believe in the same thing: That there are multiple truths to choose from, depending on one's cultural perception of what spirituality means. I read the major world's scriptures ( as I too have taught them) and see the beauty of each, especially as cultural perspectives, and good, magical, fantastical stories written by scribes, collectively, from long ago. I love the Bible stories as well. And the Mahabharatta, the Ramayana, the Analects of King Fu Tze, the Tao Te Chng, and even Dianetics, the religious text of the Church of Scientology, These contain their own truth as well as fantasy. And fanciful stories of creation, deconstruction, destruction. We live in a universe of stories we love sharing with one another. The Bible and the Quran too serve such purposes. One Truth, Many Paths.
Azly Rahman
31/Dec/2018 at 8:28:53pm
Thank you all, for your well-presented comments, framed with so much passion and respect for the subject matter. We are a model of civil dialogue. We share a memory, a wonderful, yet equally challenging, time we once had and lived gracefully. In poverty lies wealth, dignity, and ethics -- this is what we learned from the days of post-Merdeka. We learn to live with each other and grow with the differences we were born with and into. Because we are human beings, essentially and within us lies cultural hybridity, of the elements of cultures of "Otherness" weaved into our psyche, philosophy of living, and our physical looks. We love each other's food, fashion, and festivities. Today these have turned political -- of forbidden-ness and the halal-haram of things. Wherein lie the mistake of our cultural evolution? EDUCATION. Is there hope? We must begin with what's glimmering and what's promising, but we cannot twist the arms of politicians is their bodies are wrapped with the straightjacket of wealth and power, insisting that the only way forward is the traverse the path Machiavelli and Sun Tzu suggested. Maintain power by whatever means necessary, kill if you must, and go to war with each other perpetually. Use Education as a tool of apartheid, mental oppression, so that we may produce more myths -- Myths of the Lazy Natives!
Prudent
31/Dec/2018 at 2:42:54pm
Dr Azly, you and me seems similar but I came to a different conclusion. I was also among the best students in English and debated in English at one of the largest schools in the Peninsula. I like Shakespeare especially King Lear and of course the sweet and bitter tragedy of youth - Romeo and Juliet. But fluency in the English language also brought me to thinking about issues of life and death beyond just English. Then I was exposed to the Bible - the Book which arguably transformed the English language when it was first translated into English on the orders of King James the 1st. Shakespeare satisfied neither my curiosity nor my spiritual thirst that there is something more and something infinitely more meaningful to life and human life in particular than Shakespeare was able to convey. Example: the concept of love. Shakespeare could convey only the banal, the selfishness and the foolishness of human love (which he subtly morphed into lust and violence) although he covered its grossness with the innocence and fervency of youth. But the Bible did satisfy my thirst and my command of English facilitated my understanding of the various shades of meaning, innuendos, nuances and imageries which the Bible uses to convey God's message. In the Bible, the only thing that can satisfy the human soul is repeatedly expressed in different ways like a lover to the love-forlorn object of his love: God's 'unthinking' almost desperate love in saving sinners who are bent on rejecting Him, through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for my sins! And my facility with English enabled me to master professional subjects taught in English with relative ease. So mastery in English in an English world does have its financial rewards. But now the world is changing. The future of science and business is increasingly Chinese, German and Russian as English fades and the English speaking world pares down its investment in R & D. So Malaysia must follow where the wind blows!
FairMalaysian
31/Dec/2018 at 1:00:57pm
To those who have a closed mind, Malays are in no way second-fiddle in education. The problem is the system is managed and maintained by selfish people. They can make it, anyone can make. My former boss is a Malay but not only he spoke impeccable English, his knowledge as CEO was great. A very down-to-earth person, he wanted Malays to succeed and encouraged them to learn English. I hope Tun will succeed in this attempt. This is the best chance the Malays have to "shine" and this is my NY wish, so that we all can live peacefully and happy.
A New Day
31/Dec/2018 at 12:02:13pm
As someone with impeccable credentials, why don't you enter politics. If the hustings are not for you, you can be a speech writer to propound your views.
Char Koay Teow
31/Dec/2018 at 5:33:07am
PIGS MIGHT FLY, as they say. IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR THE MALAY ELITE TO CONTROL THEIR OWN BY KEEPING THEM IGNORANT AND UNEDUCATED.
Kakaku
31/Dec/2018 at 4:45:05am
English education a must for all Malaysians. Political rhetoric aside even Chinese president, non English speaking billionaires all send their kids to the US and UK. Let’s not kid ourselves too. Elite Malaysians and many of them Malays all have their kids educated in English schools. Political hypocrites must stop their objection to the use of English as medium of teaching. Without proper education B40 and their children have no chance.
ex-wfw
31/Dec/2018 at 3:58:12am
Dr. you put it beautifully. Today I happened to offer my working experience to an industry that I have been involved with for many decades, indeed their inability to express themselves is shock, even some with their so-called post graduate papers. Indeed if the Gomen is sincere to give our next generations a chance to hold their heads high, you should be part of the proposed change. I believed you are familiar with the system just across the Causeway, now they can begin to experiment with the process having being assured of a solid base. If we can't change this round, then it will be too late with this century!
FLOWER POWER
30/Dec/2018 at 11:27:20pm
You are a man of my heart. I, too, am from JB and I feel for the younger generation whose command of the English language is not ideal. I hope that the authorities will engage you to help in formulating a robust curriculum for the current system, for the masses, for students who do not have parents to send them to expensive private school. Cheers.
Anonymous #73242862
30/Dec/2018 at 11:01:10pm
I hope Dr Mahathir will rope you in to be a part of his Cabinet in order for you to help and revitalise Malaysian Education System. You've the know how and ideas what needed to be done in order for Malaysia to be top again in the education arena.
SatuMsia
30/Dec/2018 at 10:34:52pm
Dr. Azly Rahman, while your observation or suggestion is truly commendable, do you think the inferior complex cum ethnic racist pariahs ala ' haram rasis jadahs ' can fully understand this call for our nation's ' renew prosperity ' ..?? They are largely shameless and lacking ' maruah ' or a backbone and walking around with a ' racist tongkat ' ... macam mana ?? Worst still, they have even disregard their religious or Tuhan's teachings and stand or march against ICERD !!
Alfanso
30/Dec/2018 at 10:17:07pm
Dr Azli it is good to raise this issue of education. A 50 year culture cannot be erased just by talking about it. There is an inherent denial by the ruling party past and present and they seem not convinced that education has to grow and not bound by political self-interest.You can shout from the top of the mountain what is to be right, yet no listeners. What a shame? It is human nature/behaviour to exhibit 'cognisant resonance' (some psychological stuff) to have thinking dispute when it comes to beliefs. They always have some proof to support their belief rather than accept what is the truth. Takes time and go on to do what is right.
jaswant kaur
30/Dec/2018 at 9:37:04pm
👍👌
CintaMalaysia
30/Dec/2018 at 8:36:47pm
Dr.Azly, thank you for writing this soulful piece. Reading it, I could feel your heartwrenching love for our country and our younger generations, appealing for them to realise that mastering English is for the best of them and best for the country. It will open up a totally new world to them and will eventually lift and open up their mind. Our older educated generation, now in their sixties, so proficient in English even amongst taxi drivers and petty traders are more liberal and logical than many of our recent mass of unemployed graduates. They hold my respect. If only some of their qualities had rub off on their children and grandchildren. Along this line of thoughts, it goes to show 12 years of school education in public schools have tremendous influence on young minds. A politicised and religionised school system produced slanted individuals by the mass. That's the mess we are in today and it takes great political will now to undo it.
Rupert16
30/Dec/2018 at 7:46:15pm
In the past we feel proud being in public schools because private schools were meant for those who failed their LCE and MCE exams, and foreign students from Thailand and Indonesia whose parents think highly of our education standards. But now, it’s the other way round.
Rupert16
30/Dec/2018 at 7:20:19pm
Most of us now in our 60s can relate to what you have written Azly. How we yearn for those days - when can study and play with classmates and friends without race and religions getting between us.
Roger 5201
30/Dec/2018 at 6:32:48pm
We need more Azly Rahmans who loves the Malaysian people and want them to succeed with a good education. No child left behind, regardless of colour, race, religion or caste. Indeed we had models of great English-medium schools from way back then, minus radical Islamisation, minus Arabisation and minus the politicians. We need to do it before Maszlee turns our schools into one big medan dakwah.
Azly Rahman
30/Dec/2018 at 2:25:49pm
I cannot thank everybody enough for sparing your precious time reading this piece and giving the most generous comments of appreciation. I am deeply humbled by the kind words. I wish I had the time to comment one each one of your nice posts. These comments have been inspiration for me to continue to write (been 13 years as columnist). Continue commenting, please.
Azly Rahman
30/Dec/2018 at 2:20:11pm
In reading hundreds of comments on this piece, here and in other forums I posted, on thing is clear: many are not hopeful of the changes in the system. Some still have the hope that things will change. Only a few (yes, one or two comments) said that Bahasa Melayu is the language of unity and it is illegal for me to suggest English be brought back. I respect this kind of view but I have seen, in my 30 years of teaching, in Malaysia and abroad, in the US primarily, how much Malaysians and Malays especially, will benefit. From my teaching experience thusfar, the Malaysian standard of English proficiency amongst, even graduating students need a lot of work to survive in the American or British universities, for example. So, I have written my opinion, after years of observation as well as assessment and I insist that the government think of ways to radically bring back English-instruction. Otherwise, I advise every family to ignore the protests from the ultra-Malay-linguistic nationalists and help your children master the English language if you wish for him/her to study abroad and succeed. More so if you wish them to gain acceptance into American top universities (the Ivy Leagues) or the British premier schools or even any good schools in any English-speaking country. For too long, this issue has been politicized. I offer critical perspectives and possible solutions in all of my writings, based on my experience and the voices of others I have heard. I am not interested in being polemical, nor political, but to be pragmatic and practical. Time has been long wasted for the children of this nation.
Anonymous_1536078333
30/Dec/2018 at 12:25:10pm
Dr. Azly: wonderful writing. Love to read your writings esp. on this important subject of education. Who created this messed up education system? Its the system that got messed up by politicians, as it went downhill every decade. Your're right-the system needs to be reformed and needs a philosophy and vision. But systemic change in education has to be credibly done over a number of years; can our politicians meet that benchmark?
ABC
30/Dec/2018 at 11:56:21am
Yes, bring back the English medium schools. Let the parents of children decide what schools they want for their children......National type, the vernacular schools or English medium ones. I bet with you English schools will become more popular than any others.....
Kangkung
30/Dec/2018 at 9:16:03am
Don't give Hadi Bawang another idea to have a rally. After 61 years, we can never ever turn back the clock with regards to our education system. The SKs & SMKs are now very much like tahfiz schools.
Touche
30/Dec/2018 at 6:34:24am
How is it possible? Just look at the indoctrinated Ketuanan Melayu mindset in PAS, Umno, Bersatu, Amanah, PKR always harping on Malay rights RRR
Wildflower
30/Dec/2018 at 5:26:13am
Very insightful piece, sir. But I am not too optimistic about the future of education in Malaysia. The problem is the indoctrinated Islamic arabisation of the Malays in our education system. Until we can undo that, I see no hope in the horizon.
Appum
30/Dec/2018 at 3:20:18am
Dr.Azly...who was Minister of Education when the switch was made from English to Malay medium for government schools? Was it Tun MM under the premiership of Tun Razak? Wasn't that to showcase ketuanan melayu? How on earth are they going to give up their status for 'English'? It's really a vicious circle. To change mindsets..you need the right education. But the present mindset doesn't allow the right education to be formulated. Nothing is going to change or improve because ketuanan melayu is still top priority in Malaysia. They don't understand that when they do what you advocate ketuanan melayu will still thrive because they form more than 60% of the population. Only difference is that their ketuanan will be in a more positive and progressive form that can benefit the whole country!
Touche
30/Dec/2018 at 1:20:28am
DR Azly, I am in my mid sixties and I agree with you 100%. You have an idyllic dream but most Malays have been stupefied for too long its too late to revert to English medium schools. How i wish your dream will come true. If not, Malaysia will end up in the dump and abyss very soon and fast.
gama
30/Dec/2018 at 1:17:25am
Hai Dr Azly. A great insight. I taught at MRSM Kuantan from 1980-1982.. Could we have crossed paths?? Happy New Year
SVR
30/Dec/2018 at 12:06:45am
The first thing that needs to be done is to make sure obtaining a credit in English is compulsory in passing the SPM exam. At this moment English is not a compulsory subject. No emphasis is given to English lessons in schools. If only our people can speak fluent English more than half of our country’s problems can be resolved.
Anonymous_1534058315
29/Dec/2018 at 11:19:08pm
We have a fair bit of background similarities, with innocent fun time aplenty, 'easy' intermingling with kids from different racial backgrounds, etc. Those were the nostalgic bygone era.. The current national education situation is beyond words to describe.. for the current 'leaders' to do the right, enlightened stuffs, they won't know much on how to begin with, as they themselves were from the wayward, dimwittted system (and on the big take at that - eg solar project, etc.).. long and short of it is to try copy S'pore's much developed, well thought out system which should nearly suit M'sia fine (including Madrasah school stuff), i.e. if the government is humble enough to seek help instead of trying to re-invent the wheel (ah, bullock cart rims).. unlikely to happen folks, the rot and stink continue..
I cannot call myself anonymous bcos columnists say I am a coward for taking pot shots behind a veil
29/Dec/2018 at 11:10:44pm
Dr Azly, suffering is the best teacher. U n I came from poor and humble beginnings although we were 1 decade apart n of different races and backgrounds. To a certain degree, it shaped our characters n worldviews. Kammavipaka, a concept you might not b able to accept, plays the invisible hand in all we experience through our lives. We can try our best to educate the children but they live in a different time from ours. U r what u r becos of your past n present kammavipaka. You have the good fortune to know suffering and make the best of it. Many do not. All they know is to shout n bully others into giving them what they think are their rights without working for them; the world owes them a living. And they become poorer because of it.
no fear nor favour
29/Dec/2018 at 10:52:44pm
Never failed reading n mesmerised by your fluency n flawless expression of your narrated account of learning English. I am in my seventies n I am still self educating by reading on all matters in relation to the usage of the English language. It is endless n beautiful. I am honoured to be a fellow Johorean.
Anon88
29/Dec/2018 at 10:49:28pm
Your essay "Medan Dakwah" is one of the most insightful, intelligent and moving piece on education I have read in a long time. As others have said, and I agree fully - you should be our Education Minister. Thank you for sharing.
Azly Rahman
29/Dec/2018 at 10:18:43pm
Anonymous 2475091498015598Thank you for your generous comment. We all want the best for our society, especially for the young ones struggling to make sense what this world is about. Hence, educational visioning is important to be undertaken as early as after a new government takes shape. Leadership needs philosophy, process, innovation, and management of change, as you know. It needs empathy in the case of educational leadership, so that we may not discriminate, be race-religion exclusive, and turn this gentle profession of educating into a hidden system of apartheid. This is what I see happening in our country, Malaysia. Continuation of unclear vision and the hanging on to racial and religious dogma in charting direction. Let's hear what others have to say about this opinion piece.
Anonymous 2475091498015598
29/Dec/2018 at 9:46:10pm
Maszlee would be in awe of you to have such a vision to make this country a competitive one. You should be the education minister. Your mom and grandparents had made sacrifices and guided you to be an Anglophile. If there were to a 100 Malays like you we are on a successful route. God bless you man. You are the epitome of an erudite Malay. If only your opinion is taken seriously by these half-baked politicians, Malaysia will be the beacon for other undeveloped countries.
Rudi Sinna
29/Dec/2018 at 8:43:34pm
To revert to English schools will not be a practical option. A better option will be to encourage schools to revert to the teaching of Science and mathematics in English. Under the Mahathir government this was done in haste and created a lot of problems among teachers and parents alike, with a lot of money spent on it. This time round. the government should encourage schools to revert on their own initiative. The traditionally premier schools, the MRSMs and other schools in the large towns can take the lead. Others may need time to adapt to the change. In the meantime, new teachers can be trained to be bilingually adept to handle this change. Time is the main factor. With Science and Maths learnt in English, interaction with the English Language is more natural and the 'immersion' process can still take place.
Azly Rahman
29/Dec/2018 at 8:36:33pm
Thanks, Krissman. We must also be fluent in the language we were born into, I believe. Thanks for being the first to respond "Jonah2". The Malay race, like any other, will flourish, given the skills to master contemporary knowledge as well as to help other races prosper. But an innovative education system is key.
krissman
29/Dec/2018 at 8:01:57pm
Very nicely written Doc. I express myself best in English and not my mother tongue.
Jonah 2
29/Dec/2018 at 8:00:23pm
You cant have Maszlee and English in the same sentence. Mahathir made certain of that. Well we dont mind. For surely the Malay race is doomed. And amen to that.
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