Improve quality of schools says Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: While a single education system might be an ideal situation, the problem of quality in national schools should be addressed first, said Umno supreme council member Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

“Unity is important and education is an important platform to foster unity among young people.

“But we should get our priorities right. The quality of schools has to be improved,” he said in response to a question from the floor on whether abolishing vernacular schools would be good for unity during the 7th Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit here yesterday.

Saifuddin, who was formerly Deputy Higher Education Minister, believed that many parents sent their children to Chinese vernacular schools because of their prowess in Maths and Science.

“There is a push-and-pull factor why non-Malay parents don’t send their children to national schools. It’s mainly about quality,” he said, adding that even Malay parents were sending their children to Chinese schools.

An estimated 80,000 non-Chinese students are studying in Chinese schools in the country.

Saifuddin also believed that many national schools were becoming like sekolah agama (religious schools).

“Even I as a Malay Muslim got that feeling. My Year Three daughter was singled out because she was not wearing a baju kurung. There are all kinds of stories that make people believe this,” he said.

Saifuddin said that Malaysians should work on their difficulties together rather than harping on their differences.

He declared that he was a Malaysian first and a Malay second.

Saifuddin said many parents were sending their children to private religious schools, which he believed were more open and progressive than national schools.

“The results in these schools are good and they are more active in co-curricular activities,” he said.

AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, on his part, gave away several free airline tickets to lucky participants, including one ticket to watch Queens Park Rangers in England.

He also took out his wallet when a student asked for some money to start a business.

Tony, who had RM450 on him, gave the student RM200.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) CEO Wan Saiful Wan Jan said people should be given a choice of the schools they would like their children to attend.

“I strongly believe in the need for choice. In having that choice, we have to make sure that we do not become divided,” he said.