Vernacular schools get khat options

PUTRAJAYA: After the plan to introduce khat in Year Four next year sparked a rash of reactions among various groups, the government has now given teachers in vernacular schools the power to decide whether they want to teach Jawi calligraphy to pupils.

Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and upon taking some considerations into account, it was decided that khat would be taught in Chinese and Tamil primary schools but reduced from six to three pages.“Teachers have the power to decide how they want to teach during their classroom sessions, and whether they want to teach it.