GEORGE TOWN: Both the federal and state governments should work together to set up kindergartens in all 523 Tamil schools. This will effectively assist Tamil schools to eradicate illiteracy among 42 percent of pupils enrolling in year one across the country, said Human Rights Party pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar.
He said the authorities should set aside land, permanent development funds and teachers to facilitate this.
He cited lack of kindergartens in Tamil schools and hardcore poverty among the Malaysian Indians as the main reasons behind the high illiteracy rate of standard one pupils.
“Some 10,000 or 42 percent of Tamil school year one pupils cannot read and write at all because they could not afford to attend kindergarten.
“Tamil schools also lack funds, land and teachers to build and operate kindergartens,” Uthayakumar told FMT.
He slammed the federal and state governments for being indifferent in resolving the 53-year-old problem even though the Federal Constitution guaranteed all Malaysians equal rights to education.
He pointed out that RM30 billion, including RM48 million for pre-schools, was set aside for the education sector under the Budget 2010.
“But the funds failed to reach the majority of Tamil schools, thus school authorities could not afford to set up and operate kindergartens,” said Uthayakumar, who is the legal adviser for Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
'Peanut gifts'
Uthayakumar cries foul that the Umno-controlled federal government had, however, been allocating billions for Tadika, Tabika, and Permata kindergartens largely to benefit one race.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, had been utilising millions to operate all Malay Muslim Permata kindergartens, by hiring the services of graduate teachers from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.
“What Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat mandores have been doing is to contribute peanut gifts such as chairs and tables for Tamil schools.
“They lacked political conviction to address and resolve the Tamil school issues with permanent measures,” said Uthayakumar.
He said the education rights of the Indians was being violated despite Malaysia being a signatory to the United Nations Childrens Rights Convention.
Uthayakumar chided Pakatan parties – PAS, PKR and DAP – for their lukewarm attitude in championing the fundamental education rights of Tamil school pupils . He said the community lacked political and economic clout to push its education agenda.
Meanwhile, Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) officer N V Subbarow blamed racist policies for the poor condition and lack of kindergartens in Tamil schools.
“Lack of funds, teachers and land cannot be excuses to side-step and isolate Tamil schools from the mainstream schooling system,” he told FMT.
He suggested that the problem can be partly resolved if government-funded Kemas kindergartens across the country added Tamil syllabus as part of their curriculum for Tamil-speaking pupils.
“It’s the constitutional rights of Indians in the country to be given equal opportunity to attain education in their mother tongue.
“Why should Tamil schools beg for funds, teachers and land?
“The government is duty-bound to provide them to Tamil schools and the Indian community,” said Subbarow.
Comprehensive policy
Uthayakumar added that state governments should set aside land for expansion of Tamil schools to build kindergartens and seek federal funds and teachers to operate the pre-schools.
He said Pakatan governments in Penang, Kedah and Selangor should lead the way by implementing a comprehensive policy to set aside freehold land for landless Tamil schools in their respective states.
He said the federal government then would not have the same excuse not to include these schools under direct education funding.
Currently, the federal government only gives capital aids to Tamil schools, citing that the school buildings were sitting on private land.
Subbarow singled out the Penang government led by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for lack of political conviction to set aside land for all 26 Tamil schools in the state.
He chided the state government for being in a hurry to set aside land for construction of condominiums, apartments and towers.
“Pakatan states, which claim to be different from BN, should ensure Tamil school pupils have access to updated facilities and equal opportunities for quality academic excellence,” said Subbarow.
Uthayakumar said the government had allotted 5,900 places in 39 MSRM colleges and 6,000 places in fully residential schools only for Malays.
He said 7,575 out of 10,000 schools in the country have been given three- to five-star ratings under the smart school qualification standards (SSQS), with another five percent targeted for increase by year-end.
“All these are done to benefit one race – the Malays.
“Never mind if 10,000 Tamil school pupils cannot read and write.
“This is the official One-Malaysia policy,” he said.
