Lessons on harmony from Felda Lurah Bilut’s 3 primary schools
BENTONG: The national and vernacular schools of Felda Lurah Bilut used to be housed within one complex as a Sekolah Wawasan, a move that helped forge integration among students.
Ties between the schools have endured even though they have moved into their own buildings.
SK Felda Lurah Bilut and its SJK(C) and SJK(T) namesakes remain united by a long tradition of cultural harmony.
Sekolah Wawasan, or Vision Schools, was a concept introduced in 2002 where national, and national-type Chinese and Tamil schools close to each other share common facilities like the canteen, fields and courtyard.
SK Felda Lurah Bilut headmaster Ismail Bakar said 12 years ago, the three schools expanded and moved away from the common compound, but their relationship with each other remained close.
“They now have their own buildings. Previously, we shared the same compound and the students used to share the canteen and wait to be picked up by their parents after school together.
“Today, we still have activities together, such as races and so on. While this is somewhat limited, we try to keep this going because we have a long tradition of friendship,” he said, adding that Felda Lurah Bilut was the sole settlement with vernacular schools.
Ismail said while Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s idea of having national and vernacular schools within a single complex was laudable, there must be more details on how such a system was administered.
SJK(C) Felda Lurah Bilut headmistress Yong Kheng Yee said the three schools were proud of their close rapport and cultural exchange.
“We just had a cultural exchange where students from the SK taught our children how to weave ketupat.
“We also send representatives during the Sports Days of our counterparts, and invite each other to cultural programmes, such as dances and musical events.”
However, Yong said, setting up a single complex with multiple schools would require a major logistical overhaul.
She said the government should look into the practicality of such a system before enforcing it.
“This may only apply in new schools,” she said, adding that it would not be easy to place existing schools together.
“I don’t know how one school is going to have an assembly together with another, especially if they are located a distance away.
“Even here, where the schools are only 200m away, our halls cannot hold students from all schools. And what language do we speak during assemblies?
“For sports, how does a Chinese school that relies on a different system of external funding and board of trustees claim for events or seek additional funds for students?
“Also, making sure all these programmes are in place would burden teachers who are already struggling to teach.”