Onus on MoE to explain plan, direction for BM education, says NGO
KUCHING: The Ministry of Education (MoE) should explain the national direction for the Bahasa Malaysia education, especially on introducing Jawi script and ‘khat’ (Islamic calligraphy) into the primary school syllabus, said Seni Khat Action Team (Sekat) secretary Arun Dorasamy.
In referring to the Bahasa Malaysia Education Direction Plan 2016-2025, he said many people had yet to understand the plan for this subject.
“If the ministry could take some time and be straightforward for once, tell us what the plan actually is. They never spent time to answer the questions that we asked.
“Every time we hold a meeting, they would defend their plan.
“We wouldn’t mind if they wanted to defend it, but they should answer as the Malaysian education system should not be used to include hidden agenda. We are calling upon Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin to not repeat the same mistake made by the previous administration, because we can discuss and obtain solutions,” Arun told reporters when met after chairing a meeting here yesterday.
On July 1, Sekat handed over a memorandum to the MoE, asking for an urgent meeting to discuss the real purpose of introducing Jawi script and ‘khat’ in national and vernacular primary schools.
The memorandum was handed over after the non-governmental organisations (NGO) had failed to obtain any response on arranging a meeting with the minister since March.
Earlier, Sekat alongside representatives of various Sarawak NGOs attended a meeting to discuss issues related to Jawi and ‘khat’.
The NGOs included the Dayak Rights Action Force, Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration, Dayak International Organisation and Terabai Kenyalang Heritage Association of Sarawak.