National Education Blueprint in Progress?

Nanyang Siang Pau reports that there is still a shortage of 1,700 Chinese-language teachers in Chinese vernacular schools. This is despite the Ministry of Education having sent some 900 qualified Chinese-language teachers.

If there is such a severe shortage of these teachers at the start of the current academic year, dare I even speculate on the implementation of the Chinese mother tongue programme for the national schools? This commendable programme was meant to commence in the previous academic year, but we have yet to hear any announcement if it has actually started.

If the implementation of the National Education Blueprint to be released this week, which is meant for 2006 to 2010 is already in progress, then it certainly doesn't bode well for Malaysian students.

Whats more, the New Straits Times reported that schools are making compulsory unnecessary completion of irrelevant forms by parents on their income and background.

The form has the Education Ministry logo and the general heading “Student Information Form”, and requires parents to submit the documents to “help the school manage student affairs.” Those who have neither a pay slip nor a J-form must “provide an Income Declaration Form verified by the employer, Commissioner of Oaths, a Justice of the Peace, a village head” or other community head.

Other details asked are the parents’ employer’s name, the address, their income tax number, basic monthly pay and other information relating to the child’s transportation to school.

The Education Ministry usually asks for such details only if parents are applying for various funds or schemes, such as the text book loan scheme. But parents who complained to the New Straits Times today said they had not applied for anything.

Some parents even complained that the forms are “more difficult than a form applying for a mortgage”.

Is this the Ministry's new examination system for parents under the National Education Blueprint?