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Title: Zaid: Arabic schools driving non-Malays to Name: Marshela bt Mohamad
vernacular education (G1818242)
Author: Date Submitted: 16th October 2020
Source: The Malay Mail Course: MA Edu Phycology
Date: 21 August 2013 Assignment: Article Review 1

Malaysia multi-ethnic country is home to the indigenous Malay community (68.8%) and
non-Malay groups of Chinese and Indians (23.2% and 7.0%) respectively (Department of Statistics
Malaysia, 2017). The nature of the state itself is largely built upon the demographic profile of
multi-ethnicity. A lot of Malay families are sending their children to learn Arabic language and that
is because Arabic is related with their own culture as well as their religion which most Malaysians
follow (Teh, Embi, Yusoff, & Mahamod, 2009). But for non-Malay they are removing their
children from the national school system to vernacular schools. Chinese parents shun national
schools because of the “Arabic” issues. Former Umno minister Datuk Zaid Hamidi said school is
not a place for indoctrination or teaching (ideology). It’s a place of learning how to read and write;
a place to think and develop ideas.

The promulgation of Razak Report in 1956 has allowed the continuity of British colonial
legacy and the incorporation of a vernacular school system in a national educational framework to
cater to the ethnic minorities’ interests and needs in the respective mother tongue education
(Santhiram & Tan, 2010, 2015). They are national primary schools teaching in the Malay language,
Chinese primary schools, and Tamil primary schools (Tan, Kamarudin & Sezali, 2013).

There are other ways to teach Arabic such as by attending religious classes or parents teaching
their own children at home. No need to use the national school system that would be use for
something else that more important. According to Pemandu’s Economic Transformation Plan 2012
annual report, there are now 81 international schools in Malaysia, with 29 more granted licences.
More than 33,000 students are currently enrolled and an estimated 75000, by 2020.

Vernacular schools continue grow in popularity in Malaysia with an increasing number of non –
Malay parents preferring to send their children to Mandarin and Tamil language school over the
Malay-language national schools. This is because they want their children to use their mother
tongue. This will produce racial segregation arising from their growth is hampering efforts to foster
national unity and have called for the system to be discontinued in favors of a unified school
system.

The vernacular school system has been the subject of much considerable debate, with national
integration a focal point. There are different interpretations of national integration through
education. The majority of whom are ethnic Chinese and Indians, frame vernacular schools around
retention and maintenance of their age-old cultural heritage as it serves an important tool to
preserve their cultural and linguistic identities. While the politically dominant ethnic Malays, frame
the issue around the polarizing feature of multi-lingual set up of education in national integration.
As a result, vernacular education finds itself at an impasse and on the periphery of national
educational policy development. Facing the challenges to their mother-tongue education, Lee
(2011) described that vernacular education in Malaysia was engaged in “the struggle for survival.”

I choose this article because it triggers my interest as a parent about the important of
understanding the holy Quran for my children. I also sending my children to private school with a
very expensive fee just to make sure they can learn Arabic and easier for them to understand Quran.
Vernacular schools for me is also good if it can convince that the national education system is
capable of producing quality talent. But this will be not happened if religion continues to be foisted
on students. Vernacular school under our system are good if they make national schools an
excellent school system, for sure parents Chinese or otherwise will choose to send their children to
national school without any anxious feelings. For those groups of people that with religious
backgrounds and strong religious belief, if you wanted to see religious elements in the education
system the only way you can do is send your children to international or private school. Or you can
play your role as a religious parent to teach your own children about your religious at home.

Parents are highly motivated to send their kids to Arab schools to learn Arabic in order to have
better understanding for the holy Quran and Islam. In their opinion Arab schools are the best place
for their kids to practice Arabic language due to availability of Arabic native speakers (teachers &
students) in these schools. The motivation can be enhanced by first parents at home and then
teachers in the school.

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