The same Malaysia Nanban daily (4.1.2011, page 3) reported that parents enrolling their children in SRJK(T) Senawang are forced to donate RM50 for the four storey building fund! According to one parent , P.Kavitha, the school fees for her children range from RM 179.00 to RM 270.00. “With my husband’s monthly income of RM600.00 and with four of our six children going to school, how we can afford to pay the tuition fees, “she asked.
We believe the 70% poor Indian community in this country are all facing the same financial problem and are struggling to educate their children right from pre-school to universities and colleges.
Why are the poor Indians being forced to donate money for the school building? Providing for education is the first and foremost duty of any government and never that of the citizens! When the government has billions of ringgits for all sorts of white elephant mega projects, why are the poor made to suffer even to provide basic education for their children?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (10 December 1948), proclaims:
Article 26.
· (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
· (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
· (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights (CRC) proclaims:
Article 28: Education
The child’s right to education and the State’s duty to ensure that primary education at least is made free and compulsory. Administration of school discipline is to reflect the child’s human dignity. Emphasis is laid on the need for international co-operation to ensure this right.
As a signatory to the UDHR and the CRC, Malaysia has failed miserably in showing any commitment in upholding the Malaysian children’s rights to education. Leaving it to the schools and the poor Indian parents to fund the school buildings and equip the schools with the basic amenities (as is the case with most Tamil schools in Malaysia) is a gross disregard to the children’s rights and humanitarian principles. It is very unbecoming of Malaysia as a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council member.
Iraiputtiran
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