I was once racist, a by-product of a system which celebrates the segregation of race during one’s formative years. I lived in my own echo chamber, free from the liberating influence of racial diversity.
This radically changed when I enrolled myself into the Royal Military College, Malaysia’s most diverse boarding school.
Division is a seed best planted in earliest years. After the turn of the millennium, it was reported that more than 25 percent of Malaysian students are enrolled into vernacular schools. These schools were part of a system that allows parents to decide that race defines their children’s education.
In a country where racial segregation happens in numerous levels, vernacular schools have become dearly held and gleefully internalised. Granted, racial unity is not only formed in school; however, it plays a critical role in the formation of one’s identity and beliefs. Often social circles are created at schools, if for no other reason than the sheer amount of time spent there.
The more diverse schools are, the more likely that these social circles will reflect that diversity.
One reason some people believe we should not oppose vernacular schools is because they perform well. I find this argument problematic in that it presumes the teaching of particular languages and cultures lead to a superior level of thinking.
Does this also mean that all the UiTM’s across Malaysia are substandard due to its espousal of Malay culture? These universities also educate a small number of non-Malay bumiputra, similar to how vernacular schools host a fragment of Malays. If we are against the existence of universities like UiTM, then why are we not also against vernacular schools?
These two examples may be looking at different levels of education but I feel that they are both structured on race-based models.
If we are to truly combat a race-based education model, the best place to start is at school - a place which incubates a person’s moral compass which will then be carried forward to the years in university. But our education system is broken and every single stream has its own gaping discrepancies.
My opposition of vernacular schools is not an unwavering endorsement of national schools by any means. Instead it actually places immense pressure on the government to better the unified school system since all parties are affected. It becomes a national issue, and one no longer divided along racial lines.
A matter of making a better curriculum
Another reason people believe in vernacular schools is in learning of languages. I personally do not understand why we need exclusive schools to acquire proficient level of one or more languages. It is a matter of making a better curriculum and offering those options in national schools.
I feel it is critical that Malaysians from all races have an opportunity to master the national language as one to unite us all.
The intersectionality of races is what sets our country apart from others. However, the ability to choose what elements of a race one wishes to have and what elements of other races one wishes to acquire is what would make us multicultural. Boxing our dreams in schools only drifts us apart.
Thirdly, people also believe they ought to protect vernacular schools because it protects a certain culture. Malaysia needs to extend more opportunity for learning about all of the cultures and realise that we are not just about one or three races.
To some extent, all of these identities must influence the Malaysian identity. There needs to be stronger institutions. The institutions need to be empowered and funded in ways to ensure that history, progress, elements of non-Malay, such as the Chinese and Indian cultures, continue to be spread.
These are some of the oldest and richest cultures in the world and the whole nation needs to learn about them. There is no reason to restrict such priorities to particular schools.
According to the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB), bumiputera students now make up 94 percent of enrollment in national primary schools. This means that national schools are no longer ‘national’. A wall has been created to separate our children by race.
I find it hypocritical of those who advocate against race-based politics to oppose a non-race based education system. Similarly, I find it hypocritical for those who advocate against vernacular schools to champion Malay-exclusive schools or religious schools. A compromise must be made by both sides.
Politics can be a divisive force, but that division is constructed and incubated by an education system which divides us from young. Once you move beyond the claims we have gotten used to making because we have gotten used to conforming and making do with substandard political gamesmanship; you realise that the alternative is perhaps in a new system.
I hope that this system is one that we have to voice out for and that will provide STEM education in English. One to inspire our children to learn and not cram and that will prepare Malaysians for the world stage. One that will make us all multilingual, multicultural and proud Malaysians.
There is a wall separating our children today and we need to tear down this wall.
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