MCA: School segregation like 50s US racism

 

MCA has decried a report of racial segregation at a primary school in Setapak as reminiscent of the discriminatory treatment of African-Americans in the 50s.

Responding to a Malay Mail Online (MMO) article today, MCA senator Chong Sin Woon said if the report is true, the said school's instructions must be "chastised and immediately rescinded".

"The situation must be rectified by the school authorities and the Education Ministry, including a warning letter issued to the school official who mandated such a prejudiced directive," said Chong (left), who is also MCA Youth chief.

He likened the scenario to the  “separate but equal doctrine" in 50s America, in which Africa-Americans were placed in separate and substandard classes.

"MCA Youth shudders at the thought that similar discriminatory practices, although unintended by the school authorities, may befall the non-Muslims pupils placed in the second grade.

"Similar to the non-white pupils, we do not want non-Muslim pupils to grow up insecure, with a lack of confidence at their own religion," said Chong.

MMO today reported Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan (right) saying that the said segregation is not allowed and should never have happened.

The daily reported a parent's complaint that her 10-year-old son is to be placed in a separate class next year despite obtaining top grades.

The school was reported as saying the move was due to  a shortage of teachers teaching moral studies and Mandarin.

The school’s senior assistant had stressed that the move was to better manage the timetable for Muslim and non-Muslim pupils.

“Once implemented, it will be easier to manage the students for the different subjects,” the senior assistant said, quotes MMO.

However, Chong said the school can easily arrange a separate class for Mandarin and moral studies anytime as practised in other national schools throughout the country, even if such classes are to be held after school hours.

Incident proof vernacular schools not the culprits

Chong opines that students will neglect their studies if they are not taught from young to be merit-oriented as some may think that they will automatically enter the top class while top scholars know they will always be relegated to an inferior-ranked class.

The MCA education consultative committee deputy chairperson also said the particular incident showed how intolerant upbringing occurs at national schools.

“For all too long, detractors have unfairly and without basis, sullied vernacular schools as a hindrance towards national unity.

“(However), the incident indicates that condemnations against vernacular schools are groundless because such intolerant upbringing occurs at national schools,” he said.

Stressing that it is the responsibility of the school authorities and educators to inculcate national unity among pupils from a young age, Chong argued that this is because children are innocent and do not know racism and religious bigotry.

“These traits are never in-born but nurtured over time by bigoted adults,” he said.

He also reiterated MCA Youth’s call for a review of the History textbook syllabus.

“This is so that accurate facts and terminology are taught, to portray and construct national unity, rather than racial stereotypes,” he said.