Does Umno have the political will to correct the education system they ruined ?

Our Prime Minister-in-waiting Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak studied at St Johns and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah studied at Tunku Kushiah College.

Both benefited from English schools and understand the commercial and intellectual values of a solid English education.

In this country, the real power resides in Umno delegates.

Only Umno delegates can give political will to the Education Minister to make drastic changes in the education system.

All they have to do is to pass a resolution calling on the Government to reintroduce English medium schools.

With consensus, the resolution will then be tabled at the Umno Supreme Council which will endorse it for recommendation to the Government.

And who is the Government? It is the same people in Umno who hold government posts.

It will be debated in Parliament where getting it through will not be a problem except for objection by a few opportunists.

The majority of us want the Government to reintroduce English medium schools while retaining vernacular schools.

It is the duty of any government to give the option to the majority and not the minority.

If the the minority want their children to study in vernacular schools, then they should not deny others from studying in English medium schools.

Chun Wai mention 60,000 unemployed graduates because “…many are unable to express themselves, because of poor communications skills (in English) thus limiting their job options…”.

I agree. Look at those Indian-subcontinent graduates who have no problem getting jobs at the United Nations or any UN agencies or in other English speaking countries because they come from an English medium education system.

Let’s face reality. Bahasa Malaysia cannot help our students to be competitive in the job market either locally or otherwise.

The fact that they are handicapped in English contribute to their low self-esteem and misery.

And when they work they have a tough time polishing their English so as not to look like fools in the eyes of their bosses, colleagues and foreign executives.

The syllabus of an International School covers world history, geography and English literature.

Their approach is one of acquiring knowledge and creativity whereas our Sekolah Kebangsaan is one of spoon-feeding, rote learning and getting a string of A’s but not knowledge.

It is a pity. Once upon a time the poor could study at government English schools.

Today only the rich can send their children to International Schools.

HASSAN TALIB,

Gombak, Selangor.