Education Minister must rescind the unpractical , unfair and outdated regulation

In its headline news report dated 11.9.2009 , Sin Chew Daily carried a statement by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SJK ( C) Sentul , Kuala Lumpur which said that the Planning Division of the Education Ministry has notified that schools will have to prove that they have at least 80 % of the school building fund before the Ministry will approve their application to build schools or purchase land. It was also revealed that several Chinese schools have received the notification either orally or in writing


DAP strongly opposes this shocking and unfair move by the Ministry.

Due to the unwillingness of the BN government to build Chinese primary schools on a need basis, overcrowding of students in some schools and shortage of schools in certain areas in the country have been the result. Many schools have chosen to solve or alleviate problem by embarking on school expansion projects whereby more classrooms are built. The expansion projects will sometimes involve purchase of new land.

Although Chinese primary school is already part of the nation's school system, the responsibility of raising fund to build the extra classrooms has to be borne by the Board of Directors. The Chinese community always place education as a top priority and they have been playing very vital role with their generous support and contribution.

It is a normal practice that before any fund raising effort is carried out, a school will have to have its expansion project approved. Without the Education Ministry's approval, how can any school launch its fund raising project?

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong has explained that the regulation has long existed but flexibility has been allowed.

This is not a good enough explanation. The people are entitled to know if flexibility has been allowed, why has the Planning Davison now decided not to continue to be flexible with the regulation ?

Chinese primary schools have made great contribution to the nation by helping to educate so many citizens of this country. It is already unfair and frustrating that they have to raise funds from the public in their school expansion plans, it is even more unfair and frustrating that the Education Ministry is now hampering their efforts with a ridiculous regulation.

There is a saying that if you unable to help, at least you must not frustrate a person's efforts.Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin must immediately rescind the ridiculous, unfair, outdated and unpractical regulation.