| Mandarin and Tamil Posted: 01 Mar 2014 09:48 AM PST Mandarin and Tamil in schools. Why not? In fact, its not the time to consider but impelement it. Apart from creating a balance in language proficiency among Malaysians, it will augur well in developing a 'prejudice-free' country. I had written about in in 2011, that introducing Mandarin and Tamil to all 'sekolah kebangsaan' will be the best tool to unite Malaysians. The ability to understand each others' language will be a big step for national unity and assimilation. KUALA TERENGGANU, March 1 (Bernama) -- The Education Ministry is mulling to introduce the Mandarin and Tamil languages as subjects in schools.
Second Education minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the ministry wished to create a balance in language proficiency among the races in the country.
"Currently we are only emphasising on English, Higher Order Thinking Skills and other subjects," he said.
Nevertheless, he said the plan had to be studied from all angles before it could be implemented.
"There must be proper planning. We have to scrutinise the various aspects. We cannot lump them in one basket and implement them all at once," he told reporters here today after closing a corporate social responsibility programme by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) to empower students in English-language communication. Excerpts from my posting Lets Take Up Mandarin on Sept 26, 2011: However, it is sad to note that the Malays' inability to understand Mandarin and Tamil has thickened their prejudice against the Chinese and Indians. Whenever some Chinese sit at a table next to them in a coffee shop (for instance), they Malays can't help but thinking the Chinese are talking bad about them.
Just imagine Malaysians who understand each others' language. It doesn't matter if they don't master it; understand and able to speak a broken language will be good enough. And as Mandarin is among the world's major languages, it is also a lingua franca of business and higher studies.
A big step has to be charted from now. The Education Ministry should look into it and discuss it in depth with educationists while we have the political power to introduce and implement it. The 1Malaysia slogan will remain meaningless should we fail to unite the rakyat via language. A decision must be made. We may have to wait a few more years before its implementation but its to be realised.  |
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