What policies? What plans?

 

 

 

Education Policy: What is BN’s and PR’s policy if either wins the GE13?

Education, needless to say is the cornerstone of a country’s development and even civilisation. It is an investment into our children to make them good persons, good and useful citizens. WE cannot look at education merely to produce technocrats but weak and valueless human beings.

It is no secret that almost most will agree that generally the education standards in our country, from primary to tertiary is low. We have been having inconsistent education policies for the past many years that has caused major damage to the education of our kids.

Again, I cannot be accused as being excessive when I say that much of our education policy is weak and not well thought out because it has been unnecessarily politicised rather than being focused on quality and proper objectives. The standard of English in our country has declined to an embarrassing low due to politics interfering into our education policy making process. We produce graduates who seem to lack the ability to think and reason.

IF we look at the Government schools, it is plagued with all sorts of problems such as gangsterism, truancy, low quality teachers and school environment. Too much religion in school, especially “Islam”, instead of focusing on academic excellence has also contributed in wastage of resources. We seem to lack commitment to give our children the best education possible in the best environment possible.

We may have KLCC and world class physical facilities at KLIA, but our government schools, especially the National Type schools are generally pathetic. This probably explains why there is an increase in private schools. One barometer of how good our schools are is to ask this question: how many of our Ministers and MPs have their own children studying in Government schools?

After more than 50 years, we still have not come up with a solution to the separation and the consequences of having sekolah kebangsaan and vernacular schools.

With all the above problems, wouldnt the Rakyat like to know what is the education policy and plans that BN or PR have before they cast their vote?

Peace !

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Pendaulatan Bahasa Kebangsaan – Sarawak di bawah KM berbanding Malaysia di bawah PM

Sumber DI SINI.

 

“….berharap Sarawak dapat muncul sebagai negeri yang secara NYATA memancarkan CITRA BUDAYA BANGSA…..”

– Ketua Menteri Sarawak

Alangkah baiknya jika seorang Perdana Menteri bersemangat waja seperti ini terhadap budaya bangsa MALAYsia, bukannya mencanang sekolah-sekolah vernakular yang mencelarukan identiti MALAYsia yang mana akan menjurus kepada rakyat (?) sendiri langsung tidak tahu bertutur bahasa kebangsaan dek terdidik dengan sistem pendidikan vernakular cina (negara CHINA) dan tamil (negara INDIA).

11 SHIFTS TO TRANSFORM THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

 

 

 

New education blueprint unveiled

The six attributes, which will be incorporated into the 11 shift initiatives for the education transformation plan

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak promised that one of the initiatives in his ‘transformation’ agenda is to revamp and re-engineer the education system. The aspirations of the Malaysia education still pertaining to access, quality, equity, efficiency and unity. Six new attributes would be the basis of this 11 shits in the education system, in the initiative to make it a more solid plan to develop future Malaysians.

11 September 2012 | last updated at 12:31PM

New education blueprint goes beyond politics

By V. Shuman 0 comments

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KUALA LUMPUR : The new education blueprint is not partisan in nature and extends beyond politics, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

Pupils at SJK (C) Yih Min, Simpang Empat in Alor Setar doing last minute revisions before they enter the exam hall to sit for the UPSR examination. NSTP/ Lim Poh Chin

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“The plan, which in my opinion is futuristic, bold, transparent,  comprehensive and democratic in nature, is made to make every Malaysian child to realise his God’s given talent.

“I say democratic because the plan was lined up following input from various parties of interest including individuals, NGOs and education bodies,” said Najib after launching the blueprint at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Plenary Hall here today.

The plan is an early draft, which is expected to be produced in the Cabinet and passed this coming December.

The Education Ministry will for the next three months, hold “open houses” to enable the public to observe the plan and get clarifications regarding any queries they may have.

“The end result will be a plan that fulfills the people’s dreams and aspirations” added Najib.

*************

The five pillars of Malaysian education system

Prime Minister Najib that the nation needed a creative and innovative solution for education that would require participation and sacrifices from all segments of society. The thrusts of the new economy is knowledge, innovation, technology and infused with creativity.

The eleven shifts outlined are:

Prime Minister Najib also made specific comments about the necessary role of English, to propel Malaysians forward without at the expense of Bahasa Kebangsaan.

English not a zero-sum game says Najib

By Lee Wei Lian

September 11, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Mastering English does not mean that the national language will lose out said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

This comes after bilingualism was endorsed in the new national education masterplan launched today that will run from 2013-2025.

The prime minister said that a command of the English language was a valuable asset and it needed to be taught using English literature.

“If we can’t start with Shakespeare, start with Enid Blyton, then move on to Shakespeare light and finally Shakespeare,” said Najib.

He added that Malaysians if possible should even learn three languages.

“I encouraged my son to learn Mandarin,” he said. “This is because we want a competitive edge.”

************

“Education policy shouldn’t be a populist effort and everyone should depoliticize education”, said Prime Minister Najib. He already reiterated that Federal Government would bring about the best returns on money spend for education.

Prime Minister Najib also cautioned about the ‘value system’ should be inculcated in the education system, to prepare Malaysians in the future to be better people.

Part of the investments in this announced Education Blueprint include better education assets and development programs for educators, especially teachers.

Towards Improving Our National Education System

Around circles of readers, many have discussed and asked among themselves the appropriateness and the need for Malaysia to streamline their education system and importantly, the effort to improve the quality of our schools as a whole.

Chief among the concerns is the legality of vernacular schools itself vis-á-vis the Constitution and the Education Act 1996.

This I may add has been discussed rather thoroughly here.

But this issue shall be discussed at another time.

My main interpretation of school’s education system is this:

It must be free from any religious or cultural extremities.

In a way, it should be secular. Secular sounds dirty these days. Mainly because the word had been bastardised to the extent, it meant atheism or a belief system that is devoid of any religious connotations. Worse, it meant anti-Islam. However, the definition of secularism with regards to our children’s education should not be taken to the extreme. Certainly it does not mean that one rejects religion and faith in totality.

What we need is moderation.

These days, the majority of school children in national schools are Malays. Therefore, inadvertently Islamic teachings made their way into the schools’ general rules and education philosophy. I assume, those who are more objective as well as those who are not a fan of Anwar Ibrahim will pin point the cause of this ‘Islamisation’ of our national schools and the reason why non-malays shun these schools stemmed from the period when Anwar Ibrahim was the Education Minister.

That too, is an issue that can be discussed in another place.

But what I imagine is a school system that do not put too much emphasis on skin deep outlook on what is Islamic and what is not. It means, an education philosophy that prioritises worldly skills and knowledge instead of just focussing to permeate an intense Islamic culture within a school’s environment.

Without a doubt, this has made non Muslims felt alienated in their own surroundings. Parents were not happy. Even the less conservative Muslims found it hard to digest some of the do’s and don’ts. The effort to educate the children properly seems lost in the midst of all this. As the result, we cannot develop a well rounded Malaysians who are capable to interact with each other with ease.

In other words, the recent education system is worse than the education set in the 60’s, 70’s and till the mid 80’s. Experts pin pointed it due to the degradation of national schools; both in quality and self respect.

The cliché now is the world is changing at a rate faster than our children’s ability to absorb and comprehend all the knowledge. If we burden them with misguided priorities, then our future generations are trapped in a cycle of ignorance, or being mediocre at best.

Toning down religious and cultural extremities enables the school to produce a much healthier environment where tolerance is paramount and it breaks down the barriers between races, castes and classes. Emphasising too much on the ritual demands will not breed respect in fact, will isolate the children from each other. It will be “it’s us against them” mentality. And this does not happen in malay majority schools only.

How to move forward and take that jump in order to escape the mediocrity of our education system?

It is about time the Ministry of Education take a stronger role in steering our children’s future away from the negative elements that have been plaguing it. Elements that have always been sniping and eating away the very fabric of one’s edification in growing up within our Malaysian universe.

The bigger objective here is always a two edged sword. One that can improve via knowledge, a whole generation of Malaysians and one that also inculcate the spirit of togetherness and racial harmony among the children.

Of course this can be done with a single stream national education system. Preferably at the primary level.

Delving into few discussions on the one school system, there are obviously few doubts being raised among the concerned readers. Among others, questions regarding the quality of education and syllabus, quality of teachers and their approach, learning environment and school’s infrastructure as well as its overall ability to coalesce different ideologies, religions and cultures into one symbiotic and workable system.

Generally, many agreed that the holistic performance of the students is very important for their own future and this can only be done if the MOE is not weak in steering its direction and truly knows how improvements can be implemented.

One of the reasons why national schools could not generate enough interests from all levels of society is due to its inability to churn good students across the board. Yes we do have excellent schools that produce a myriad of high achievers. But these schools are far from between. The MOE should make all national schools at par with their more affluent counterparts.

Fortunately, all the points above are being discussed in the national education dialog which have been running since April 2012. They have 9 priority fields which they ought to improve which are:

1. quality of teachers

2. quality of headmasters

3. quality of school

4. curriculum and its evaluation

5. multilingual proficiency

6. post-school opportunity

7. role of parents and community

8. knowledge resources in school and its effectiveness

9. teaching methods and administrative structure

This could be the biggest project MOE has embarked since Penyata Razak in 1956 and Rahman Talib Report in 1960.

On that note, I do hope the MOE will reinstate the PPSMI after reviewing the youtube video below.

Thank you.

_________________________

An article by:

Jebat Must Die

Tidak perlu membayar balik pinjaman PTPTN

INI DIA JALAN TERBAIK BUAT PENDEMO MAHASISWA 3.O BINGAI..!!!

Sejumlah 11,764 peminjam Perbadanan Tabung Pengajian Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) tidak perlu membayar balik pinjaman yang ditukar kepada biasiswa apabila mereka memperoleh keputusan cemerlang di peringkat Ijazah Sarjana Muda.

Pengerusi PTPTN Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said berkata ini merupakan satu penghargaan kepada para peminjam atas usaha keras dan kesungguhan mereka dalam bidang pelajaran.

Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas majlis penyerahan wang pendahuluan PTPTN di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) Bandar Tun Razak, Jengka di sini hari ini.

Pada majlis itu, seramai 1,133 pelajar menerima wang pendahuluan sebanyak RM1,500 melibatkan jumlah RM1.7 juta bagi kemasukan Mei/Jun 2012 di UiTM Pahang.

Untuk kemasukan pelajar Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Awam (IPTA) di seluruh negara bagi sesi Mei/ Jun 2012, seramai 32,777 pelajar menerima wang itu membabitkan RM49 juta.

Bagi negeri Pahang, katanya sebanyak RM3.7 juta diperuntukkan sebagai wang pendahuluan PTPTN kepada 2,496 pelajar.

Sehingga 31 Dis lalu, sebanyak 553,913 waran Wang Pendahuluan Pinjaman (WPP) telah ditunaikan dengan jumlah RM812 juta. Mengenai jumlah peminjam yang telah membayar balik hutang mereka, Ismail berkata sejumlah RM3.18 bilion berjaya dikutip daripada 759,526 peminjam.

Selain itu, sejak 31 Mac lalu, seramai 25,138 peminjam yang disenarai hitam datang berunding dengan PTPTN serta membayar balik dengan kutipan berjumlah RM178.9 juta, katanya.

— Bernama

Education funded through taxation

 

 

Free education is not always a good thing…

 

• 1. Free education refers to education that is funded through taxation rather than tuition fees. Although primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in some countries, all education is mostly free in the Nordic and Scandinavian countries.
• 2. In Norway and Finland, no fees apply for foreign students enrolling at a university, although they may not be eligible for a monthly study allowance and a loan. Finland taxes citizens at a marginal rate of 46.6%, reportedly the world’s fourth highest. Nevertheless, the nation’s economy is vigorous and unemployment as of mid-October 2011, was a relatively 6.8%. The Norwegian still have to paid far more taxes in Norway than they would have in America, even if they lived in a high-tax state like Massachusetts. As a Norwegian, they pays nearly 50 percent of their income to the federal government, along with a substantial additional tax that works out to roughly 1 percent of total net worth. Payroll taxes in Norway are double those in the U.S. sales taxes, at 25 percent, are roughly triple.
• 3. Sweden until recently, provided free education to foreign students but changes have been introduced to charge fees to foreign students. Sweden top statutory income tax rate is 56.5% and top marginal all-in rate is 56.5%. Denmark also has universal free education, and provides a monthly allowance to students over 18 years of age. But Denmark latest top statutory income tax rate is 51.6% and top marginal all-in rate is 62.8%. Greece and Argentina provide free education at all levels, including college and university. What happened to Greece and Argentina economic crisis due to global recession; the crisis in Greece is still ongoing, as well as bankruptcy and chaos in Argentina over the last decade, can be regarded as a warning before we make any decision to implement policies of free education in Malaysia.
• 4. In Brazil, free education is offered by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry offers scholarships for graduate degrees, masters, doctoral and post-doctoral for Brazilians and immigrants who have Brazilian citizenship. The best universities and research centers are public institutions, financed by either the local state or the federal government. However, when compared to the education policy of Brazil and Malaysia, the Malaysian Government education expenditures to the people is 8.1% higher than the 4.2% in Brazil. Based on World Development Indicators data, the Malaysian government has allocated expenditure, and subsidies for private education, including primary, secondary, and tertiary education is 20.3% of total revenue, which is 87% higher than the total Brazil expenditure in education.
• 5. In Sri Lanka, free education is provided by the government at different levels. Government funded schools such as national schools, provincial schools and primary and secondary education is free, while assisted schools and semi-governmental schools provided the same at subsidized rates. At the university level, the state universities provide undergraduate courses free, however this totals only about 10% for those qualified for university entrance. Grants and scholarships are provided for a limited number as study allowances.
• 6. Higher education was free in The UK until fees were introduced in 2001. Initially pegged at £1000 per year, the levels which institutions can charge has recently been raised to a maximum of £9,000 per year.
• 7. Free education has several advantages. Everyone can attend, so the gap between rich and poor students decreases as poorer students have more opportunity. The economy also benefits from the increased pool of highly educated labor. An educated workforce attracts employers and foreign investment. Socially, a more educated population should have more choices regarding nutrition, jobs and lifestyle. An additional point is that university fees only contribute a small proportion of the university budget.
• 8. However, some people are opposed to free education. Through their taxes, poor families subsidize rich students who can easily afford to pay fees. Spending government money on free education is often not possible or desirable when a country needs hospitals, roads, houses, military equipment’s, primary or secondary schools etc.
• 9. A university education is a choice, not a requirement. People who finish college with advanced qualifications are going to earn large salaries and can easily afford to pay back loans. Furthermore, when people get something for free, they often do not value it. If college is free, many students will go there just because they cannot think of anything else to do.
• 10. Free third level education is not always a good thing. Malaysian Government need to think carefully about their policies and ensure that they are using their resources to help all the people in the country equitably.

Apa yang kita semai, itulah yang kita akan tuai.

Dasar pendidikan negara kita pincang

Apa yang kita semai, itulah yang kita akan tuai.

Semasa pemimpin-pemimpin menanamkan cerucuk asas pendidikan Negara kita kira-kira lebih 40 tahun dahulu, mereka hanya menekankan untuk memberi ilmu pengetahuan sains, teknologi dan kemahiran kepada anak-anak sekolah bagi menyediakan dan memabawa Malaysia kearah Negara maju.

Tetapi setelah melihat kepada ciri masyarakat yang terbentuk hasil melalui sistem yang ada ini, dapatlah kita membuat kesimpulan, terdapat sesuatu yang tidak kena dalam sistem pendidikan kita.

Pendidikan di sekolah dan di rumah sangat memberi kesan kepada pembentukan sahsiah sesuatu masyarakat.

Kita di semenanjung, terdiri dari tiga kaum yang terbesar iaitu Melayu, Cina dan India. Tiga-tiga kaum ini menerima pendidikan di peringkat tadika dan sekolah rendah secara berasingan. Selalunya kelompok tempat tinggal mereka juga berasingan. Kalau masa dulu, orang Cina ramai tinggal di kawasan Bandar, orang Melayu di kampong dan orang India di estet.

Di masa ini pun, walaupun ketiga-tiga kaum ini tinggal di taman perumahan, mereka masih cenderung untuk tinggal dalam kelompok kaum mereka.

Pengasingan sekolah dan kawasan penempatan mengikut kaum ini menyebabkan peluang untuk mereka berkenal lebih rapat dan bersahabat antara kaum sangat sukar sekali. Mereka hanya bertemu dalam aktiviti yang tertentu sahaja, seperti dalam urusan jual beli dan urusan pekerjaan sahaja, selain dari itu mereka seperti tidak bergantung antara satu sama lain.

Amat jarang sekali tiga kaum utama ini berpeluang menjalankan aktiviti kehidupan bersama. Ekoran dari itu, tiga kaum ini tidak berpeluang mengenal antara satu sama lain dengan lebih dekat, hasilnya mereka mempunyai aspirasi yang berlainan. Mereka tidak dapat merasakan kehendak, kemahuan dan keperluan kaum lain. Sebaliknya semua tindak tanduk dan aktiviti mereka hanya berkisar kepada kaum mereka sahaja.

Pemisahan kaum-kaum ini telah melebarkan jurang perbezaan antara mereka, akhirnya mereka terus selesa dengan keadaan demikian, mereka menganggap kaum yang lain itu sukar untuk didekati dan dicampuri. Jauh dari menjadi sahabat, sebaliknya mereka menganggap kaum lain itu sebagai ‘musuh’ yang boleh menyusahkan hidup mereka. Suatu kaum akan berusaha untuk ‘membunuh’ atau mengalahkan kaum yang lain.

Perasaan curiga dan prasangka kepada kaum lain sentiasa wujud dalam pemikiran masyarakat Malaysia. Baru-baru ini telah terjadi pergaduhan antara pekerja restoran KFC berbangsa Melayu dengan pelanggannya berbangsa Cina. Masyarakat tidak melihat siapa yang bersalah dan berkelakuan buruk secara individu yang telah menyebabkan pergaduhan itu, tetapi sebaliknya masyarakat Malaysia melihat insiden itu dengan kacamata perkauman dan melabelkan kaum A atau kaum B sebagai kurang ajar atau biadap.

Parti-parti politik yang wujud juga tidak terlepas dari mengikut polarisasi kaum dan ia sebenarnya adalah lanjutan hasil dari pemisahan kaum dalam kehidupan sebenar mereka. Dalam meraih sokongan, ahli politik lebih suka dilihat untuk menjadi hero kepada kaumnya.

Bila bercakap soal untuk membasmi kemiskinan dan membantu golongan miskin, mereka lebih suka bercakap untuk memperjuangkan taraf ekonomi dan kehidupan orang Melayu. Padahal kalau dia kata untuk meningkatkan ekonomi rakyat yang miskin, yang akan dibantu adalah orang Melayu juga, kerana kaum Melayu lah yang paling ramai miskin. Tetapi disebabkan untuk meraih sokongan politik, mereka lebih suka bercakap untuk membantu dan membela orang Melayu.

Sikap dan tabiat orang Melayu, orang Cina dan orang India juga berbeza. Orang Melayu dikatakan baik hati tetapi malas, orang Cina dikatakan tamak tetapi rajin, orang India pula dikatakan taat tetapi culas. Apakah sikap dan tabiat setiap kaum itu diwarisi atau dididik dari kecil. Tetapi kalau kita letakkan kesalahan ini kepada sistem pendidikan pun ada kebenarannya, kerana mereka dididik dan melalui sistem persekolahan yang berbeza, sudah tentu hasilnya juga akan berbeza.

Ada kemungkinan kalau ketiga-tiga kaum ini bersekolah dalam sistem sekolah yang sama, sikap dan tabiat mereka akan menjadi lebih kurang sama atau hampir seragam.

Orang Jepun terkenal dengan memiliki sikap-sikap yang murni seperti tidak mementingkan diri, jujur, telus, tidak mencuri, rajin, gigih, sabar, tidak membuang sampah merata-rata, bebaris mendapatkan giliran tanpa memotong barisan, sikap ingin belajar dan ingin tahu, berbangga untuk membuat kebaikan, membantu orang yang memerlukan.

Kenapa Jepun boleh menghasilkan manusia yang berakhlak mulia tetapi kita tidak boleh? Ini mesti ada yang tidak kena dengan sistem pendidikan kita. Kita patut belajar dari Jepun.

Nilai yang murni tidak cukup sekadar diceramah dan diberitahu sahaja, tetapi ia perlu dilatih untuk melakukannya supaya ia akan menjadi amalan dan budaya masyarakat.

Di universiti sekarang ini begitu ghairah dan sibuk sekali menekankan latihan generic skill atau soft skill atau kemahiran keterampilan diri. Bagi saya generic skill ini mesti bermula dan dilatih diperingkat tadika lagi, bukan di universiti baru hendak diperkenalkan kepada mereka, kerana ia melibatkan sikap, amalan dan budaya.

Kenapa anak-anak muda Melayu kita suka merempit dan melepak? Kenapa anak-anak muda kita banyak terjebak dalam masalah sosial, menghisap rokok, penyalahgunaan dadah, seks bebas. Semuanya ini memerlukan kita melihat semula kepada sistem pendidikan yang dilalui oleh anak-anak kita samada di sekolah mahupun di rumah.

Anak-anak sekolah kita lebih berbangga untuk menjadi jahat, mereka bangga kalau kenal samseng atau gangster di luar sekolah, sebaliknya murid yang ingin membuat perkara yang baik sering diperli, dikutuk dan diejek.

Penguatkuasa banyak terlibat dengan rasuah, mereka tidak amanah. Masyarakat kita juga dibelenggu dengan masalah perbezaan status yang diukur mengikut pekerjaan dan tahap ekonomi mereka. Pemungut sampah dianggap golongan rendah. Amat memalukan kalau berjalan kaki atau menggunakan pengangkutan awam. Sebaliknya menaiki dan memiliki kereta Mercedes dan BMW di pandang tinggi.

Apakah semua masalah dan kemelut yang kita hadapi hari ini ada kaitan dengan kepincangan dalam sistem pendidikan kita?

Tetapi yang pastinya, kalau kita semai benih lalang tidak mungkin kita akan menuai padi.

Sistem Pendidikan Yang Memporak-perandakan Perpaduan

Perpaduan Kaum Hanya Tinggal Dalam Lagu dan Slogan Jika Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Terus Wujud.

• Tidak lama dulu, sewaktu menemani isteri menyelesaikan urusannya – urusan yang paling digemari oleh kaum wanita – disebuah kompleks membeli belah terkenal, Horas! dapati ketika itu, pihak pengurusan kompleks belibelah berkenaan memainkan lagu-lagu patriotik dan berbentuk perpaduan.
• Berderet-deret lagu yang dinyanyikan dalam bahasa Melayu tersebut diputarkan. Bersambung-sambung…lepas satu lagu kesatu lagu yang lain pula.
• Usaha proaktif pihak pengurusan pusat beli belah tesebut memutarkan lagu-lagu patriotik dan lagu-lagu yang menyeru kepada perpaduan antara kaum itu wajar dipuji.
• Namun dalam masa yang sama, berlegar beberapa persoalan didalam kepala Horas!.
• Mampukah lagu-lagu patriotik yang menyeru kepada perpaduan itu menjadikan rakyat dinegara ini bersatu padu?
• Adakah para pengunjung, terutamanya yang berbangsa Cina atau India (khasnya yang masih muda) menghayati atau ambil peduli tentang apa yang cuba disampaikan  melalui lagu-lagu tersebut?
• Fahamkah majoriti generasi muda berbangsa Cina dan India yang tergagap-gapap dan tersangkut-sangkut bahasa Melayunya dan lebih selesa bertutur dalam bahasa Inggeris itu dengan lirik-lirik yang terkandung dalam lagu berkenaan?
• Secara peribadi Horas! yakin tidak.
• Ciptalah berapa puluh ribu lagu-lagu patriotik yang menyeru kepada perpaduan yang merdu irama dan menyentuh perasaan liriknya mahupun slogan. Ianya tidak akan dapat banyak membantu dalam memupuk semangat perpaduan dikalangan rakyat berbilang kaum di negara ini.
• Hakikatnya, bukan mudah untuk memupuk semangat perpaduan, terutamanya dikalangan generasi muda (Melayu, Cina dan India) yang dipisahkan sedari kecil diantara satu sama lain oleh sistem pendidikan yang diamalkan dinegara ini.

• Mari kita lihat senario dibawah.
• Tadika KEMAS dan yang seumpanya hanya dipenuhi oleh majoriti kanak-kanak Melayu. Kaum Cina dan India lebih selesa menghantar anak-anak mereka ke tadika swasta yang kebanyakan para pelajarnya terdiri daripada anak-anak dari kaum mereka. Maka terpisahlah anak-anak kecil dari latar pelbagai kaum itu untuk tempoh satu hingga dua tahun.
• Begitu juga halnya apabila memasuki sekolah rendah. Sekolah-sekolah kebangsaan akan dipenuhi oleh anak-anak Melayu. Tidak dinafikan, ada juga ibubapa dari kaum lain yang menghantar anak mereka belajar disekolah kebangsaan, tapi peratusnya adalah kecil. Kebanyakan ibubapa keturunan Cina dan India lebih lebih selesa untuk menghantar anak-anak mereka kesekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina atau Tamil. Diperingkat ini mereka dipisahkan pula selama enam tahun diantara satu sama lain.
• Ketika memasuki pendidikan peringkat menengah, perkara yang sama masih berlaku. Mereka dipisahkan lagi untuk tempoh  5 hingga 7 tahun pula.
• Bayangkan, mereka terpisah dan tidak dapat mengenali dan bergaul mesra dengan rakan-rakan sebaya mereka dari lain-lain kaum dari seawal usia mereka 5 atau 6 tahun sehingga menginjak usia 17 atau 19. Kemudian setelah mereka menginjak usia remaja dan dewasa, mereka diminta untuk bersatu padu diantara satu sama lain ketika mereka berusia awal dua puluhan.
• Semudah itukah?
• Pepatah ada mengatakan jika mahu melentur buluh, biarlah dari rebungnya.
• Sedangkan yang ada hubungan kekeluargaan pun (sepupu sepapat misalnya) akan menghadapi masalah untuk bergaul mesra antara satu sama lain jika kemesraan sesama mereka tidak dipupuk dari kecil, inikan pulalah diantara mereka-mereka yang tiada apa-apa hubungan dan berbeza pula latar bangsa dan agamanya.

• Dalam soal cuba menyatu padukan rakyat berbilang kaum melaui sistem pendidikan ini, pada pandangan Horas!, bangsa Melayulah yang paling banyak dan paling kerap bertolak ansur. Mereka sanggup berkorban dan kehilangan sekolah-sekolah beridentitikan Melayu apabila ianya ditukar kepada sekolah kebangsaan oleh kerajaan demi perpaduan antara kaum.
• Namun usaha kerajaan yang dibuat atas pengorbanan Melayu itu tidak berapa dihargai dan tidak disambut oleh kaum-kaum lain dengan cara yang wajar. Hanya sedikit ibubapa dari kaum Cina dan India yang berminat untuk menghantar anak-anak mereka belajar disekolah kebangsaan.
• Dan dalam masa yang sama, setelah Melayu sanggup berkorban kehilangan sekolah yang beridentiti bangsa mereka, kaum Cina dan India tetap mahu sekolah yang beridentitikan bangsa mereka dikekalkan. Bahkan mereka mahu jumlahnya ditambah dari masa kesemasa selain kerap meminta-minta agar sekolah-sekolah berkenaan diberikan bantuan penuh oleh kerajaan.

Sekolah Melayu Pasir Gebu (skpasirgebu.blogspot)

• Melayu memang baik dan tetap bertolak ansur. Pengorbanan yang dilakukan itu tidak pernah diungkit-ungkit atau dibesar-besarkan. Kerajaan juga baik. Gagal menarik ibubapa dari kaum lain menghantar anak-anak mereka belajar disekolah kebangsaan, usaha lain pula dibuat.
• Maka atas tujuan dan matlamat yang sama (perpaduan) kerajaan wujudkan pula Sekolah Wawasan.
• Kerajaan berharap dengan wujudnya Sekolah Wawasan yang menyatukan satu sistem pendidikan seragam selain menyatukan kaum yang dahulunya terasing antara satu sama lain ini, semangat perpaduan antara kaum akan dapat dipupuk sedari awal usia. Tapi lihatlah bagaimana sambutan ibubapa dari kaum Cina dan India terhadap Sekolah Wawasan. Amat mengecewakan dan hambar.
• Jika dinegara-negara yang mengamalkan satu sistem pendidikan dengan satu bahasa penghantar adakalanya berlaku sifat curiga mencurigai antara satu sama lain yang seterusnya mengakibatkan pergeseran antara kaum, apatah lagi dengan sistem pendidikan seperti yang ada di Malaysia hari ini.
• Untuk pengetahuan rakan-rakan pembaca sekalian, Malaysia merupakan satu-satunya negara di rantau Asia Tenggara yang masih mempertahankan sistem SJK dengan pendekatan yang cukup adil membabitkan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) dan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT).

• Kesimpulannya, seperti kata Horas! awal tadi, ciptalah berpuluh lagu atau slogan yang menyeru rakyat berbilang kaum dinegara ini bersatu padu…ianya tetap akan hanya tinggal lagu dan slogan yang tidak banyak menyumbang kepada perpaduan.
• Jika mahu rakyat dinegara ini bersatu padu, satu padukanlah mereka sedari kecil dengan satu sistem pendidikan didalam satu sekolah dari peringkat rendah hingga menengah.
• Tapi ianya tidak akan dapat direalisasikan sekiranya Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina atau Tamil masih wujud.
• Kalau bangsa Melayu sanggup kehilangan ‘Sekolah Melayu’ mengapa kaum Cina dan India tidak sanggup pula untuk kehilangan sekolah jenis kebangsaan mereka demi perpaduan?
• Mementingkan diri sendiri atau rasiskah mereka?

Sangat Kritikal Bagi Kerajaan Untuk Memberikan Sepenuh Perhatian Terhadap Pendidikan

 

To Tuit Or Not To Tuit

 

Sending children to tuition classes is readily becoming a norm in our society so much so that if a child is not sent to tuition it is bordering on being abnormal.

When parents are TOO busy working, tuition classes more often than not are very convenient and usually cheaper.

NST today reported “more parents are sending their children, aged between 7 and 10, for private tuition” [read more]

Reasons cited :

1- competitive school environment
2- crowded classrooms
3- changing standards of language

Also reported is school authorities and parent groups generally agree that sending children under 10 years old for tuition is unnecessary.

Associate Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Hasan, the President of National Collaborative Parent-Teacher Associations of Malaysia, believes that sending pupils for tuition too early could even be detrimental to their social development [from here]

Being a teacher for 30 years now, I see many students who are so tired and stressed out. Despite all the extra classes, I have had students sleeping during exams with unanswered questions.

They’ve been denied their natural development. Their social skills is so lacking. Their self drive is zero. They need to be directed and supervised EACH time.

I salute mothers who opted to stay home and look after their children themselves.

A Class Divide Is Emerging – Jujurkah Para Pemimpin?

English in schools and the class divide

The deterioration in the standard of the English language is entrenching the income divide between wealthier Malaysians, who have access to an education in the English language and hence to wider opportunities, and lower-income Malaysians, who are denied such access.

The gap is becoming more pronounced as higher-income Malaysians can now send their children to international schools in Malaysia and public schools in the UK and Australia.

The international schools in Malaysia, whose enrolments were previously largely made up of children of expats, are now taking in more and more Malaysian students, the children of wealthier parents.

So we have the unfortunate situation where richer Malaysians are increasingly avoiding government schools and turning to private international schools in the same way that they are avoiding the general hospitals and opting for private hospitals. A class divide is emerging.

Those living in Johor have the added option of sending their children to schools in Singapore. (The BBC has a podcast on the great language debate here.)

Just ask the elite Malaysians – politicians and tycoons – where they send their children for education.

Najib himself received his education in English at St John’s Institution and later studied at Malvern College (Worcestershire) and the University of Nottingham in the UK (Wikipedia). Hishamuddin Hussein studied at St. John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur before going on to the Alice Smith School, an international school in KL that follows the British system. From Alice Smith School, he moved on to the English public school, Cheltenham College and later to the University of Wales and the London School of Economics (Wikipedia).

No one is disputing the position of the Malay language as the national language and lingua franca of the region. But many of the elites, whether politicians or tycoons, have found that proficiency in English certainly helps in moving up in their careers and widening their options. With their money, they can send their children to the best international schools or overseas for an education entirely in the English language. With a strong grounding in English, these children then have an advantage over other Malaysians in foreign universities and later, the pick of high-paying jobs. **

The problem is that many of these children, because they are educated apart from other Malaysians, lose touch with the socio-economic realities of their poorer local counterparts. Is it any wonder why these elites seem to find it so hard to emphatise with the plight of poorer Malaysians?

Less well-off Malaysians are being denied access to greater English proficiency, which could help expand their horizons not just in the sciences but in literature, the arts, and philosophy. Their lack of confidence in English also limits their exposure and interaction with other cultures.

It probably suits Umno’s political interests to keep Malaysians straitjacketed in their thinking and worldview as a result of their poorer command of English. For political expediency, it appears the standard of English in schools is being been allowed to deteriorate.

** sudahlah Bahasa Kebangsaan tidak dimertabatkan, Bahasa Kedua pula (Inggeris) tidak ditekankan. Bahasa apa lagi yang hendak diguna-pakai di negara ini? Mandarin? Tamil?

Pendidikan Robot

ADAKAH SISTEM PERSEKOLAHAN PERLU DITELITI?

• Dalam keghairahan Kementerian Pendidikan untuk mengkaji waktu persekolahan 8 jam sehari, jangan dilupa faktor sokongan dan bantahan daripada pelbagai pihak. Banyak faktor perlu dikaji dan diberi perhatian untuk memberikan kemajuan kepada semua pihak.

• Saya pernah mendengar keluhan ibu bapa dengan sesi persekolahan yang terlalu panjang. Untuk sekolah satu sesi, waktu persekolahan tamat pada pukul 3 petang adalah perkara yang biasa. Tetapi, pernahkah kita terfikir dengan maksud “biasa” itu sendiri?

• Kita ambil contoh waktu persekolahan SMJK Chung Hwa Kuala Pilah.

• Isnin hingga Rabu: Pukul 7.30 pagi hingga 3.30 petang
• Khamis: Pukul 7.30 pagi hingga 4.30 petang (termasuk ko-kurikulum)
• Jumaat: 7.30 pagi hingga 12.30 tengahari

• Saya mengambil contoh sekolah ini kerana sekolah ini merupakan antara sekolah yang mempunyai waktu persekolahan yang terpanjang di Negeri Sembilan. Malah, banyak lagi sekolah-sekolah lain di Malaysia yang juga mempunyai waktu persekolahan yang seperti ini malah lebih dahsyat lagi.

• Sekiranya anak anda belajar di sekolah yang mempunyai sesi pembelajaran seperti ini, adakah anda akan merasa lega? Jawapannya semestinya ya kerana jaminan waktu ilmu yang baik tetapi pernahkah anda terfikir mengenai anak anda sendiri?

• Waktu persekolahan seperti ini agak tidak rasional. Ini kerana anak-anak merupakan remaja dan bukannya robot untuk belajar. Mereka juga memerlukan waktu untuk tumbesaran. Bukannya semua perkara boleh diajar di sekolah. Waktu seperti beriadah dan bersama keluarga juga perlu diberi perhatian.

• Saya agak khuatir dengan masa depan anak-anak yang menempuhi waktu persekolahan seperti ini. Sekiranya semasa muda anak-anak muda ini telah diajar menjadi robot, apakah nasib mereka apabila sudah berkeluarga kelak? Mampukah mereka memberikan kasih sayang sedangkan mereka tidak dipupuk dengan kasih sayang yang tidak cukup dari ibu bapa sendiri?

• Nasib guru-guru juga akan terkena tempias. Perlu diingatkan betapa guru-guru juga mempunyai keluarga dan anak-anak sendiri. Jadi masa persekolahan seperti ini membebankan banyak pihak. Guru-guru juga adalah manusia dan mereka memikul tanggung jawab yang besar dalam membentuk anak didik dan anak mereka sendiri. Jadi Kementerian perlu mendengar luahan nasib mereka ini.

• Saya mencadangkan agar waktu persekolahan hanya sehingga pukul 2 petang secara maksimum. Ini kerana waktu rehat pejabat Malaysia kebiasaannya di antara pukul 1 petang ke pukul 2 petang. Jadi, waktu terluang ini bolehlah digunakan untuk ibu bapa mengambil anak-anak dari sekolah. Dan saya percaya cadangan ini pastinya dapat mengurangkan beban ibu bapa yang sentiasa terkejar-kejar untuk mengambil anak sekolah. Ibu bapa dan guru dapat meluangkan lebih banyak masa bersama keluarga sendiri dan kasih sayang lebih banyak diterapkan. Jadi ini adalah “win-win situation”.

• Mungkin ada yang mengatakan konsep ini akan membuatkan pelajar mundur dari segi pelajar. Tetapi pernahkah anda belajar dari statistik? Sejak dari tahun 90 an sehingga kini adakah pelajar-pelajar di sekolah semakin merosot pembelajaran mereka? Tidak kerana kesedaran belajar itu terletak pada pelajar sendiri.

• Zaman sudah berubah. Di masa lampau sememangnya kesedaran untuk anak muda menimba ilmu itu kurang tetapi di zaman sekarang anak muda sedar akan kepentingan ilmu. Tetapi kita yang mencorakkan mereka perlu menyedarkan mereka kepada batas-batas dalam menimba ilmu.

• Saya menyelar sikap seseparuh ibu bapa yang menganggap sekolah sebagai pusat jagaan kanak-kanak. Sebahagian ibu bapa hanya sekadar menghantar anak-anak mereka ke sekolah untuk mengurangkan tanggungan mereka untuk menjaga anak-anak ini. Apa yang anak mereka lakukan di sekolah tidak diambil peduli.

• Ini sikap yang sangat hipokrit. Tidak kasihankah ibu bapa dengan nasib anak-anak ini? Seharusnya mereka mendapat petunjuk dari ibu bapa mereka, bukannya sikap lepas tangan. Jalan yang ditunjukkan oleh guru-guru di sekolah tidak sama dengan ibu bapa kerana pertalian kasih sayang yang berbeza. Jadi, saya amat merayu janganlah ada ibu bapa yang melakukan perbuatan seperti ini. Kasihanilah nasib anak-anak kita supaya mereka dapat masa depan yang lebih baik dari kita.

• Artikel ini ditulis berdasarkan kepada pandangan peribadi saya sendiri. Saya percaya memang banyak cacat-celanya dalam artikel ini tetapi mungkin juga ada perkara yang boleh diambil kebaikan. Jadi saya amat berharap agar pihak Kementerian membuka mata agar semua pihak mendapat manfaat yang lebih baik.

The right type of education is more important

 

The Value Of A Good Education

• Here is something from Yahoo Finance :

• The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World

In the past 50 years, college graduation rates in developed countries have increased nearly 200%

The countries with the most highly educated citizens are also some of the wealthiest in the world. The United States, Japan and Canada also have among the largest GDPs.

Norway and Australia, have the second and sixth-highest GDPs per capita, respectively. All these countries aggressively invest in education.

The countries that invest the most in education have the most-educated people.

All of the best-educated countries, except for the UK, fall within the top 15 OECD countries for greatest spending on tertiary — that is, college or college-equivalent — spending as a percentage of GDP. The U.S. spends the second most and Canada spends the fourth most.

The countries included here have had educated populations for a long time. The U.S., Canada and Japan have had tertiary educational attainment above 30% since at least 1997.

The 10 most educated countries in the world are :

10. Finland

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 37%

> GDP per capita: $36,585 (14th highest)

Finland is also one of only two countries, the other being Korea, in which the fields of social sciences, business and law are not the most popular among students. In Finland, new entrants are most likely to study engineering, manufacturing and construction.

9. Australia

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 37%

> GDP per capita: $40,719 (6th highest)

8. United Kingdom

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 37%

> GDP per capita: $35,504 (16th highest)

7. Norway

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 37%

> GDP per capita: $56,617 (2nd highest)

The country is one of the wealthiest in the world. GDP per capita is $56,617, second only to Luxembourg in the OECD.

6. South Korea

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 39%

> GDP per capita: $29,101 (13th lowest)

Korea is also one of only two countries — the other being Finland — in which the most popular fields of study are not social sciences, business and law. In Korea, new students choose to study education, humanities and arts at the greatest rates.

5. New Zealand

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 40%

> GDP per capita: $29,871 (14th lowest)

40% of the population engages in tertiary education, the fifth-highest rate in the world.

4. United States

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 41%

> GDP per capita: $46,588 (4th highest)

Among OECD countries, the largest share of adults with a tertiary education live in the United States — 25.8%.

3. Japan

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 44%

> GDP per capita: $33,751 (17th lowest)

In Japan, 44% of the adult population has some form of tertiary education. The U.S. by comparison has a rate of 41%.

2. Israel

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 45%

> GDP per capita: $28,596 (12th lowest)

In 2006, 46% of adults ages 25 to 64 had a tertiary education. In 2007 this number fell to 44%. Only 78% of funds spent on educational institutions in Israel are public funds.

1. Canada

> Pct. population with postsecondary education: 50%

> GDP per capita: $39,070 (10th highest)

In Canada, 50% of the adult population has completed tertiary education, easily the highest rate in the OECD.

• My comments :

• First of all, I think it is obvious that the higher the level of education, generally the higher the level of income of the population. But this need not be the case always.

• In India and Pakistan, people with PhDs used to ride bicycles and buses to work. Now most people with PhDs in India ride cars because their economy is more market oriented and open to competition. Hence educated people tend to be better appreciated by the market economy.

• In Pakistan, qualified and experienced doctors may still take the bus to work – out of need, not by their own choice.

• In Egypt, highly qualified engineers have to work at two or three jobs to make ends meet. This is because their societies (Pakistan and Egypt) are not entirely market based and they are also still ‘non technical’ societies. They do not use science and technology to a great extent in their economies (compared to say the developed countries).

• At the end of the day, bazaar type trading, import export business, plantation agriculture can only provide so much opportunities and upward mobility. To really move a society forward you need a science and technology based economy. Manufacturing, transport and logistical services higher value added soft services (management, accounting, law, marketing, banking) can generate more opportunity, more income and more wealth.

• Unfortunately in our country while we are also producing an increasing number of university graduates, we are not helping everyone equally.

• It is a fact that a Chinese, Malay and Indian graduate from the same university go on to achieve different outcomes in life. The Malay graduate will likely end up working for the Government where he will work in a very protected environemnt for as long as he wants (until retirement).

• If he is a little more adventurous or has slightly better English skills, he will get a job at a GLC where he will still work in a protected environment – with little exposure to the real market.

• Needless to say, the Chinese graduate will jump into the open market. He will compete to get a job in the open market. Or he will go overseas and compete in the “dog eat dog” environment of a Singapore, a Hong Kong, a London or any such place.

• My view is a university education alone is not sufficient to make everyone compete at the same level. Otherwise why is there still such a big difference in the ability of our graduates to compete?

• I think mindset and attitude as well as cultural and religious factors are just as important. When we send our young people to university we put knowledge inside their heads.

• I think it is more important (especially for Muslim people throughout the world) to also REMOVE old fashioned, obsolete, non workable, illogical ideas from inside their heads which may prevent them from competing freely with others.

• It is no point teaching someone engineering skills that can increase his output when the person believes strongly in ‘rezeki secupak takkan jadi segantang’ type of ideas. He will never invent that 100 miles per gallon automobile in such an environment. He will have to migrate to Australia or some other kafir country before his mind will be free enough to achieve great things.

• Which is why many great modern Muslim scientists and engineers have achieved their greatness in the West – eg Pakistani born Prof Abdus Salam working in Switzerland and winning the Nobel Prize. Or the Iranian born Anousheh Ansari (picture) being the first self sponsored female space traveller in the US. Many Muslims do extremely well in so called ‘kafir’ countries where they are not suffocated by religion.

• It is also extremely foolhardy to send our students to study anything in almost all the Islamic countries – especially religious studies. We are only condemning them and ourselves to an uncompetitive and unproductive future. In the end instead of becoming useful contributors to society they will become dependents or parasites living off other peoples efforts.

• Education is very important. However the right type of education is more important. Removing ancient and unworkable beliefs is also equally important. If we do not get rid of illogical and unworkable beliefs from our collective psyche, all the effort on new education may go to waste.

Poli-TIKUS yang merosakkan negara bangsa

 

Petikan dari artikel OpEd yang bertajuk:-

Baiki sistem pelajaran

 

Sedang kita sibuk tentang skandal betul dan skandal yang dimainkan hanya untuk memburukkan pihak lawan, fikirkanlah juga – adakah sistem pelajaran negara siap untuk ambil peluang jika berbilion projek luar nak masuk?

Jadi pengajaran untuk educators dan policy makers dan lebih lagi politikus. Perbaiki negara anda, bukan saja sibuk serang kiri serang kanan.

POLI - TIKUS & LABU

Jobs beritahu Obama:

“I’m not worried about the country’s long-term future. This country is insanely great. What I’m worried about is that we don’t talk enough about solutions.”

Anwar Will Speed Up The Removal Of Racial Quotas For University Places

Anwar – Tiada Lagi Kuota Bumiputera IPTA

Buat renungan orang Melayu semua khususnya mereka yang punya anak-anak yang bersekolah, yang menaruh harapan tinggi disebalik keadaan yang serba kekurangan berbanding anak-anak kaum lain yang lebih berkemampuan dalam memberi segala bantuan tambahan dalam pembelajaran anak-anak ….. juga buat renungan mahasiswa pro BEBAS yang pencapaian akademik mereka langsung tidak melayakkan mereka untuk terus bergelar sebagai mahasiswa …

Jika Pakatan Rakyat mengambilalih Putrajaya, Anwar akan pastikan TIDAK ADA LAGI kuota Bumiputera untuk kemasukan ke IPTA. Semuanya Meritokrasi 100% !

If elected, Mr. Anwar said he would speed up the removal of racial quotas for university places and focus on helping lower-income groups regardless of race instead of solely aiding ethnic Malays.

Buat renungan orang PAS yang begitu bangga dan sering kaitkan perjuangan PAS dengan perjuangan HAMAS  ( seolah orang Islam selain Pas tidak sehebat sokongan mereka ) –


Anwar menegaskan yang beliau menyokong penuh segala usaha untuk mempertahankan keselamatan / kedaulatan negara Israel.


“I support all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel,” said Mr. Anwar, although he stopped short of saying he would open diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, a step which he said remains contingent on Israel respecting the aspirations of Palestinians.

Dalam isu Homoseks, Anwar masih tetap dengan pendiriannya yang Undang-undang Liwat Malaysia sudah ketinggalan zaman dan perlu dipinda.

‘ Bukan urusan saya nak menyerang atau menangkap orang berdasarkan orientasi seks mereka.’


Still, Mr. Anwar said that Malaysia’s sodomy laws are “archaic” and could be amended.
“It is not my business to attack people or arrest people based on their sexual orientation,”.

Bolehkah kenyataan itu dibaca seperti ini –


Saya tak ambil kisah pilihan seks seseorang, seks bebas atau homoseks atau lesbian atau apa saja.. ? Semua BEBAS untuk memilih…..   ?

Petikan saya ambil dari Asian Wall Street Journal

 

SATU SEKOLAH adalah program atau polisi jangka panjang untuk menyemai benih patriotik dan memupuk perpaduan antara kaum

 

PLKN, program ‘mee segera’

Dari tinjauan rambang pendapat ibubapa kepada anak-anak yang pernah menjalani Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN), ramai yang mengatakan anak-anak mereka tidak menunjukkan perubahan sikap seperti yang mereka harapkan selepas pulang dari menjalani latihan tersebut.

Sebagai ibubapa, adalah menjadi harapan mereka untuk melihat anak-anak mereka berubah sikap kepada yang lebih baik seperti lebih berdisiplin dan menghargai masa.

Mungkin objektif yang disasarkan oleh kerajaan tidak sama seperti apa yang diharapkan oleh ibubapa, akhirnya ibubapa tidak dapat melihat sebarang faedah yang ketara apabila anak-anak mereka menjalani program PLKN ini.

Yang selalu ditonjolkan dalam program PLKN ini kepada orang ramai ialah latihan fizikal dan pakaian seragam ala pasukan tentera, yang mengaitkan dengan pembentukan disiplin diri. Oleh itu tidak hairanlah kalau ibubapa mengharapkan anak-anak mereka akan menjadi orang-orang yang berdisiplin tinggi selepas menjalani latihan PLKN ini.

Tetapi itu bukanlah objektif kerajaan, objektif kerajaan mewujudkan program PLKN ini adalah untuk melahirkan warga yang patriotik dan memupuk perpaduan di kalangan rakyat yang berbilang kaum. Tetapi setakat mana kejayaan program PLKN ini telah mencapai kejayaannya sangat sukar untuk diukur dan dikenalpasti.

Apakah dengan mengumpulkan anak-anak dari berbilang kaum yang berumur 17 tahun ini di satu tempat dalam masa tidak sampai tiga bulan, boleh dididik menjadi seorang yang patriotic dan boleh membentuk perpaduan yang utuh?

Program PLKN ini tidak ubah merupakan satu kaedah penyelesaian “mee segera”, kenyangnya cepat tetapi tidak tahan lama.

Kita mesti ada program atau polisi jangka panjang yang mana benih patriotik dan pemupukan perpaduan harus disemai ke dalam masyarakat kita.

Saya tertarik dengan filem iklan yang diterbitkan oleh Yasmin Ahmad yang bertajuk Tan Hong Ming satu ketika dulu. Bukan saya sahaja, semua rakyat Malaysia samada Cina atau Melayu suka dan terharu menonton filem iklan tersebut. Mereka suka dengan perpaduan luhur yang bukan dilakunkan seperti ditunjukkan dalam filem itu. Saya percaya ia bukan filem yang dilakunkan tetapi adalah kejadian sebenar.

Kenapa filem iklan Hong Ming ini tersebut menjadi sangat menarik kepada rakyat Malaysia? Menarik sebab ia lain dari yang lain. Sesuatu tidak akan jadi menarik kalau kita menonton perkara biasa berlaku. Kalau kisah Tan Hong Ming ini adalah satu perkara biasa di Malaysia, ia tidak akan menjadi perkara yang menarik kepada kita.

Amalan kita di Malaysia sejak merdeka hingga kini, anak-anak diasingkan belajar di tadika dan bersekolah rendah mengikut kaum masing-masing. Oleh itu peristiwa yang berlaku dalam iklan Tan Hong Ming itu adalah satu perkara yang luar biasa kepada kita, dan itulah yang telah menjadi tarikan dalam filem iklan Tan Hong Ming tersebut.

Apakah berbaloi membazirkan wang pembayar cukai yang jumlahnya berbillion ringgit itu dengan mengadakan program PLKN yang tidak pasti keberkesanannya itu, sedangkan kita ada cara yang lebih sesuai dan lebih berjaya seperti ditunjukkan dalam filem iklan Tan Hong ming itu untuk mencapai objektif yang sama, tanpa mengorbankan satu sen pun.