1 school system 4 all Malaysians

Wishful thinking?

Maybe not.

Or perhaps this should have been implemented right from the start.

There has been plenty of talk about the need to have a single stream education system instead of the very many vernacular schools in the country.

The author, has numerous times in the past, maintained the nation needs a single education system but, with the workings of certain vernacular schools, allowing students to master four different languages - Bahasa Melayu, English, Mandarin and Tamil. This will also allow students to mix fluidly with one another.

But not many would agree to such an idea - including those political parties who claim of being Malaysian but yet would fight for the rights of vernacular schools which will only contradict their 'Malaysian' stand.

Tamil schools and Sekolah Agama are often in the losing end, for they are always deemed to be the poorest. Chinese schools, meanwhile, are placed in the opposite end where an enrollment fee - in the form of donations - is paid before a student enters the school. Chinese schools are well maintained, have a proper system in place and even operate different than other schools including national schools (SK and SMK). Most Chinese schools even conduct classes on Saturdays and gear their students for major examinations intensively than other schools.

This explains to why other races have also started enrolling their students in Chinese schools. Just look at the students studying in Lai Meng primary school.

There are also talks that students of certain races tend to stick to their own kind. This is evident especially when students from a vernacular school graduate to a national secondary school and beyond.

Just look at one's Facebook friends list to see if one actually has a balanced racial composition of friends or mainly from one race. Be honest in your evaluation.

Indonesia, though it may have its own woes, seem to have an identity in the form of a singular school system and through the names of its citizens. Even Chinese and Indians born in Indonesia carry traditional Indonesian names - in the spirit of creating an Indonesian identity.

To ask for such in this country is perhaps far fetched - for now.

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohammed said that Malaysia is the only country in the world that recognises various forms of education systems.

Mahathir was quoted by Bernama as saying; 

"Well, I think that is an ideal system...no country in the world has got three streams...none...all the countries in the world have got only one stream each based on their own language.

However, many tend to disagree.

Former Youth and Sports deputy minister Gan Ping Sieu had said multiple streamed schools are our "heritage".

DAP's Lim Guan Eng warned the government not to abolish such schools as seen here. MIC president G. Palanivel is also against the idea as reported here.

It is natural for such a reaction as these people still see the need to protect their "identity".

There are also fears that if a child goes to a national school, the child will later marry outside the race. I kid you not!

There is also the language barrier where the child speaks his or her mother-tongue since young and finds it difficult to adapt thus prompting parents to enroll their children into vernacular schools instead.

Some argue the workings and teachers in national schools are "not up to par" compared to vernacular schools.

"Our teachers are dedicated as we have been part of the working and effective system for so long. Those teaching in SK and SMK will only be dedicated after school hours...when they teach tuition. Also, a merger between schools will not work for there will be conflicting operating systems. I doubt national schools will be able to operate how the vernacular schools operate," said a teacher who is from a SRJK in Kuala Lumpur.

These are just everyday issues that further promote and strengthen the existence of the other schools.

Vernacular schools, especially in KL, face lack of space. They only have basketball courts and no proper fields unlike SK and SMKs. The merger will also force national schools to buck up.

With Mandarin being dubbed as the next global language, it will be great if a majority of Malaysians will be able to converse in it fluently.

There are also claims that vernacular schools are "victimised" as they apparently do not enjoy much funding compared to national schools. With a single system, this will no longer be an issue as funds will be evenly distributed.

One must have the freedom to choose one's academic path but the government must be seen to project a single system. Students are free to enroll into public schools which promote a single stream education system or private institutions where they are free to conduct classes in any language they wish.

A proper study needs to be done to evaluate the pros and cons of the various systems and implement them into a single stream school. If we claim to be Malaysians, we should start acting like Malaysians.

And the best way to initiate the Malaysian culture is through education.

HD says: These are the personal views of the author.