Saturday, January 10, 2009

March 8, has not changed many things or any things

Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among racial or religious groups.

The Malaysian Education Ministry should recognize the rights of everyone to education. Education shall enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society, promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among other races and this respect the higher education shall be made equally accessible to all without looking at the skin colour.

The recent intake in UPSI (University Perguruan Sultan Idris, Tg.Malim) has shown that the Education Ministry still having and practising the discrimination policies silently and technically against the minority Indians in this country. For a fact, in July 2008 intake, only 45 Indians been selected or given opportunity to continue their higher education out of 1800 applicants. The situation even get worsen in January 2009 intake, whereby only 3 Indians been selected out of 585 applicants.

Why there is a discrimination policy in education sector? We must urge the government to eliminate discrimination against Indians in order to ensure to them equal rights with other races in the field of education. At the same time, the Ministry should ensure, on a basis of equality of Bumi’s and Non-Bumi’s and also the same conditions for career and vocational guidance, for access to studies in educational establishments of all categories without looking at the racial groups; this equality shall be ensured in preschool, general, technical, professional and higher technical education, as well as in all types of vocational training.

Access to the same curricula, the same conditions need to be implemented in teaching staff; The elimination of any stereotyped concept of the roles of Bumi’s and Non Bumis’ at all levels and in all forms of education; the same opportunities to benefit from scholarships; The same opportunities for access to programmes of continuing education.

The Ministry also must undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination, and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, in the enjoyment of the right to education and training.

Further more, we want the Education Ministry to make an open static’s report on Recent Intake in all the Govt Universities for public viewing based on racial break down to ensure there is no bias to one particular race in any Higher Education.