Posts Tagged ‘Education’

Racist Malaysian teacher to be sued by Indian students

Friday, August 15th, 2008

The foreign news agency, AP, has picked up on this brewing issue of the racist Malay teacher who abused Indian students in a secondary school in Banting using derogatory statements. The news report claims that three of the Indian students abused by this racist teacher are planning to sue the teacher for defamation in addition to demanding her sacking. MIC President Dato Seri S Samy Vellu has also called for action to be taken against the teacher, who has now been transfered to a better school in the area.

from Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Three ethnic Indian teenagers plan to sue their Malaysian schoolteacher for defamation after she taunted them with racial insults in a case that has outraged the minority community, a lawyer said Thursday.

The ethnic Malay female history teacher has been transferred out of her school after she reportedly acknowledged making racial remarks such as calling Indians “black monkeys” and accusing them of involvement in thuggery and theft.

The case has bolstered complaints by Malaysia’s minorities that racism by the majority Malay population is entrenched and institutionalized.

Some 500 ethnic Indians protested outside the school in central Selangor state last week after the teenage students filed a police complaint against her. Police said she would not be charged because she had not committed a criminal offense.

Three of the students plan to sue the teacher later this month because “she made false allegations that go right to the roots of their origins,” said their lawyer, S.N. Pathmanabhan. They will decide what kind of compensation they want later.

The students will also write to the government to demand the teacher be fired, he said.

It is the latest incident causing racial friction in a country that takes pride in its multiethnic peace and stability. Malay Muslims comprise about 60 percent of Malaysia’s 27 million people. Ethnic Chinese constitute a quarter of the population, while Indians make up less than 10 percent.

Malaysia’s top ethnic Indian politician, Samy Vellu, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress, is also calling for sterner disciplinary action against the teacher.

“This sort of people will give the government … a bad name and may reduce the support of the Indian community,” Samy said in a statement Wednesday.

Minority Indians largely voted against the government in March general elections amid rising complaints that the Malay-dominated ruling coalition deprives them of economic and educational opportunities and promotes religious discrimination.

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Racial taunts spark protest by Malaysian Indians

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

About 500 angry ethic-Indians on Monday staged a protest outside a school demanding action against a teacher who allegedly hurled racial slurs against students from the community in western Malaysia’s Selangaon state. According to the police report, a woman history teacher had allegedly called Indian students in a Class four and five ‘Negro’, ‘black monkeys’ and other derogatory names.

The crowd began gathering outside the Banting school’s main entrance near here at noon and staged a protest for two hours. The teacher had also allegedly said that the community members were stupid and prone to thievery, the Star daily reported on its website.

The alleged incidents took place on July 17 and 22 when the teacher had allegedly beaten up some Indians students. A students also alleged in his report that the teacher had written the word ‘keling pariah’ on the board and lost her cool when the Indian students told her that they did not like being called names, it said.

Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs secretary Gunaraj George, who was among the protesters, said such abuse would only breed hatred and racial polarisation in schools.

“No one in his or her right frame of mind would have said these things. Given this, the best option would be for the teacher to be assigned to a desk job and not be allowed to be near youngsters anymore,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong said the schoolteacher might be sacked if the allegations proved true. “The allegations were serious as no one was allowed to insult others, especially in a school environment,” said Wee, who was asked to comment.

The ministry was awaiting an official report before taking any action, he added. (more…)

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More Graduate Teachers for Tamil Schools

Monday, July 21st, 2008

The chief of the Tamil Schools Organization in Malaysia has announced that Tamil schools in the country will have 1,200 graduate teachers by the year 2010. This will represent 15 percent of the total number of teachers in these schools. Right now there are about 800 graduate teachers out of a total of 8,000, or about 10 percent. These schools, which use the Tamil language as the medium of instruction, serve mostly ethnic Indians students in the country.

from Makkal Osai
Tamil schools to get 1,200 grad teachers

THERE will be 1,200 graduate teachers in Tamil schools by 2010, Makkal Osai reported.

Quoting Malaysian Tamil Schools Organization chief organizer S. Baskaran, the report said they would make up 15% of the total teaching force for Tamil schools.

He was speaking to reporters after opening a motivational seminar in Padang Serai, Kedah.

At present, there are about 8,000 Tamil schoolteachers and only 10% are graduates.

Baskaran said the Education Ministry was carrying out various programs to create more graduate Tamil schoolteachers in the country.

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Foundation to Provide Aid for Tamil Schools

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

Aid for the maintenance of Tamil schools in the country will be a priority for the newly formed Tamil Schools Foundation. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said the aim of the foundation will be to make Tamil schools on par with Malay and Chinese schools and he encouraged Indian parents to send their children to Tamil schools.

from The Star
Foundation to help maintain Tamil schools

THE recently-formed Tamil Schools Foundation will provide aid for the maintenance of Tamil schools in the country, reported in Malaysia Nanban.

Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said the foundation would try to lift Tamil schools to be on par with the other schools.

He said the condition of many Tamil schools in the country was very depressing.

Speaking at a Tamil Literature contest organised by the Sitiawan Tamilar Festival group at the Sungei Wangi Estate Tamil School, he said people must set aside their political differences and work towards creating a friendly environment for their children to pursue their education.

He said that they should grab the opportunities provided by the Government for Tamil schools and ensure that they were properly managed for the benefit of the younger generation.

He urged parents to send their children to Tamil schools so that there would be continuity and their language and Indian culture would not be forgotten.

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Enhancing Education for the Indian Community

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

Malaysian Prime Minister Badawi has announced new steps to help Indian students in the country in an effort to enhance the socio-economic standing of the Indian community. The initiatives, which are to be implemented immediately, include converting more capital-aided Tamil schools into fully-aided ones that are eligible for more government support as well as recognition and assistance for AIMST medical students. The Prime Minister announced the steps at the opening of the 62nd MIC Annual General Meeting.

from Bernama
Education Initiatives Announced for Indian Students

KUALA LUMPUR (Saturday, July 12, 2008): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced immediate steps to enhance education among Indian students, either at school or university level, for the long-term benefit of the country’s third largest community.

He said among others, the government had agreed to turn more capital-aided Tamil schools, many of which are in the rural areas, into fully-aided schools.

“The government will also speed up the process of merging and consolidating the Tamil schools that have less than 50 students,” he said in his speech when opening the 62nd MIC Annual General Meeting at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre here.

Abdullah said the government also agreed that students from the MIC-run Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) University in Kedah would be allowed to apply for scholarships from the Public Services Department.

The move would make AIMST University as the fifth private university to enjoy such a facility after institutions like the Monash University, Swinburne University and the University of Nottingham, among others.

The BN chairman said the government would also assist the AIMST University to increase its student population in critical fields such as engineering and medical — a move which Abdullah said would help push the university’s standard to a higher level.

He said such a recognition would indirectly result in more Indian students taking courses at the university, of which main campus was under construction on a 156-hectare site in Semeling, Kedah.

The AIMST University now operates at its temporary campus in Bandar Aman Jaya, Sungai Petani.

Abdullah said the government was giving emphasis to education in the efforts to help the community because the success of future generation would depend on human capital development through skills enhancement training and education.

Also present at the one-day meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and some 3,300 delegates, including MIC branch leaders nationwide.

It was telecast live over Radio Television Malaysia (RTM).

Earlier Abdullah arrived at the meeting’s venue to a thunderous applause from those present.

The prime minister, who was cheerful, started his speech by telling them that he came late to the event because he had just arrived from Kuching, Sarawak.

“At first I thought of asking Datuk Seri Najib to take over — he will be replacing me anyway — but I’ve promised Datuk Seri Samy that I will be present.

“I’ve not forgotten that promise and even though I’m a bit late, I’m here now,” he said.

Abdullah said he was also happy that the delegates had responded well to the speech delivered by the MIC president.

Among issues expected to be discussed at the meeting were the party’s worst performance in the March 8 general election, its rejuvenation programme, Tamil school education as well as equity participation among the community.

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