Free education in Malaysia?
The end-of -year school holiday had started…. but the new school term is fast approaching. The present Malaysian government had, in its latest budget, announced free text-books for all students from next year, and in doing so, proudly told the public, the education in Malaysia is now FREE. Yes.. I agree… but only to the extent of agreeing to the fact that ONLY the text books are free… no more than that. Quite to the controrary, the education will cost even more next year for Malaysian parents. I am sure, I will have to spend at least RM3000 early next year just FOR my three secondary-school-going daughters. That is a lot of money for average Malaysian citizens like you and me.
Bear in mind, there is no bonus for Government servants this year… and I can foresee they will be hardest hit especially if they have more than two school children to take care of. Parents who have been relying on the bonus ‘windfall’ every year before, will have to fork out the money from somwehere else this year… and going by the average Malaysian scenarios, it normally will come from January’s pay packet. Which means many parents will have to spend sizeable amount of their monthly salary on their children’s education. By that time, Samy Vellu will have announced the new toll rates and the Government would have also announced the new prices for petrols and gas, that would start a whole new chain reactions of consumer goods price increases…. what a good way to start a new year.
If you think as parents you are in dilemma as to how you will have to face the new year of ‘free-education’, you are not alone. In fact PIBG office bearers and teachers are also in a fix as to how they will face the parents come the next school term.
The following excerpts, from a blog well written by one PIBG office bearer, reveals that the new year of 2008 will be a tough and hard year for all parents:
The YDP and I met up with the Pengetua this morning. I had suggested to the YDP that he should not sign the Application Form. This will “create a scene” as the school will not be able to collect any fees next year (That would truly be free education !!) but the Pengetua advised us against it. After some discussions, we decided not to make life difficult for our kids. It would not be fair on them though I really wanted to show the decision makers that they have blundered.
We also discussed some steps the school should take to inform the parents about the actual situation with regards to the school fees. The PIBG will be around on the first day of school to explain to the parents that in Malaysia free education means “that the word ‘yuran’ does not appear anywhere. But you still have to make “bayaran tambahan” which is actually more than the previous yuran. If they are not happy please write or call the Ministers or MOE. We will provide the parents with the necessary contacts.
Read more of this blog post here.
In another post, he wrote the following:
I’m pissed off … really pissed off
Late Sunday night I received an sms from the Pengetua of Aizat’s school. The message read “We need to meet (whoever can attend) tomorrow at 7:45am to discuss school fees” After sending Hani to her school I went straight to Sri Permata. The turnout from parents was really good despite the short notice and the first working day of the week. Dato’ YDP, NYDP and a few other parents were there. Some teachers were not there as they were invigilating the SPM exams which started on that day.
Mr Ong told us that he received a Pekeliling (that dreaded piece of document that government servants has to treat like the Bible) about the school fees. The gist of the circular are the following:
1. The term “Yuran” will be replaced with “Pakej Bayaran Tambahan”
2. In essence the parents will have to pay more unless you take into account the fact that all students will now receive free text books. However for parents who already received free text books, they will have to pay more. So the poor parents have to pay more now while the rich parents pay less. What the heck?……..
It is bad enough that we have been asked to pay for it. We know our country is still developing and those who can afford it should contribute towards educating our young. I’m sure a lot of people can live with that but when the government try to hoodwink us into saying that it is giving free education and at the same “tricked” us into paying for it, I’m really pissed off. Please don’t take us for fools.
These past few years I’ve been sacrificing my time, money and efforts to do my bit to society by playing an active role in the PIBGs. And to see all these really make me sick. A government who cheats on its own people surely is not worth supporting. But will I make a difference? Maybe not, but I will sure try.
How can you get so screwed up Hisham? Go to the ground and listen more from people who are sincere in giving opinions not yes men agreeing to whatever you fancy.
Read more of this blog post here.
Please share this article with as many friends and parents as possible (by using Email This Post feature at the end of this article) so that they are aware of what are waiting for them next year. At the very least, they will have the chance of starting to plan how to play with their budget for next year’s ‘free-education’, the Malaysian way.
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[tags]Malaysian education, free text books[/tags]
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POSTED IN: Education, Government
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