Mention the term vernacular schools in your local mamak, and suddenly the weight in the air is thicker than the condensed milk in your teh tarik. Vernacular schools, a measure designed to promote a culture-based education, has become a bitter issue that many Malaysians find hard to swallow.

Issues surrounding vernacular schools have been a subject of contentious debate since the early stages of independence; with Ops Lalang being the biggest government crackdown in history against the opposition over the administration of Chinese vernacular schools. This issue has morphed into a topic riddled with racial undertones, distorting the perception of many Malaysians against the issue. 

Although only 22.5 percent of total primary school students were enrolled in vernacular schools in 2018, the topic of vernacular schools has been extensively covered by the media. Putting aside its sensationality, there are strong merits for the abolishment of vernacular schools and the benefit it could bring.

Firstly, it gives primary school students the opportunity to interact and bond with Malaysians of different races from a young age. This will strengthen national unity in the long run. Without this interaction, the individual might be more prone to micro-aggressions in the workplace. This micro-aggression is partially due to the fact that their preconceived notions of other races were never disproved when they were at school, where it was more socially acceptable to be inquisitive of other ethnics.

Secondly, abolishing vernacular schools could remove the questionable practice of political party funding schools. In Malaysia, political parties often give donations to specific schools in order to gain political mileage in their voter base. This is frowned upon by the international community as many view it as a form of implicit bribery. It is also disadvantageous because education should be available and equal to all, regardless of the type of school. Centralising the type of schools in Malaysia could make schools less of a target to crafty politicians. 

While eradicating vernacular schools might be able to unify Malaysians of different ethnicities, the motivations and intent of this action must be unblemished from any racist origins. The concerns of the Chinese and Indian community, who fears that this is an affront to their rights to culture-based education, is something the government must take seriously. 

Researchers from the National University of Malaysia found that support for vernacular schools from the Chinese community stemmed from a fear of losing their cultural identity and use of mother tongue in national schools. Additionally, there is also the perception that Chinese schools offer a higher quality education than their national counterparts.

To address this, the government should first draft a conclusive education plan focusing on a top-down approach to promote greater appreciation of different cultures. Headmasters and teachers must be taught to be more open minded and respectful towards different cultural norms. Only then can they impart their values to the students. 

Secondly, consultation with all relevant parties is a must. From that discussion, a revised civil studies curriculum should be recommended, detailing how language classes would be inducted into the education system. Schools should be given the option to allocate the same number of hours to Chinese/Tamil classes as to Malay classes in schools. SK/SMK schools today allocate around 2 hours to other languages but around 8 hours to Malay and English, while SJKC schools have around 10 hours of Mandarin classes per week. This would alleviate concerns that pupils might lose their vernacular language standards if placed in national schools.   

If it is indeed true that vernacular schools perform better than their non-vernacular counterparts, the government should focus on the positives and be open to implementing them nationwide. The Education Ministry, lastly, should be committed to funding and supporting cultural societies. Teachers in schools should also encourage students of all races to join such societies. 

Abolishing vernacular schools in Malaysia could be a large step in the right direction, but the road ahead is riddled with both practical and political potholes. In reality, it might not even be possible to abolish such schools today.

“It (abolishment) is a policy nightmare, not to mention a nightmare in terms of politics. I believe it is a non-starter,” said the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin. “If today, somebody said ‘We have one single education system’, which means no more Chinese, Tamil schools, another person will come and say ‘How about your private Islamic schools? You have to get rid of them too.”

“If we want a single education system, we should have done it in 1957 or 1963, but the terms of our union allowed vernacular schools. Once you have allowed it, it is difficult to undo,” Khairy added.

Maybe this is a discussion that stays in the mamak after the teh tarik is finished (and straight to the hospital for a dialysis treatment). Nonetheless, this is still a discussion that we must have, and if for nothing else, for the vision of national unity.