Tamil parents seen preferring Malay, Chinese schools
The number of students joining Tamil schools is gradually going down, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Education, Malaysia.
Till a few years ago, the intake in Tamil schools was 15,000. “Now, it is 13,000 or 14,000,” says Paskaran Subramaniam, Assistant Director (School Management Division) in the Ministry of Education. As a matter of principle, authorities in the Southeast Asian country are encouraging students to join schools of their respective mother tongue for primary education. But, there is no compulsion, the official says, adding that there is also a tendency of Tamil parents putting their children in Malay or Chinese schools.
Acknowledging that Tamil teachers of Malaysia are regularly getting trained at the Tamil University, Thanjavur, Mr. Subramaniam feels government institutions in Tamil Nadu should recognise students who have done their studies up to Form V (equivalent to 10th standard).
This would help students going for higher studies or employment in other countries. He points out that certain foreign institutions have given recognition for English and Chinese.