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SIBU, Sept 20: The practice of segregating students in the national education system needs to be abolished to ensure that underprivileged students do not feel marginalised, according to Sarawak Education Director Datu Dr. Azhar Ahmad.
He expressed concern that schools often only celebrate the achievements of outstanding students, while those who are less academically inclined are left out, leading to a generation with unequal educational opportunities.
“If we are still practicing this, we will give birth to a generation where one is smart while the other students continue to lag behind in the education system.
“This is what the Ministry of Education is fighting for so that we can reduce the gap in terms of basic literacy skills,” he said at the Sarawak State Primary School Education Leadership Convention and the Sarawak State 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Representatives of the Principals’ Association of Malaysia (PGBM) here.
Azhar highlighted that dropout rates and literacy problems, as well as bridging the education gap, have become priorities for the Ministry of Education.
“It is crucial that in schools, there should not be a wide gap in our children’s literacy or their ability to master 3M (Malay, Mathematics, and English). We still have a significant gap in our education system. Some students excel and are consistently celebrated, while others receive no attention or face criticism,” he noted.
This situation can deter students from attending school or make them fearful of their teachers.
Azhar advocated for integrating students rather than segregating them, emphasising the importance of equal educational opportunities.
“That’s why, from the beginning, I haven’t believed in this segregation system,” he added. — DayakDaily
