Joint Statement Made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong
October 17, 2019
The Education Ministry had recently introduced a revised Curriculum Standard and Assessment Document（DSKP）for Year Four Bahasa Melayu subject to make it official that Jawi calligraphy would not be evaluated and assessed in examination. Further, the Ministry added that this would be implemented only with the consent of the Parent-Teacher Association, parents and students. In this regard, Dong Zong and Jiao Zong expressed their concern over the implementation of Jawi calligraphy teaching in national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools through the following statements:
- Dong Jiao Zong herewith informed, a consensus decision was made in recent joint meeting with various Chinese community NGOs, urging the government to empower the Board of Directors of national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools in deciding whether to profess Jawi calligraphy in these schools, as a gesture to respect the fiduciary duty of the Board of Directors. In fact, during a meeting with the Deputy Education Minister YB Teo Nie Ching on 21st August 2019, Dong Jiao Zong and various Chinese community NGOs had clearly stated their hope for the Ministry to take appropriate action to resolve the issue of Jawi calligraphy teaching in the said schools.
- On 15th October 2019, Dong Jiao Zong forwarded a letter requesting the Deputy Education Minister YB Teo Nie Ching to schedule a meeting within this month, aiming to discuss the issue of Jawi calligraphy teaching in Year Four Bahasa Melayu coursebook for national-typed Chinese and Tamil primary schools, including the sovereign rights of the Board of Directors of these schools. In view of the urgency and seriousness of the issue, Dong Jiao Zong urges YB Teo Nie Ching to arrange the mentioned meeting as soon as possible, thus to update stakeholders on the progress and to stage a discussion regarding the sovereign rights of the Board of Directors of these schools, in a bid to safeguard the unique characteristics of Chinese schools.