I BELIEVE, deep in our hearts, even those who champion variety in life would admit that the existence of multiple streams and mediums of instruction for our schools is not good for the nation.

Thus the call by Jerlun member of parliament Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir that vernacular schools be abolished for its divisive ways was greeted by the refrain "Yes, but the Constitution guarantees..."

The predictability of the responses is also due to the fact that no politician would want to have anything to do with anything that might hurt vernacular schools. Everyone, it seems, thrives on racial insecurities, even when he piously claims not to practise race-based politics.
Close down vernacular schools? Given the Constitution's guarantees, some suggested Mukhriz had committed sedition.

He may, or may not, but underneath all the sparks and smoke arising from his statement, and the Constitution notwithstanding, no one can deny the fact that keeping our kids apart is not going to get them closer.

Many of our politicians claim to be working to build a better future for us and the nation, but most have failed us as far as promoting unity is concerned.
For example, I have not heard many serious debates on the education system, which is the very core of our national unity and integration strategy.

All of us, yes us non-politicians, too, are too engrossed in the politicking of the here and now, and busy proving that everyone else, but ourselves, are wrong.

I am very much aware of the protection given by the Constitution to vernacular schools and thus, unlike Mukhriz, do not feel that they should be closed down despite subscribing to the notion that it would be beneficial for the nation.

We should instead make the national schools better, in fact superior than the others, so that people can naturally see their benefits. Build up the national schools and they will come.

In Johor, every morning, over 1,000 kids wake up as early as four in the morning to begin preparing for their commute to Singapore to attend schools there. Why? The parents want them to be educated in English, and in presumably better schools.

But our politicians oppose English schools, even the semblance of a semi-English education as per the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English.

The policy now sees 40 per cent of classes in primary schools conducted in English, as opposed to under 20 per cent if we were to revert to Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin or Tamil for the subjects

But yet, we are now dithering whether to retain the policy or not. Less English is better than a semi-English medium, so it seems.

How I wish parents get to vote on the policy, and not politicians.

Also, I have heard few politicians calling for improvements in our national schools, which would presumably address many of our race-related problems, as passionately as they have when championing vernacular or religious schools.

Why are our MPs not demanding for better schools, better curriculum, better pay and training for teachers, or better building and other facilities for our children?

Why are our lawmakers not treating the national education system as a matter of national importance?

Many parents have complained that many national schools are being hijacked and slowly turned into Malay or, in some instances, religious-centric schools.

But why are our elected representatives not making a big deal about this in Parliament?

Or take it another way. I have not heard of any current politician who has spoken passionately on ways to improve national schools in a manner perhaps as blasphemously as Mukhriz.

I think if we are really interested in making the national schools strong, we should speak up.

I believe if we care about the nation, we must be able to withstand the slings and arrows of our detractors. A cure is pleasant only when the wound heals.

I tend to believe most politicians are just paying lip-service on national unity. At the end of the day, we are not really keen on keeping up with the tune.

I tend to believe that there is a high level of hypocrisy working here, too.

I sense, despite the complaints about the national school system, some are nevertheless secretly hoping for it to fail so vernacular schools will prosper. I will be glad to be proven wrong.