I REFER to the debate on the declining state of national unity, notably in the last 20 years.
There is obviously a multitude of reasons for this downward trend, but I firmly maintain that our school system is one of the major causes.
Unity has to be nurtured by instilling in people the spirit of respect, understanding, tolerance, caring and sharing.
What better way to achieve this than at our schools?
It is in school that the young, who are impressionable and their minds fresh, interact with one another.
Malaysians born before the 1970s are more multiracial in their thoughts and deeds.
It is time we worked on ensuring all Malaysian children go to the same school and speak the same language.
Thus, there must only be a single-school system, which is the national school, with Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction.
However, it is important for these schools to make mother-tongue subjects compulsory to encourage parents to send their children there.
These schools should also continue to incorporate the dual-language programme where science subjects are taught in English.
They should also make available and optimise the learning of English and Mandarin.
All these must be embedded within the national education policy to pave the way for our children to remain united.
There is also the perceived fear that national schools are subjected to a Malay and Islamic-centric agenda.
I am of the opinion that non-Muslim parents should not worry as long as the schools treat all students the same and do not separate them based on race or force them to become Muslims.
National schools must be treated as schools for all races.
ZAMRI MAHMUD
Baling, Kedah