New Sunday Times, June 10, 2007
Spotlight: Mission schools can help provide wholesome education

by Patrick Sennyah

The revival of mission schools was discussed at the Council of Churches 12th triennial general assembly recently.

Do they have a place in today’s education system? PATRICK SENNYAH speaks to Tan Sri Chan Choong Tak, the immediate past president of the Federation of La Salle Old Boys’ Association

Tan Sri Chan Choong Tak feels that the government will be receptive to the proposal.

The SMK Convent Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur. Most mission schools have produced great students and leaders.

Q: Recently, Christian leaders proposed a revival of mission schools in Malaysia. They say this is needed to address the declining education standards.

A: A revival of mission schools will certainly help improve the education system.

Under the system, all schools, except private schools, are centrally controlled and have no freedom to appoint their own heads, teachers or select and admit students.

Schools do not have individual identities. Former mission schools, like the La Salle schools, the convents of the Holy Infant Jesus and Methodist schools, had always provided their graduates with their ethos and spirit and their alumni proudly remember their alma mater.

Unlike most of the present schools, mission schools provided wholesome education in which not only academic excellence was promoted, but also physical development and character building.

Q: There have been statements that the current education policies were not in step with reality and have resulted in jobless graduates. Is there any truth in this?

A: To a certain extent, I agree that the current policies resulted in jobless graduates. Focus has been on academic achievement and less on character building.

If students had been trained to adapt to circumstances, to minimise risks, to select courses relevant to society and to be humble to accept employment not up to their expectations, then the number of jobless school leavers could have been reduced.

Universities continuing to offer courses not required by the market and the government continuing to assist jobless graduates with additional training will only worsen the problem.

Q: Prof Dr Tarcisius Chin (a former Universiti Malaya academician) has said that if revived, mission schools will be open to all races and will not preach Christianity. Do you think this will work in Malaysia?

A: Mission schools had always been open to all races. In my class at St Paul’s Institution from September 1945 to December 1951, there were Chinese, Malay, Indian and Ceylonese students.

The same multi-racial and multi-religious student population existed in most of the mission schools.

Although Christianity was preached, it did not cause any difficulty to any student or parent.

My Muslim classmate remained a staunch Muslim until his death. Tan Sri Datuk Ani Arope from St Xavier’s Institution (Penang) is a fine example.

He remains an extremely devout Muslim and loves his friends from all religious backgrounds.

Q: What will the government reaction be?

A: I think the government will be receptive.

The proposed "cluster schools" provide wholesome education with all the qualities that mission schools provided.

Incidentally, I am a member of the Lembaga Penasihat Sekolah Kluster.

Q: Top mission schools like La Salle and St John’s have produced some great students and leaders. What is behind their success?

A: Most of the mission schools have produced great students and leaders.

The success lies in their dedicated mission to mould their students into god-fearing men and women with love for fellow humans, passion for knowledge and courage to face challenges.

Yes, there should be serious attempts to bring back such schools.

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