THE Malayan Christian Schools’ Council (MCSC) Symposium, held at Methodist College Kuala Lumpur last week, was titled “Mission schools — Meeting the Needs of the Nation”, a statement of faith in more ways than one.

Firstly, from the discussion and feedback, mission schools have great needs. But for the faithful participants who gathered to discuss the role of mission schools, dedication to education was not lacking.

As they broke up into different groups to exchange ideas on various aspects, from school boards and Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) to maintaining student discipline and school ethos, several interesting suggestions surfaced.

Principal Louis Rozario Doss, giving feedback during the “Sharing best practices” session, believes that teachers and students should be well trained.

“Capacity building is very important; it should not just rest on the board of governors and principals,” he said.

“We should have annual or regional training for discipline teachers and student leaders too.”

The idea that emerged most strongly from the session on “A model PTA” was that school PTAs should not just focus on infrastructural activities like fundraising but also emphasise activities which nurture “softer values”, such as holding a Speech Day to recognise students’ achievements.

Feedback on maintaining school discipline also focused on a point system that some schools were already using.

“You can use peer accountability. If one student misbehaves, he is first warned.

“However, if he continues to misbehave, then he, and even the whole class, can be given demerit points,” said teacher Chan Lik Hoong. Chan added that other measures could also be adopted, for instance, giving cash rewards to the class with the least demerit points and bonus points for attendance and community service.

The mood of the symposium, however, was influenced by the major concerns of mission schools which were highlighted at the start of the symposium.

MCSC honorary secretary Yin Kam Yoke brought up various pressing needs, in particular, the maintainance of buildings and furniture, as many mission schools were struggling with problems like leaking roofs, walls eaten by termites and deteriorating facilities.

“Mission schools are generally badly in need of funds to repair dilapidated buildings. It is hardly surprising that many mission school heads look with envy at new government schools which look like hotels and resorts,” she said.

“Can we blame them for grousing over the inequity of the situation? They are government servants but have to work so much harder.”

Yin pointed out that the land of most mission schools are owned by Mission Authorities, which is the reason Education Ministry officials have given for not allocating tables, chairs and computers to these schools.

“However, the Mission Authority gives the government free use of the land and the school buildings, for all intents and purposes, without charging even nominal rental.”

In her speech, Yin also said that MCSC had asked the ministry to consider a mechanism for “maximum consultation” with mutual agreement and adequate notice for nomination of school headships.

Some of these problems were outlined in a memorandum by MCSC handed to Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein in February this year.

Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong, in his closing speech at the symposium, assured participants that a “big amount of money will be pumped in” to help government assisted schools like vernacular, mission and religious schools.

In June, Hishammuddin had said the ministry would draw up a special “mini-blueprint” focusing on the development of various types of schools receiving capital grants.

“We are still at the preparatory stages of the mini-blueprint, so I cannot say how much the grants are,” said Wee.

He also gave assurance on the issue of maximum consultation and facilitating the renewal of leases and maintenance of quit rent at the nominal RM1 per year.

He added that “children studying in primary mission schools will be given automatic entry to secondary school”.

MCSC chairman Yap Kok Keong was clearly relieved and pleased with Wee’s announcements, and thanked him for addressing their fears.

“For a long time, we were struggling and accepting that we were an unfortunate group,” he said.

“But now, there is trust, encouragement and empowerment given to us,” Yap added.

As of January this year, there are 241,272 students studying in 410 primary and secondary mission schools nationwide.

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