Archive for the ‘Tamil-Schools’ category

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RM50 million is for infrastructure, furniture and teaching tools

November 5th, 2008
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more details on the RM50 million allocation to Tamil schools (part of RM200 million to 4 types of schools) has been provided:

When contacted, Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said that the move would improve Malaysian education as many schools would benefit.

“The allocation is meant primarily for schools to upgrade their infrastructure and furniture,” he said.

“On top of that, the allocation can also help schools improve their teaching and learning tools.”

Thus, the money is not meant for changing status of schools from partial to fully aided status. What we can expect is possibly construction of new buildings, rewiring works, extension of buildings, furniture/teaching aid purchase, and so on.

The main aim is to ensure that contractors can get some projects, and the economy is so stagnant. All the schools will clamor to finish the money. So, this will boost the industrial sector

Meanwhile the MIC clarified that the party had identified Tamil schools which were in dire need of repairs and the funds should be channelled soon to remedy the situation.

Party information chief Datuk M. Saravanan, who is also Federal Territories Deputy Minister, said if the Government would provide the same amount for the next five years, then the woes of Tamil schools could be solved by 2013.

“There are many Tamil schools which are in dire need of funding to rebuild their buildings. I hope that the RM50mil is just a start.

“This also shows that the Government is committed towards assisting Tamil schools. We hope that this aid can continue for the next five years,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby.

He said a list of Tamil schools which needed assistance had been handed over to the Government and hoped that the Education Ministry would put this on fast track.

Earlier, Dr S Subra said need to talk with Samy Vellu, while now Saravanan said the list of school in need of help has been given to the government. Its good that if they have such a list so that can save time.

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RM50 million for Tamil schools

November 4th, 2008
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I would like to say “finally”, a fairly large amount have been pledged to Tamil schools. But due to the past records, it would still rank as “promise” until we see the fruits of the pledge.

Anyway, thanks to Deputy PM Najib who announced RM50 million for each category of schools – religious, Tamil, Chinese, and missionary.

A sum of RM200 million would be allocated to four groups of schools. RM50 million for fully-aided religious schools, RM50 million for mission schools, RM50 million for Chinese schools and RM50 million for Tamil schools.

I guess this is to patch the flaw in earlier budget when no such figure was mentioned.

This amount can be used to build more buildings, buy over land, and add facilities and infrastructure for many schools. Let’s hope at least the 30 worst off schools will be given priority. Rm50 million/30 schools would be RM1.67 million each. We can even stretch the ringgit a bit to cover 50 schools, which would work out to RM1 million per school. Or even 100 schools at RM500,000 per school. OR 200 schools at RM250,000 per school. My estimate is that between 50 to 150 schools can be relocated/rebuilt.

MIC promptly takes credit for this. Surprisingly, Dr S Subramaniam says he was the one. Hmm…putting an early start to next year’s elections, I guess.

Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam thanked the government and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for approving the MIC’s request for a RM50 million allocation for Tamil schools under the stimulus package announced today.

Subramaniam, who is also MIC secretary-general, said he had requested Najib, who is also finance minister to include an additional allocation in the stimulus package which was announced by Najib at the Dewan Rakyat today.

“I am happy that the government and DPM have taken our request into consideration. This will give Tamil schools a big boost,” he said in a statement.

Subramaniam said the allocation would facilitate the rebuilding of hundreds of Tamil schools which were in dire need of financial assistance.

“I will coordinate with MIC president S Samy Vellu on the schools which needed funding urgently,” he said.

He said the allocation proved that the Barisan Nasional government was very fair and was willing to assist in the development of Tamil schools.

I venture that this only proves the opposite. All this while, nothing much happened. And voila, RM50 million falls on the lap.

Its also very surprising and suspicious that one has to refer to the president of MIC to know which schools are in need of immediate funds. This kind of things – don’t they have a bureau or unit in MIC? Or is all the filing system is located in its president’s head? Or worse still, don’t tell me now only want to collect data or go on nationwide tour. Why not make use of education ministry/dept? Unless of course no one bothered to actually collect information on condition of Tamil schools before this.

I also hope that the contracts does not result in shoddy work and substandard output, especially those that reek of cronyism.

Anyway, perhaps we are expected to fall at the feet of MIC, ask for forgiveness and thank them profusely. Perhaps even beg them to accept back the very community who dumped them in the previous general elections. 🙂

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From RM30 million to RM100 million

October 17th, 2008
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RM30 million increasing to RM100 million is an increase of 3.33 times. Even if we look at increase of petrol, cement, steel bar, and construction materials, we don’t hear any housing project costs becoming even double. Even house renovation costs increase about 15-20% on average. But the cost to build 22 Tamil schools increased 333% (or 3 times more the original cost!).

Efforts to rebuild 22 Tamil schools cannot proceed because construction cost has gone up by over RM100mil, said MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

He said this meant that contractors would be making between five and ten-fold profits.

“We just received a RM30mil allocation to rebuild the 22 Tamil schools but what happens after the tenders are called is that construction cost increases by over RM100mil,” he told reporters after the MIC Central Working Committee meeting here yesterday, adding that he would discuss the matter with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak later.

not sure if he was quoted correctly, but the papers does say RM100 million. Will these be labelled as luxury projects and postponed?

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More training places for temporary Tamil school teachers

October 14th, 2008
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MIC helps to double places (from 100 to 200) for training for Tamil school teachers. Now targetting 300 places. If one remembers, recently the Tamil Schools Teachers Union was unhappy with the 100 places allocated. Now, 200 places is ready for the 1400 temporary teachers in Tamil schools. This was revealed by Dr S.Subramaniam.

Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said MIC would seek the cooperation of the Education Ministry to ensure that the 1,400 temporary teachers who are currently teaching in Tamil schools across the nation would be given the opportunity to pursue the teacher’s training course during the holidays within the next four years.

He said the Education Ministry had previously approved 100 places in the course for such teachers during the holidays, but at the request of MIC, had doubled the number of places to 200.

He said, however, that MIC found this number to be insufficient and had urged the ministry to allocate at least 300 places each year for temporary teachers from Tamil schools.

But, I’m peeved at the excuse given over partly-aided schools problem. For how long are they going to keep on identifying problems? Most schools have their own set of problems, so a crack team should be assigned to each of the 370 over schools. The team must be given a deadline to get the school to apply for conversion and clear all the requirements needed. I think in this way, at least few schools could have converted every year in the last 5 years. But until now, no news of even one school being converted. I think the idea of looking at the big picture is paralysing the process.

He said MIC was also in the midst of identifying problems faced by partly-aided schools and was taking the necessary action to solve these issues so that they could be converted to fully-aided schools.

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MIC Youth launches eye care program

October 14th, 2008
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MIC Youth has launched a eye care program from Tamil schools students with cooperation from England Optical Group. A student just need to pay RM50 for a package inclusive of the spectacles frames for either short- or long-sightedness. If there are any students from poor family, MIC Youth will cover the cost.

The eye care company will also conduct computerised eye checks, eye washing via ultrasonic, and correction of spectacle frames throughout all Tamil schools in the country, for the next one year.

According to MIC Youth website, the MOU was signed recently, witnessed by Samy Vellu.

The official statement is on their website, together with photos

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