Statement: The government should not marginalise Mission Schools

This is an extract of the statement issued on August 29, 2018 by Bro Andrew Loke, coordinator of La Salle Brothers, Malaysia; Sr Theresa Chua, Provincial of the Infant Jesus Sisters and Sr Christin Low, Provincial of the Canossian Sisters on the status of our government-aided schools.

Government should provide full aid to the Mission Schools
The Government should provide in their annual budget an allocation for grant-in aid to all the Mission Schools and the Government should cease their practice of non-adherence to the provisions of grant-in aid so provided in the said Education Act 1996. The practice of allocating limited grants for utilities bills of Mission Schools, does not solve the problem.

Mission Schools’ utilities bills should be paid in full by the Government.

Legal Responsibility of the Government to pay for Education
Article 12(1) of the Federal Constitution expressly prohibits any form of discrimination in the administration of educational institutions. In particular Article 12(1)(b) provides that there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race, descent or place of birth —

“(b) in providing out of the funds of a public authority financial aid for the maintenance or education of pupils or students in any educational institution (whether or not maintained by a public authority and whether within or outside the Federation).”

The obligation of the Government to provide full support for Mission Schools is set out in the Education Act 1996. Section 2 of the said Education Act, expressly states that Government-Aided Schools (that includes Mission Schools) shall receive full grant-in-aid. Such grant-in-aid shall include “Lain-Lain Perbelanjaan Berulang Tahun” which is then used to pay utility bills in full.

Premised on the above, it is wrong for the Ministry of Education in their press statement dated 24th August 2018 to suggest that they are prepared to assist Missions Schools subject to Government’s financial abilities, when it is their obligation to provide and pay for education.

The legal responsibilities of the Federal Government is clear. This includes the responsibility to provide all Mission Schools with proper infrastructure and a conducive learning environment for both teachers and students including provisions for furniture, upgrading of facilities and utilities.

Sadly, the State Education Department of the respective States, who are responsible for schools in their states have failed to carry out their statutory obligations and provide adequately for the Missions Schools in Malaysia.

Missions Schools providing for the development of the nation

For more than 165 years the Catholic Mission Schools have been closely involved in formal education throughout Malaysia, with the beginning of St Xavier’s Institution in Penang founded in 1852.

Since its first establishment, Mission Schools have strived to provide education for all the people in the country regardless of race, religion, creed and social class or gender. These schools also played an important role in the education of women, when such education was not available or limited at that material time. Such schools include the Convent Light School, Penang (the first girls’ school in Malaysia) founded by the Infant Jesus sisters in 1852 and the Canossian girls’ school in Malacca established in 1905.

Mission schools are known in the past for providing quality education and discipline, coupled with education for religious, moral and spiritual values. Hence, the Mission Schools readily identify themselves with the five principles of the Rukun Negara, namely,

(a) Belief in God,
(b) Loyalty to King and Country,
(c) Supremacy of the Constitution,
(d) upholding the Rule of Law and
(e) mutual respect and good social behaviour.

These values have helped build up generations of Malaysians that are tolerant with a strong spirit of service to society and the nation.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online