"How Is That Fair?" - Kedah Teacher Slams Racial Quota In Matriculation Programme
She stressed that it is unfair that non-Bumis only have 10% in matriculation centres funded by taxpayers' money.
By Jia Vern Tham — 26 Apr 2019, 01:11 PM
A teacher from SMK Ibrahim in Kedah recently hit out at the Education Ministry's decision to maintain the racial quota in the matriculation programme
A viral Facebook post by the teacher, which has since been taken down, was in response to the ministry's decision to maintain the quota system for the pre-university matriculation programme. The system allocates 90% of seats to Bumiputeras and the remainder to non-Bumiputeras.
New Straits Times reported on 24 April that the announcement was made by minister Maszlee Malik in a statement.
Meanwhile, the student intake to the programme has been increased to 40,000 from 25,000.
The woman stressed that the racial quota is unfair as matriculation centres are funded by taxpayers
"The 10% quota for non-Bumi students at 15 matriculation centres across the country is unfair as the centres are funded by taxpayers' money," the woman wrote.
"I have been saying this for a long time, this quota system is highly unfair... You're using taxpayers' money for the majority race," she added.
The biology teacher then recounted experiences with her students who wished to enrol in public universities
"I have seen the disappointed faces of my non-Malay students who obtained excellent SPM results, who wished to go to matriculation as a bridge to public universities but they failed because of the 10% quota," she wrote.
"As a teacher who always encourages her capable students to enrol in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, I get sad when my kids don't get chosen for matriculation," she added.
The woman then asked, "Are Malays the only ones who pay taxes?"
She then stressed that teachers do more than just teaching – they encourage and motivate students.
"At last, (they) don't even get anything... because the quota was full. But a Malay kid with 3A's get accepted into matriculation... how is that fair?" she said.