THE Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) wishes to congratulate the 20 schools accorded the status of “high-performance schools”.

Some pertinent points arise.

While the principals are given  free rein to use the generous funding that comes with the
status, are they equipped to ensure that every sen spent is wisely invested for the schools to further capitalise on its strengths and not to unknowingly enrich opportunists?

Are these high performance schools now open to selected foreign students who would otherwise resort to international schools, if at all the principals have the discretion to offer such places?

The principals will now have full autonomy over the curriculum. If the strength of the school has been in science and maths in English, and if the autonomy given is truly exercisable, can the school continue the teaching of science and maths in English, to ensure not just sustainability of results and performance but even beyond?

Looking at the bigger picture, if all the 20 schools are truly deserving of the status of high performance, they should lead the way and take the challenge of continuing to pursue the teaching and learning of science and maths in English yet still maintaining Bahasa Malaysia as the main medium of instruction for other subjects.

These high performance schools should be the first choice of national schools, and rightly so, offering science and maths in English. This will attract not only good foreign students but also students from the vernacular schools, and simultaneously will also uphold the image of the ultimate 1Malaysia school as envisioned by the prime minister.

While it appears to be a positive move in the direction of making national schools a better choice, if not first choice, will these schools truly be given the full autonomy they deserve? Or is this whole exercise a mere political gimmick, to re-brand what is already fine and perfect? What is to become of the cluster schools?

Nevertheless for the 20 schools, here is an opportunity not to be missed. Advance together as one to look beyond and to project the education system forward, producing the best students who are globally competitive and competent and be a fine example for other schools to emulate.

Source: The Sun – January 28, 2010