Indian students not discriminated against, says Kluang principal

Principal of Sekolah Tinggi Kluang, Wahid Bijaj, has dismissed an allegation that he attempted to bar his Indian students from taking Tamil classes by transferring out the subject teacher.

In a written statement, Wahid said two more teachers are still available to teach the language to some 172 students after the said transfer.

“The teaching and learning process is still going on,” he said.

An anonymous short messaging service, which has been circulated since last week, claims that the principal does not wish its students to take Tamil as an additional subject in PMR, SPM or STPM examinations.

The message claims that the Tamil class has been ceased in the school since January, and that the Tamil language head teacher was transferred by force to destroy Tamil language (Pengetua Sekolah Tinggi Kluang,Johor tidak mahu para pelajar India mgambil bhs Tamil dlm PMR,SPM.STPM. Kelas Bhs Tamil tdk djalankan sejak Januari ini. Guru Ketua Panitia Bhs Tamil dpindahkan secr paksa utk mghapuskan Bhs Tamil.)

Wahid  has lodged a police report against the allegations. He also posted his explanation via a website.

He said the said teacher, who holds a degree in visual art and Malay literature, was transferred to SMK Jalan Mengkibol on February 12 because the school is “in need of a visual art teacher”.

“There are a total of seven teachers in the school who have been transferred to some new schools, she was just one of them,” he said.

He however assured that the two remaining teachers are both qualified with Tamil language diplomas.

Students choose to drop the subject

Kluang district education officer Shaharudin Sharif also refuted the allegations as “lies”.

“I have checked the teaching record and was assured that teaching-learning process is still going on,” he said.

He said some Indian students, who received education in national school (sekolah kebangsaan), chose to drop the subject out of fear of not scoring in examinations.

“The school however still accommodates them with Conversational Tamil subject,” he added.