WELDING RACES OF MALAYA

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29138, 25 February 1960, Page 2

WELDING RACES OF MALAYA

Education Held An Essential Weapon Education was an essential weapon in the attempt by the government of Malaya to weld the different races in the country into a new nation, said Mr M. R. Saba, a teacher from Malaya, who is studying at Canterbury University. He was speaking last night at a meeting of the Christchurch Business and Professional Women’s Club. The government had instituted a compulsory, national system of education, with Malay as the language of instruction, he said. The pattern of education was similar to the New Zealand system, said Mr Saba. A great problem was the shortage of teachers, particularly of Malay. Textbooks were now being orientated to the Malayan outlook, he said, and a national language institute was working to formalise the structure of the Malay language. Malaya's main educational problems had resulted from a great increase in population. “In 1947,” said Mr Saba, “20 per cent, of the population were of primary school age, and 60 per cent, were under 21 years.”

Teachers had to be sent to an emergency training college in England to be trained. Mr Saba himself was one of the first group of teachers who went to England. There was still a great shortage of accommodation and equipment, he said.

“If we are to expand our technical education, we must diversify our economy by encouraging secondary industries,” said Mr Saba. The government was attempting to develop craft and cottage industries.