| In the 60s and 70s, the national school system was the norm. Private, vernacular and religious schools were negligible. What happened with the direction taken by national schools since then that has caused parents to move their children away?
That said, my children were the only non-bumiputera in their class in the so-called"smart" school and from that immersion, they now excel in Bahasa Sarawak and have more non-Chinese friends compared to their peers. I respect that Islam is the national religion and Islamic religious lessons should continue but suggest that the periods allotted to Moral Studies for non-Muslims be used to teach the Pupils' Own Language . In that way, many of those who worry about not studying Mandarin, whether the motive is to learn mother-tongue language or for economic/carrier purposes, will return.
Additionally, boost English, Mathematics, Science & IT while monitoring the kind of Islam being taught - that Islam is a religion of peace and compassion and not the Islam that teaches that"Muslim-students-cannot-sit-down-non-Muslims" type of indoctrination.
To me, I blame this divide on government policy directions over the last few decades. It is still continuing and something should be done to correct this unintended consequence of segregation. The consequence of segregation at the school level is far deeper as it extends to adulthood and results in our children and future generations losing the ability to live together.