SHAH ALAM - Former Miss Malaysia World 2007, Deborah Henry believes true national unity in Malaysia can only be achieved through a single National School (Sekolah Kebangsaan) system, bringing students together under one educational framework.
In 'Let’s Get It' podcast, she acknowledged that her proposal might be controversial but emphasised that while preserving Chinese and Tamil schools is important for many, the primary focus should be on fostering a unified Malaysian identity.
"The National School system should aim to produce students proficient in Malay and English, while offering electives like Tamil, Mandarin or other languages to encourage everyone, regardless of race, to pick up a third language.
"This system must be exceptional, with top-notch infrastructure, facilities, qualified teachers and an outstanding curriculum that parents across all backgrounds would eagerly choose for their children.
"To transition from the vernacular school systems, perhaps Tamil and Chinese schools could be restructured into semi-private institutions.
"This does not mean shutting them down but evolving them into a unified educational stream, while maintaining the National School system as the primary focus,” she said.
Deborah, who is also a passionate children’s rights activist, is also the co-founder of Fugee School, a non-profit organisation that provides essential education to Somali refugee children.
By June of last year, the school had educated over 250 students and was supporting 130 learners aged between four and 22.
She shared an example of how many non-Chinese parents opt for Chinese schools, not only for the language but also for the discipline and quality of education they offer.
"Every Malaysian child, regardless of socioeconomic status, deserves access to a high-quality education,” she added.