Compiled by JUNAID IBRAHIM, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN
THE National Union of Heads of Schools has urged the Education Ministry to increase the number of music classes to give pupils more time to learn the subject, Sin Chew Daily reported.
Its president Lim Bee Khim said the 30 minutes allocated to primary school pupils each week currently was not enough for them to be proficient in the subject.
“I hope the ministry can increase music classes to one hour a week, just like the prior Standard Based Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR).
“Right now, we feel there is not enough emphasis on music. If that is the case, why do they (the ministry) keep insisting on hiring teachers with professional music qualifications to teach pupils?” she asked.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon reportedly said the ministry had failed to recruit enough teachers for three subjects – visual arts, physical education and music.
He said candidates applying for these subjects must have specialised qualifications.
> A man who was forced to work in Thailand by human traffickers was left emaciated and unable to communicate, reported China Press.
The man by the surname Chen, 35, finally made it home to Mentakab, Pahang, after leaving to be a chef in Thailand in January.
According to Chen’s father, family members received only one phone call from his son throughout the period, who claimed that he had fallen into a trap.
They lost contact with him until a friend visited their house recently.
“The friend came and said my son had been deported by Thailand and was sent to the Immigration office at Bukit Kayu Hitam. He was later sent to Hospital Alor Setar for treatment.
“The social worker there wanted us to identify our son and let us know about his condition,” the elder Chen said at a press conference held by the Mentakab MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau.
Initially, the elder Chen and his wife were unable to recognise the emaciated man, who looked unkempt.
“Our son has a tattoo on his back and when my wife saw it she could not help but cry,” he said.
The junior Chen was discharged last Saturday and was sent home by ambulance with the support of donors.
“The doctor at the hospital contacted us and told us that he needed physical therapy,” he said, adding: “Our son is unable to take care of himself. His hands kept trembling. I feel sad looking at him.”
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.