Niat puzzled by surprise school visit

Education department's move something unsual and the National Indian Rights Action Team wants to know the reason for it

KUALA LUMPUR: National Indian Right Action Team (Niat) is seeking an explanation from the Perak education department over their surprise visit to the state’s Tamil schools during the UPSR examination.

Niat chairman Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim said: “Normally the officers visited the schools for a short period before leaving for other schools. But, in this case, they sat in the hall until the examination ended.

“There is a particular case where six officials from the education department visited the school when only five students sat for the exam.

“This is something unusual and it resulted in both the teachers and pupils panicking,” he added.

Thasleem also pointed that Niat was not accusing the department of practicing discrimination but merely wanted an answer for this strange episode.

“The department has all the right to visit schools. But they should inform the schools so the pupils and teachers will be aware about the situation in the examination hall,” he said.

Niat has already sent a letter to the state education department requestion for an explanation over the matter.

“We want to know why the department organised such a sudden trip only to Tamil schools and not to national or Chinese schools,” said Thasleem.

Despite, local Tamil dailies having raised the issue, the state education department is remaining tight-lipped.