Kamalanathan urges update to tuition centre guidelines

KUALA LUMPUR: Former deputy education minister P. Kamalanathan has urged the Education Ministry to update all guidelines on its portal following the removal of the 30 per cent Bumiputera equity requirement for tuition centres.

In a statement, Kamalanathan said the move would help avoid confusion in the future.

Welcoming the ministry's decision to remove the requirement, he said it should also issue clear written confirmation on whether the removal applies to both new applications and existing centres seeking licence renewals.

"We welcome the ministry's decision to remove the 30 per cent Bumiputera equity requirement for private educational institutions under its purview. This is the right decision for Malaysian education.

"Tuition centres should be judged on teacher quality, student safety and learning outcomes; not the ethnic composition of their shareholding."

He also thanked the ministry and the investment, trade and industry ministry for listening to operators, parents and other stakeholders, and for upholding the principle that the education sector should remain open to all who wish to contribute to the nation's educational development.

"We remain committed to working with the government to raise education standards for all Malaysian children," said the former Hulu Selangor member of Parliament.

Yesterday, the education ministry scrapped the requirement for private education institutions to maintain at least 30 per cent Bumiputera equity ownership.

In a statement, it said the decision was reached following discussions with the investment, trade and industry ministry.