Hotline for school-related issues

The Star

PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry has set up a hotline for queries on the 2008 school term and school-related issues.

Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said there had been many reports that had confused the public following the abolishment of school fees.

“Many are confused about the Parent-Teacher Association fees.

“The public can call us regarding fees, heavy school bags, textbooks and other issues related to the new school year,” he told reporters after presenting the Jalur Gemilang to 15 teams representing Malaysia in the World Robot Olympiad in Taiwan from today till Sunday.

He said the hotline should be operational by next week.

On a newspaper report quoting him as saying that the ministry would decide whether English-medium schools would be allowed in the country, Hishammuddin said it was a misquote.

“They quoted me wrong. I won’t go down that road and there is no mention of such a thing in the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010,” he said.

Last month, Hishammuddin said students would continue to have the option of using two languages for Science and Mathematics in public examinations.

He said the Government had decided to maintain the status quo, adding that the biggest problem concerned those in primary and rural schools.

On the World Robot Olympiad, Hishammuddin said the 15 teams were selected from 2,900 teams nationwide at both the primary and secondary school levels.