Malay Education was funded by the British government, was encouraged and provided for free. English was not taught in the village schools as the British deemed early training in the child’s mother tongue as an absolute necessity. The objective of Malay education was to make them better fishermen and peasants than their forefathers.As for Chinese schools, The Chinese schools were entirely funded by private enterprises. The Chinese community was largely responsible for setting up their own schools. The teachers, nearly all China-born, taught using textbooks imported from China. The students in these Chinese schools were very emotionally attached to the political happenings in China.Lastly for Tamil schools, Tamil language was taught in the Indian vernacular schools. Most Indian schools were small private schools. Similar to the Malay and the Chinese schools, the Indian schools are all primary grade.Last of all, English schools opened to all children on fee-paying basis. English schools were supported by private enterprise but assisted by the government. English is the primary medium of instruction. Over time, the government began to manage and finance some schools. Schools started by missionaries were given financial aid but left to the management of the missionaries. [ What can I infer about people's lives before independence?]

Question

Malay Education was funded by the British government, was encouraged and provided for free. English was not taught in the village schools as the British deemed early training in the child’s mother tongue as an absolute necessity. The objective of Malay education was to make them better fishermen and peasants than their forefathers.As for Chinese schools, The Chinese schools were entirely funded by private enterprises. The Chinese community was largely responsible for setting up their own schools. The teachers, nearly all China-born, taught using textbooks imported from China. The students in these Chinese schools were very emotionally attached to the political happenings in China.Lastly for Tamil schools, Tamil language was taught in the Indian vernacular schools. Most Indian schools were small private schools. Similar to the Malay and the Chinese schools, the Indian schools are all primary grade.Last of all, English schools opened to all children on fee-paying basis. English schools were supported by private enterprise but assisted by the government. English is the primary medium of instruction. Over time, the government began to manage and finance some schools. Schools started by missionaries were given financial aid but left to the management of the missionaries. [ What can I infer about people's lives before independence?]

Answer 1

Seems to be a conglomeration of ethnicities, each keeping their own culture, and expectations. No one was making a national culture, or national ethic or socioeconomic culture.

Answer 2

Based on the information provided, we can infer several things about people's lives before independence:

1. Education: The education system was divided along ethnic lines, with separate schools for Malays, Chinese, Indians, and English-medium schools. Malay education focused on practical skills like fishing and farming, while Chinese schools emphasized cultural and political ties to China. Indian schools taught in the Tamil language and were primarily privately funded. English schools were fee-paying and provided instruction in the English language.

2. Ethnic communities: The different ethnic communities, Malays, Chinese, and Indians, had their own schools, funded and managed by their respective communities. This indicates a degree of segregation and a focus on preserving cultural identity within each community.

3. Government support: The British government funded and encouraged Malay education, considering it essential to provide early training in the child's mother tongue. However, Malay education was free, suggesting limited resources and support for educational infrastructure. Chinese schools were entirely privately funded, indicating self-reliance within the Chinese community.

4. Cultural attachment: Students in Chinese schools were emotionally attached to the political happenings in China, highlighting a strong sense of connection to their cultural heritage and ancestral homeland.

5. Language: The respective mother tongues of Malays, Chinese, and Indians (Malay, Chinese, and Tamil) were prioritized in their education. However, English was the primary medium of instruction in English schools, emphasizing the British influence on education and the importance of English language proficiency during colonial rule.

Overall, before independence, people experienced segregated educational systems based on ethnicity, with varying levels of government support and emphasis on cultural identity and language instruction.