The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (29.3.1969):
The Aziz Commission Report has brought fear, uncertainty and insecurity to 25,329 teachers who have been described as unqualified and underqualified teachers and who are recommended to pass the S.C. or M.C.E. examination within three years or face dismissal.
This recommendation, if adopted and implemented, will be a great and cruel blow on Chinese school teachers.
Their ability of Chinese – school teachers to teach has nothing to do with their passing S.C. or M.C.E. examination before they could continue teaching, as it is to demand that English school teachers must pass the Chinese Senior Middle Three examination before they could be confirmed in their teaching posts.
It is an unreasonable to expect Chinese school teachers to pass the S.C or M.C.E. examination before they could continue teaching, as it is to demand that English school teachers must pass the Chinese Middle Three examination before they could be confirmed in their teaching posts.
The DAP calls on the government and the Education Minister, Inche Khir Johari, to make an immediate announcement that the government would not dismiss teachers from Chinese schools because they lack S.C. or M.C.E. certificates, and will not impose this particular Aziz Commission Report recommendation which will throw out of jobs 25,329 teachers.
If such an assurance is not forthcoming now, it is unlikely that it will be forthcoming after the next general elections.