The Razak Report’s Legacy

Last week was Teacher’s Day - celebrated annually on May 16 because it was on this date in 1956 that the Razak Report was formally endorsed by the Federal Legislative Assembly of Malaya. One year before Merdeka, the Razak Report found a consensus between the Chinese education movement, who insisted on mother tongue education, and the nationalist faction,who wanted a more prominent role for Malay in the national curriculum. Professor Dr R Santhiram of Wawasan Open University speaks to us about the central pillars of the Razak Report and its legacy on our education system today.