
Weak BM in vernacular schools requires urgent action
However, a growing concern remains: to what extent is BM truly understood and mastered by students in vernacular schools such as Chinese private secondary schools (SMPC), Chinese national-type primary schools (SJKC), and Tamil national-type primary schools (SJKT)?
Although BM is a compulsory subject in all schools, numerous studies reveal that...

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New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Fighter jet crashes into Bangladesh school, 20 dead; over 170 injured
DHAKA: A Bangladeshi fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 170 in the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades. Many of the victims were young students who had just been let out of class when a Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft slammed into the Milestone School and College. An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while army personnel helped clear the mangled wreckage. A military statement said 20 people were killed, including the pilot, and 171 others injured when the jet crashed following a mechanical failure. An 18-year-old student, Shafiur Rahman Shafi, said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake. "There were two fighter planes... Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground)," he told AFP. "It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire, and the army reached the spot later," he told AFP. The well-known private school offers education to children from kindergarten through to senior secondary. Most of the injured were aged between eight and 14, said Mohammad Maruf Islam, joint director of Dhaka's National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute where many victims were treated. Grieving relatives of the victims thronged the hospital, while dozens of volunteers lined up ready to donate blood. Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed. "We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals," Hossain told AFP. "He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body." The military said the pilot was on a routine training mission when the jet "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure." "The exact cause remains under investigation," it said in a statement. The pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", crashed into the two-storey school building, the military added. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday. Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation." The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades. The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board. Last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighbouring India, killing 260 people. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives" in Dhaka. Relations between the neighbours have been strained since protesters in Bangladesh last year ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, an old ally of New Delhi.

Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
Foreign Leaders Mourn Bangladesh Military Jet Crash That Claimed At Least 20 Lives
Volunteers rescue an injured girl, after an air force training aircraft crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer Firefighters work to remove the wreckage from a building, after an air force training aircraft crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer By Shakir Husain NEW DELHI, July 21 (Bernama) -- Foreign leaders on Monday expressed shock and sorrow over the deadly crash of a Bangladesh military jet that killed at least 20 people, including schoolchildren, and injured more than 170. India, Pakistan and the Maldives were among the nations that extended their condolences to Bangladesh in the aftermath of the tragedy. bootstrap slideshow The D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation mourned the deaths and expressed its solidarity with Bangladesh. "We stand in solidarity with the government and the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time and extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims and all those affected by this heartbreaking incident. We also pray for the swift and full recovery of those who were injured," said the Istanbul-headquartered group of which Bangladesh is a member. The Bangladesh Air Force's Chinese-made F-7 BGI fighter aircraft crashed into a building of Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara area. Among those who lost their lives was the plane's pilot, Flight Lieutenant Toukir Islam. The aircraft crashed due to a mechanical fault a few minutes after taking off at 1.06 pm local time from the Bangladesh Air Force Base AK Khandaker in Kurmitola as part of a regular training, according to a military statement. "Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. We pray for the swift recovery of those injured. India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.


New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Bangladesh fighter jet crashes into school, killing at least 19
DHAKA: A Bangladeshi training fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens more in the country's deadliest aviation accident in decades. An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while military personnel helped clear the wreckage. A military statement said 19 people were killed, including the pilot, and 20 others were critically wounded. At least 51 people, mostly students, were undergoing treatment at Dhaka's National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, its director Mohammad Nasir Uddin told AFP. The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft crashed moments after students were let out of class at 1pm (0700 GMT) at the Milestone School and College. A witness said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake. "We have two playgrounds, one for the senior students and one for the juniors," said Shafiur Rahman Shafi, 18, who is enrolled at the school. "We were on the playground for the seniors. There were two fighter planes... Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground)," he told AFP. "It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire, and the army reached the spot later." The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday. Grieving parents and relatives of the victims thronged the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed. "We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals," Hossain told AFP. "He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body." Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident in a post on X. "The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," he said. "This is a moment of profound pain for the nation." The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades. The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board.