A 70-year-old Tamil school in an estate in Shah Alam received an unusual visitor this morning - United Nations special rapporteur on the right to education Vernor Munoz Villalobos.

SJK (T) Ladang Razak, which has 46 pupils, has been on the brink of closure several times. It came close to being demolished four years ago.

Villalobos, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 5, is currently visiting numerous schools to obtain feedback to draft a report on the state of Malaysia's education for the UN human rights council next year.

He is also meeting government officials, non-government organisations and teachers throughout the country. Before leaving Malaysia next Tuesday, Villalobos will announce his findings to the media and government.

This is the first visit of a human rights experts of the UN special procedures since Malaysia was elected into the UN human rights council last year.

Earlier today, Villalobos visited the SJK (C) Damansara Chinese school in Petaling Jaya, where students are housed in makeshift containers following a tussle with the government over the relocation of the school.

During a meeting with SJK (T) Ladang Razak committee head K Arumugam, Villalobos said he is taking into account the views of different communities regarding education.

"So far, I see that education here has developed at two or three different speeds," he added.

According to Chinese education movement (Dong Zong), Malaysia has 1,810 vernacular schools, 205 of which are run entirely without government aid.

Advocates of vernacular schools have long argued that the government is blocking the growth of such schools.

No new schools

During his visit to SJK (C) Damansara, he met with Save Our School (SOS) committee members who are operating the makeshift classrooms.

SOS chairperson Yong Yoke Sang told the UN official that no new Chinese medium schools have been constructed since independence.

"We have fewer schools that are serving an increasing number of students," he added.

Meanwhile, Arumugam told Villalobos that estate schools run the risk of being demolished by plantation companies.

He said when the service of estate workers are terminated by plantation companies, one of the main casualties is the vernacular school in the estate.

As for SJK (T) Ladang Razak, a compromise was reached after years of tensed negotiations.

The plantation company financed the construction of a new school building nearby, but the school board is facing hurdles as the government refuses to equip it with tables and chairs.

Parents are hoping that Villalobos will help change the situation.

"We don't understand why there is a difference between the way Malay medium schools are run compared to Chinese or Tamil schools," said M Partheeban, 38, whose children study in SJK (T) Ladang Razak.

"A lot of the problems we face could be resolved quickly if only the government acts," added the father of five when met at the school.

Meanwhile, Villalobos said he is not able to comment on his findings until he has the response from the Malaysian government.

However, he stressed that ethnic communities must have a say in their children's education.

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