Thank you, Madame Chairperson.
From the view of the rights of minorities, we would like to suggest a correction on
paragraph 5, which states that minorities should not establish their educational
instructions in a manner that prevents them from understanding the culture and language
of national community as a whole. We would note that the expression used at the draft
recommendations can push minorities to learn majority language and culture not as a part
of their own rights but rather compulsory requirements in minority education.
We strongly support the article 4-4 of the Declaration on the Rights of persons belonging
to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities, which affirms that persons
belonging to minorities should have adequate opportunities to gain knowledge of the
society as a whole. This article would help overall development of capacity of minorities
and their participation into the society. However, states must not impose schools of
minority community to study majority language and culture, because it could undermine
the independence of these schools and have strong potentiality for minority community to
be enforced integration or unwanted assimilation or colonialism.
On the other hand, as the right to study majority language and culture is one of the crucial
rights of minorities. If minority community schools request support to the state, the
government should offer necessary help based upon schools’ request; namely, by
sending teachers and materials of majority languages and culture or providing subsidies.
Thank you, Madame Chairperson.