COMMENT | My privilege of attending an English school carried with it a hefty price tag even though it was a government school.

The extortionate donation to the building fund to grease my admission aside, there was tuition at RM2.50 per month during primary school, double that at the secondary level.

Then there were sports, library, and “activity” fees which far exceeded the tuition, plus costs for books and uniforms. The biggest expense for me, however, was bus fare at RM7.50 a month.

Urban kids were, of course, spared that significant burden. In total, my father forked out about RM50 per month for me alone. Multiply that by three, for an older brother and sister; that consumed nearly a third of my father’s monthly income. Luckily my mother was also a teacher but being a female, her salary was about a third lower.

My parents also subscribed to The Straits Times, the daily national newspaper, to encourage us to read in English. In the beginning, I would just read the headlines or flip through the pages. That did not bother my parents as they continued with the expensive subscription.

Occasionally they would ask me about some pictures, and I began reading the captions. Whether that reflected...