The Barnes Report was a British proposal put forward in 1951[1] to develop a national education system in British Malaya. The Fenn-Wu Report, favoured by the Chinese, did not meet with Malay approval. In the end, the Barnes Report's recommendations for English-medium "national schools" were implemented by the 1952 Education Ordinance,[1] over vocal Chinese protests, who were upset by the lack of provision for non-Malay vernacular schools.