Schools are expected to take a stand on whether to support the continued use of English as the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics.
First to come out in support of the present policy is the Parent-Teacher Association of SK Bukit Damansara.
It obtained a mandate from its members at a meeting yesterday to appeal to the Education Ministry to continue with the use of English.
At present, English is used in the teaching of the two subjects from Year One to Year Six.
SK Bukit Damansara PTA vice-chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said members of the committee would be meeting PTAs from other schools next Saturday to enlist their support. A report will be submitted to the ministry.
The on-going debate among parents, educators, students and government officials on the use of English as the medium of instruction for the two subjects was sparked by a report in the New Sunday Times.
The report, based on a survey by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, said the policy introduced by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003 was flawed and should be scrapped.
SK Bukit Damansara PTA committee member Roz Mawar Zain said there were limitations in using English to teach Mathematics and Science. However, reverting to the national language would be too drastic. Roz Mawar added that more time was needed to gauge the results of the existing policy.
It obtained a mandate from its members at a meeting yesterday to appeal to the Education Ministry to continue with the use of English.
At present, English is used in the teaching of the two subjects from Year One to Year Six.
SK Bukit Damansara PTA vice-chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said members of the committee would be meeting PTAs from other schools next Saturday to enlist their support. A report will be submitted to the ministry.
The on-going debate among parents, educators, students and government officials on the use of English as the medium of instruction for the two subjects was sparked by a report in the New Sunday Times.
The report, based on a survey by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, said the policy introduced by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003 was flawed and should be scrapped.
SK Bukit Damansara PTA committee member Roz Mawar Zain said there were limitations in using English to teach Mathematics and Science. However, reverting to the national language would be too drastic. Roz Mawar added that more time was needed to gauge the results of the existing policy.
Read more here.
3 comments:
Hi CT,
I have been following this here, and I've not commented before this cos I didn't, and still don't know if I want into this hornets' nest!
But one thing we should stop doing is: change, yet again.
I think the reality of what is actually happening on the ground is this: teachers are teaching maths and science bilingual-ly: teaching in BM and sorta saying a couple of terms or stuff in English.
This would work for everyone concerned.
Students couldn't follow nuts if it were all in English anyway. And, I'm sure many of today's teachers would struggle with the English themselves.
We need to remember that these teachers are a product of the all-BM medium we so cleverly and nationalistic-ly introduced in the late 70s: so they themselves have to LEARN this science-in-English in order to teach.
This is ONE BIG-ASS MESS!
I don't know the way out of it, and I have no answers, nor can I offer any solutions.
But the one thing I think we should not do is change yet again.
We've messed enough with our children's minds. I think we should just leave them alone and let them try to learn something, and come out of this alive. A cruel fate, no doubt, but I don't think they'll thank us for switching mid-stream again!
One real solution would be to have English medium schools again - as I read in another blog - 'I' of the storm. Go check him out. He's on my blogroll. He's a brilliant dude.
This may be a real solution. BUT the kids must be enroled from the start, standard one/pre-school - so that the language builds/grows with them. No jump starts that screw with their minds again!
What we need is a far-sighted education policy - looking ahead, to create literate and well-rounded bilingual and tri-lingual citizens.
Not this mish-mash of so-called nationalistic, uninspired, paranoid dementia that now passes for our education policy.
People complain that we're producing unemployable robots. While that may be true, do they realise that WE are to blame for this? We've let it be by our silence.
We need to light another candle here, lah, CT.
Pat
Hi Patricia
It's not an easy one that's for sure. Hishammudin must be taking Panadol every 5 minutes on this one!
What I hope to happen is this:
1. Liberalise this issue by permitting individual school authorities + Parent-Teacher Associations to decide whether to go with English in Science & Maths or go with BM. It should be an option.
2. More training in English language proficiency for teachers. Too much of the MOE budget has been wasted on hardware. To go spend on training the teachers.
All my children attend national schools. The teachers are mostly sincere and conscientious. It really isn't their fault that they are not very proficient in English. The teachers today were themselves educated in BM.
The full BM curriculum came into play in 1970 (if my history is correct). It has been 2 decades. 2 generations of Malaysians.
Dr M either had an epiphany or pang of conscience when he decided to go with English for Science & Maths in 2002. But, as usual, the Great Helmsman (a nod to Chairman Mao) issued an edict and all the "yes-man" and "Pak Turut" jumped to implement the policy overnight.
So, the syllabus was translated into English. But, there was no time to transition in the teachers.
That is why, like many, I question the findings of UPSI. Those of us who are wary of surveys and assumptions used in surveys have our fears proven right.
If you ask the wrong question, how can you get the correct answer?
So, like many parents, I hope the MOE will treat the UPSI findings with objectivity and not just pander to one strong lobby group for political reasons.
Education policy needs to be apolitical. Otherwise, what we will get are stupid and incompetent Malaysians that no one will employ.
Memang betul, memang betul.
Pat
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