English in education

PUTRAJAYA: There was mixed reaction from political parties on whether the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English should be retained.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said representatives from political parties were given five minutes each to state their stand on the policy during a roundtable discussion.

“I think we had a very good meeting as everyone spoke clearly on what they thought and the problems encountered,” he told reporters after co-chairing the discussion with his fellow deputy minister Datuk Razali Ismail yesterday.

Those present included MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat was represented by Senator Datuk Lee Sing Chooi.

Representatives from Umno, SNAP, SUPP, PBS, PRS, PBB, LDP, PBS, SAPP, Pasok, DAP and state education executive counsellors also attended.

Dr Wee said MCA’s stand on the policy was clear, which was to revert to mother tongue language in the teaching of the two subjects in primary school and to use other methods to increase students’ proficiency in English .

“We want the policy to continue at the secondary school level.”

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had earlier announced that a decision on whether Science and Mathematics would continue to be taught in English would be made after the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results were released at the end of the year.

He said the decision would not be based on the UPSR results.

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That was the report carried in Star Online today.

This is the thing that aggravates me to no end. The report describes everything except the outcome of the meeting.

Remember the quote from the movie As Good As It Gets that I highlighted in my earlier post? The line from the Jack Nicholson character was, I'm drowning here and all you're describing is the water.

Malaysian journalists are intelligent. But, being employed in the mainstream media must surely be an emasculatory experience (I use the word in the sense of, to deprive of strength or vigor; weaken not necessarily on castration which may inadvertently imply that all journalists are male which, of course, many are not). To have written a good piece only to see it hacked, blue-pencilled and re-jigged must be a soul-searing experience. A slow death.

But, here we are, with this meaningless piece of reportage from the Star Online. All I got from it was:

1. There was a meeting held in Putrajaya on English as a medium of education.

2. Some UMNO, MCA and MIC buggers were there.

3. There were others too.

4. DAP, for some reason, was there.

5. PKR and PAS were not (this one, you have to read between the lines, a Malaysian trick).

6. Everybody said something.

7. Nobody said anything.

8. MCA is a heroic party with strong principles.

9. Hisham won't be relying on the UPSR results.

10. And, MCA is a heroic party with strong principles.

Who owns the Star Online?

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Can anybody interpret this report deeper than this? Since we are not supposed to be able to rely on the BN (I mean, the report was quoting Wee Ka Siong and that was the best explanation he could give), perhaps the rep from DAP can tell us what happened...if he or she dares to.

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Commentator ben has kindly pointed out the NST Online report on the same matter. Have a read and see whether you can figure out where the English as a medium of instruction in Malaysian schools is headed. Click here.