Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today said that the ministry will not allow schools to choose the language used for the teaching of Maths and Science as this would complicate matters.
According to Muhyiddin, providing choice would pose difficulties in planning.
"If (schools are allowed) choices, there will be a mess (kucar-kacir) in the education system.
"It will be hard for the ministry to plan. If a school chooses to teach in English, or in Bahasa Melayu, how will we provide teachers?" he asked.
Pressure groups consisting of concerned parents are asking for the government to allow schools to choose the language of instruction for these two subjects following the policy change to revert teaching in Bahasa Malaysia.
He added that as a father, he understands the concerns and aspirations of parents, but the decision was taken after considering all sides of the argument.
“There are teachers who are not so good at teaching in English, so if they do then what is the use of that? The parents’ aspirations won’t be met.
“The policy (to teach in Bahasa Malaysia) is already in place and should be respected,” he said.
Soft landing planned
He added that the ministry is also taking a “soft landing” approach to ensure that students will not be given a rude shock by the transition.
“Some parents don’t understand, they're not sure if this means their children will have to study in Bahasa Malaysia after studying in English all the while, for example.
“That is what we will explain.. there will be a transition next year, and we have arranged for this,” he said.
He said that all schools have already begun teaching Maths and English in Bahasa Malaysia, except for a “cohort of schools” which will be assisted to ensure ease of transition.
He also reminded parents that the new policy aims also at strengthening English language skills by expansion of the teaching period for the subject from 240 minutes to 300 minutes.
“We also have brought in master teachers to assist the English teachers and I understand it is very helpful,” he said, adding that next year Fullbright scholars will fulfill the same role.
Officially opening the Congress on the Malay Language and Literature VIII earlier, Muhyiddin said that the mastery of English as a language of knowledge does not mean sidelining the national language.
'Teaching in English only benefits elite'
He said that merely focusing on English would mean that most of society would be left behind and most are better adept in national language.
“If everything is taught in a foreign language, only a handful of society can master the knowledge. In the end, knowledge only circulates among the handful who are fluent in a foreign language,” he said.
He added that European scholars once mastered Arabic to learn from Arabic scholars, but then used this knowledge to produce their own research in their respective languages.
Muhyiddin was also lauded a “champion” of the Malay language, having changed the policy for the language of instruction for English and Maths.
Speaking before the minister officially opened the event, National Writers Association (Gapena) chief Abdul Latiff Abu Bakar (right) also commended Muhyiddin for his boldness to grace the event.
“This congress is attended by (Muhyiddin), a leader which we respect as he is a champion in place Bahasa Melayu in a place of prestige as the national language in all sectors, especially as the leader responsible for abolishing the teaching of Maths and Science in English...” he said to rousing applause.
Abdul Latiff added Muhyiddin is unlike government leaders who had shunned the congress in its sixth and seventh installments in 2003 and 2007 respectively.
“Government leaders were afraid to attend (the congress) as the issue of the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English starting in 2003 was strongly opposed by congress members.
“Sadly, the sixth congress which was supposed to be held at the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) in Tanjong Malim...was ‘kicked out’ 15 hours before the event,” he said.
Page ‘still hopeful’
In immediate reaction, Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (Page), who are at the forefront in the struggle to have the two subjects taught in English, said they are “still hopeful”.
“(The Education Minister) still needs the endorsement of the PM,” said Page chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, adding that she believes the PM is still open to discussion.
She added that the ministry’s solution to improve on the teaching of English, while making the national language the medium of instruction for mathematics and science, does not benefit schools that already excel in the English language.
“Many school are already doing very well, especially those which were rated Band 1 and Band 2 (in a ministry survey of school performance) so obviously one size does not fit all.
“People are going on about the position of Bahasa (Malaysia) but that is irrelevant as we are talking about science and technology,” she said.
Aidila Razak
"If (schools are allowed) choices, there will be a mess (kucar-kacir) in the education system.
ReplyDelete"It will be hard for the ministry to plan. If a school chooses to teach in English, or in Bahasa Melayu, how will we provide teachers?" he asked.
If the DPM cannot solve this simple problem, maybe he should let others who can.
perlu dipastikan sistem yang digunapakai memberikan pendidikan yang berkualiti kepada pelajar.
ReplyDeleteapa pun, harap kualiti pendidikan akan dapat dipertingkatkan..
ReplyDeleteSistem pendidikan negara kita perlulah ditingkatkan lagi.
ReplyDeleteSaya menyokong pembelajaran sains dan matematik dalam bahasa Inggeris. Sekurang-kurangnya Sabah dibenarkan menggunakan bahasa Inggeris seperti dalam perjanjian Perkara 20 perkara.
ReplyDeletePractice makes perfect, why not just let them do it in English?
ReplyDeleteMeluntur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya.
ReplyDeletekena gunakan sistem pendidikan yang sistematik dan benar2 berkesan.
ReplyDeleteharap sisem pendidikan yang digunakan pakai masa kini benar2 berkesan dalam melahirkan pelajar yang cemerlang.
ReplyDeleteBalik2 tukar. Susahlah kalau macam ini.
ReplyDeleteAmbil contoh dari negara yang maju dalam sistem pendidikan mereka
ReplyDeletebetter for those ministry to find a solution to solve the problem of illiteracy among our students. how can we expect them to use a foreign language while they are still could not read properly.
ReplyDeletekementerian perlu mengambilkira pelbagai aspek dalam menentukan samada BI atau BM yang akan digunakan dalam matapelajaran Sains dan Matematik. jangan sampai pelajar mundur ke belakang pula sebab kebingungan.
ReplyDeletekalau kementerian menetapkan BI yang akan digunakan, lebih baik ia berterusan dan tidak akan ditukar2 lagi. biarlah mata pelajaran lain saja yang akan diajar dalam BM.
ReplyDeleteTidak perlulah tukar sana tukar sini ini akan membuatkan kualiti pendidikan kita seperti tidak terurus langsung.
ReplyDeleteItulah pasal Buttercup...Janganlah tukar-tukar. Kalau mahu BM berterusan maka teruskan saja tidak perlulah tukar selepas itu. Kenara ini akan menyusahkan orang lain seperti Guru, pencetak buku latihan dan nota dan banyak lagi yang akan berlaku selepas itu...
ReplyDeleteMalaysian education system still needs to be improved in order to produce higher quality students.
ReplyDeleteThe Education ministry needs to make the best decision regarding this.
ReplyDelete