Revert to Bahasa Melayu/Malaysia
So now we are back to square one. Deputy Prime Minister announced today that the teaching of science and maths will revert to Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia (I still don’t know what they call it these days because the keep changing it every time we have a new Information Minister). The reason for the flip-flop was because the gap between rural and urban students have widen since the introduction of the policy in 2003. Let me get this straight, is the Deputy Prime Minister trying to tell everyone that before the teaching of science and maths in English, the performance of the rural students are at par with the urban students? If that is true, I think our education system must have been the best in the world.
So, basically the teaching of maths and science in English policy had ruined our education system. Hail to the government for making things right for everybody. From 2012 onwards, we would see the equal performance of both rural and urban students in public examinations. Parents will be happy and live happily ever after.
Sadly, that was not the case. Urban students tend – read tend – to perform better than rural students because they usually have better resources. Therefore, regardless of English or Bahasa, urban students have always performed better than their colleague in rural areas. So, basically the policy of teaching maths and science in English is not the reason behind the gap. At least we have established that.
Next, Dr. Mahathir’s greatest mistake when he introduced the policy was actually not ensuring the education system is well equipped with qualified teachers. The policy was introduced at a time when the teachers themselves learned maths and science in Bahasa. So, it is quite absurd to expect them to teach in English overnight. However, it is equally absurd to say that within the 6-year period, teachers are still unable to grasp the skills to teach Maths and Science in English.
The problems that have been plaguing the policy can be rectified if and only if there is a political will for it. Unfortunately the political will here is to win the Manik Urai By-Election (BN will definitely without a doubt lose in Manik Urai regardless of their actions). Policy can be perfected with adjustment here and there and not through abolishment altogether.
With public and private education institutions using English as medium of communication, what the government is doing is just helping the English-haters to delay their encounter with the language. By which time, they would be struggling with their new subjects and language altogether. Or maybe by then, the government can order all universities to use Bahasa as medium of communication. Then they can order all private sector companies to use Bahasa. Or why not ban English and make life easier for everyone?
So, basically the teaching of maths and science in English policy had ruined our education system. Hail to the government for making things right for everybody. From 2012 onwards, we would see the equal performance of both rural and urban students in public examinations. Parents will be happy and live happily ever after.
Sadly, that was not the case. Urban students tend – read tend – to perform better than rural students because they usually have better resources. Therefore, regardless of English or Bahasa, urban students have always performed better than their colleague in rural areas. So, basically the policy of teaching maths and science in English is not the reason behind the gap. At least we have established that.
Next, Dr. Mahathir’s greatest mistake when he introduced the policy was actually not ensuring the education system is well equipped with qualified teachers. The policy was introduced at a time when the teachers themselves learned maths and science in Bahasa. So, it is quite absurd to expect them to teach in English overnight. However, it is equally absurd to say that within the 6-year period, teachers are still unable to grasp the skills to teach Maths and Science in English.
The problems that have been plaguing the policy can be rectified if and only if there is a political will for it. Unfortunately the political will here is to win the Manik Urai By-Election (BN will definitely without a doubt lose in Manik Urai regardless of their actions). Policy can be perfected with adjustment here and there and not through abolishment altogether.
With public and private education institutions using English as medium of communication, what the government is doing is just helping the English-haters to delay their encounter with the language. By which time, they would be struggling with their new subjects and language altogether. Or maybe by then, the government can order all universities to use Bahasa as medium of communication. Then they can order all private sector companies to use Bahasa. Or why not ban English and make life easier for everyone?
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