All systems go for science and maths reverting to BM in 2011
The Financial Edge
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 21:54
PUTRAJAYA: The federal government is ready to shift back to teaching science and mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia in 2011 and will not accommodate requests to remain with English as the medium of instruction for these subjects, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
The education ministry was at "the final stages of preparation" of implementing the policy, and textbooks for both subjects in Bahasa Malaysia were being written, he told a press conference after chairing a cabinet committee meeting on human capital development on Monday, May 17.
Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, said that he had received a report a fortnight ago indicating that the ministry was ready to proceed in 2011 with the first batch to be taught under the reinstated Bahasa Malaysia policy.
He had told parliament in October 2009 that the education ministry was mulling the possibility of teaching mathematics and science in Bahasa Malaysia to Standard One students in 2011, ahead of the 2012 target year set for other students nationwide.
On July 8, 2009, Muhyiddin had announced the cabinet's decision to abolish the policy of teaching science and mathematics in English (or PPSMI, the Malay acronym for the policy), that was adopted in 2003.
The decision marks a reversion to Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction for the two subjects in national schools as well as a shift back to vernacular languages in Chinese and Tamil schools starting 2012.
To another question, Muhyiddin said his ministry was aware that certain quarters had been lobbying for schools to be given an option to teach the subjects in English but it remained closed to the possibility.
"We are aware that some have requested that but if we take that into account, many problems will emerge (and it would seem as if) we are inconsistent on policy," he said.
"We understand what students and parents need. We want parents to give the ministry a chance to implement the policy (back to Bahasa Malaysia for the two subjects)."
Muhyiddin reiterated that the new policy would include steps to enhance students' command of the English language, including an increase in teaching time for the English language, several steps to transform the teaching of the language and the recruitment of more teachers.
"What is certain is that it (the teaching of the English language) will be more enjoyable... The new curriculum will be enhanced."
A group of parents who call themselves the Parent Action Group for Education (Page) had in October 2009 submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak seeking an exemption from the policy shift to enable certain schools to opt to continue teaching science and mathematics in English.
Page chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim had said that the group was pushing for the establishment of a new category of schools that taught both subjects in English, alongside existing vernacular schools.
Contacted on Monday, Noor Azimah maintained that Page's request for options was a "reasonable" one as it was not opposing the government's policy nor was it challenging the status of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.
"It's a reasonable request. PPSMI is a policy matter. But this policy has been overly politicised. It is a win-win situation (if schools are given a choice)," said Noor Azimah.
Noor Azimah also pointed to the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision which affirmed that it was constitutional to teach mathematics and science in English. High Court judge Mohd Zawawi Salleh ruled on May 7 that the two circulars on the execution of the previous policy for vernacular and national schools to teach both subjects in English did not contradict Article 152 of the Federal Constitution.
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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37 comments:
Now it seems we have been stonewalled by our DPM who has refused to listen to our views on PPSMI even though there are PTAs that have voted for the continuation for the teaching of Maths & Science in English. If all this while there had been no problem in implementing PPSMI, now there are excuses.
Let us set a programme. If no consideration is given, let us go higher to the PM or approach our MPs to take it to the Cabinet. By the 1st of July 2010, no positive news, let us file a test case in our Courts with the help of some charitable lawyers to use PPSMI in schools whose PTAs vote for it in the majority.
Time never waits. Act NOW or forever be silenced as in the next two/three years our teachers will forget to teach M/Sc in English. The NEXT generation should not be lost like those in between the 1970s' to 1990s'.
I feel it is time to prepare the legal papers NOW !
Here we are all worried to death about our children's education but DPM is more concerned with "it would seem as if we are inconsistent on policy"
The policy was decided infairly in the first place! Parents and pupils themselves were not given any say.
sorry typo error, shld read unfairly
I just wonder why the Mandarin and Tamil schools are so quiet on insisting that Science and Maths are taught in English in those schools. Is Tamil and Mandarin far more superior in teaching Maths and Science vis-a-vis the national language?
The government is not foregoing strengthening the English language at all. Is PAGE and its supporters so fearful that children are going to lose any writing and speaking skills in English, just because they study Science and Maths in the national language?
To master the English language, encourage children to love English literature. And it is much too immature and short-sighted to force a change in government just because Maths and Science is taught in Malay.
I can tell you why the chinese school parents are so quiet. A lot of them do not know what to do. Many do not understand English well and therefore feel they cannot do anything and also feel that the government will not listen. Even the Chinese school teachers are unhappy with the move but again, no one to lead them. Chinese schooln students are facing the same problem as Malay school students. Many come out in the market and can't find good jobs because of their bad English. They land up as sales girls/men in shopping complexes or find some other business to do. The ones who are good in English are usually those who have English educated parents. We, are facing the same dilemma because of our government's short sighted policy.
Dear Zulkifli
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5299599350082706378&postID=5606015820014387263
Read the comments by Chinese parents about this topic.
It is all about politics. MCA thinks it is best for us to study in Chinese. We are very angry but we no one is listening. That's why kick MCA out!!
One more thing, if the government wants to switch, then both subjects should be taught in BM and not in Chinese or Tamil. Why so many languages and not English?
I am sure someone from MOE is reading this blog. Tell your bosses to listen to us. We are not fighting against the government. Quoting Jedi we are "a bunch of caring parents fighthing for their precious kids future" and that is the future of Malaysia. Don't just make a political decision that is going to take the country further down the drain. You help us we help you
For unity, we'd better have single national language schools, just learn the subject as it is. Science&Math in national languange. Bahasa, Mandarin & Tamil on its own respectively. It's fair enough & for the future of our nation - UNITY.
To get a great job, it's not depending on Science&Math taught in English or not. I come from a rural area at Kedah but manage to study oversea & finally land on top 10 of top 500 Multi National Companies, even we study in national language.
P/S : Bahasa Malaysia is not our mother's tongue but we love to study in national language. For future & unity.
Politic aside.
The language nuances and meanings used for Maths,Science & IT are different from that used to communicate for business & leisure. Please try reading R&D language required to register patents, understand mathematical language, scientific journals, IT usage manuals, etc. Out of 1000 articles in English, hardly 10 get translated by DBP into BM.
Our children, +-80% of them, will become the proverbial "katak dibawah tempurung" in a world of around 28 million Malaysians.
Even our Tun MM has realized it after 22 years in power & cried to reverse our childrens' decline among the world's standings.
We love BM as a cohesive language among Malaysians but we want PPSMI for the sake of our children in a global knowledge context. If you can not read 99% of R&D in English, majority of our future generations will decline.
Literature is loved in whatever language it is written, even in Urdu, if it is your Mother tongue.
We are talking about English for M/Sc, not for literature.
Very few front-line Govt.staff can talk English, Mandarin or Tamil. Single language in the family does not help broaden the mind and understandings. The majority of Malaysians have to wait for the translations!!!
Learn from the wise Tun MM, at least where English for M/Sc is concerned to continue PPSMI where we parents vote for it.
To Minority Kedah,
Do you know how difficult it was when you switch to English when you first went overseas?
Somehow I think that you are just saying rubbish.
I got friends who almost fail because of language difficulty. And they wished that they got better and more exposure in English.
PPSMI gives student more exposure in English. The lucky ones (those who received it), I am sure, will not regret it!!!
Minority Kedah, please consider your statements before you post them.
Mamat
to anonymous (mamat) & minority kedah
it is quite common for those who are anti ppsmi to quote the successful minority to show that we don't need ppsmi. what they miss out are the vast majority who can't even construct a simple sentence in english after 11 yrs of schooling - these are the people who apply for jobs ranging from clerical to professional & get rejected without any second thoughts from the interviewer. while we are concerned with the vast majority who struggle with english, they will give examples of the successful minority. by the way mamat, i went through the english medium shool system & i have no regrets whatsoever.
Deeply regretable that DPM decided to abolish PPSMI and refused to entertain any requests to reinstate PPSMI in whatever form. This is what they mean by Rakyat diutamakan ?
I really don't know what is going on to 1Malaysia? Who is really in-charge? "Raykat didahulu and pencapaian diutama" What this theme means? At the sametime, we have a senior minister who trying to make haste policy without knowing the facts... abolish PPSMI,UPSR and PMR without proper consultations, research,evaluation discussions and so forth. It's sad day for IMalaysia.
I am also from Kedah rural out skirt and have No Problems learning Maths and Science in English.
Look at Highly Industrialize Japan , they even use KATAKANA to translate English into Japanese (by Pronounciation) for Maths and Science so just cannot reason out why we can't learn Maths and Scince in English
directly unless Until our nation is as developed as western nations.
It save up a lot of trouble to translate as our DBP is sleeping doing nothing.
It does not make sense, instead of moving forward, we Malaysians are opting to move back to the caves. All the polls carried out were turned a deaf ear by the government.
Both my children are in Chinese schools, the chinese schools are not keeping quiet about this but most of them (like me) has participated in the polls against the change. I'm really worried about my children coping up with these 2 subjects being taught in Bahasa Malaysia.
The reason of teachers not being able to cope with English is just an excuse, they should be trained instead of running away.
How do they expect the support of the rakyat when the rakyats' voices are turned a deaf ear.
I totally agree with anonymous. We Malaysian should look forward and go ahead with what our ex PM had implemented for our children..... I feel like we are moving backward now.....
Please continue teaching Science and Math in English....
I believe mostly all the top people are sending their children or grandchildren to international school......so they don't care!!
From.........Disappointed Rakyat
PAGE don't have a chance, to tell the truth. Unless if they can bring demonstrators bigger than those demonstrators in supporting abolishment of PPSMI and suck bigger water canon.
That the truth man.
It was quite interesting to read all those comments being posted and I can tell that the majority is opting for the two subjects to be in English. Just to bring the two subjects back into English has to go through a kind of tug of war so it is a wistful dream to ask for English medium schools to be brought back. I admire PAGE esp Datin Noor Azimah and the committee for their unwavering stand and support for the PPSMI and even to the extend to bring the matter directly to our PM who seems powerless to deal with his Deputy. Dear PM, you are our only hope. The election is near. Do find a solution fast to please all parties. Let the schools decide which language to use and we, parents, will show you which school is more favourable.
Pls.do something Datin Noor Azimah ,if DPM really go ahead in abolishment of PPSMI,all parents should do something like having the demonstration to get them listen.As far as I know many parents out there are also desperate.We, parents will support you in whatever decision you made for the PPSMI to remain.
January 2012 is 3 months away and many parents are clearly sick of the goverment! If it goes ahead with the abolishment of PPSMI, you can be very sure parents will be voting against Najib's government in the coming election!
i suffered a lot when i studied in overseas more than 20 years ago, because my secondary S&M was taught in Bahasa. I struggled to express myself in both written & spoken English although i understood the engineering concept well. At the end of the day i did not do well in the university due to language deficiency. Sad to see younger generation is going to encounter likewise.
All government staff and ministers should disclose to the public where their children are studying. Are they in public kebangsaan schools or are they in private schools that teaches maths and science subjects in english. Let us know where their own children are educated.
PLs do something about it Datin Noor Azimah, we parents are worrying the way the government handling the education issue.Our children are not guinea pigs. They started the PPSMI in 2003 and will face a drastic change in their school life for the 2 core subjects. After 9 years of PPSMI,the ministry is moving backward with those ridiculous excuses. We won't hesitate to join for any demonstrations any needs arise.
Datin Noor,
Pls list down the contacts or representatives for page at each state or be specific the town (on your website) which we parents can easily join and support the activities or movements that Page going to conduct. They are parents waiting and willing to fight together for the PPSMI issue.
Dear all,
I strongly support that Maths & Science should be taught in English if a nation wishes to prosper. Every future citizen in this country must be given the choice of selecting their own way of eduction system with English or Bahasa as the medium of instruction not negotiating the quality of Bahasa which is a must for the national identity.
77% workforce got only SPM has nothing to do with PPSMI. It only means majority does not go beyond SPM level in their education.
PAGE should assist MOE on how to improve this. Maybe we need more vocational schools.
I strongly support that Maths & Science should be taught in English if a nation wishes to prosper. Every future citizen in this country must be given the choice of selecting their own way of eduction system with English or Bahasa as the medium of instruction not negotiating the quality of Bahasa which is a must for the national identity.
Refer to pg 42 of STAR newspaper on 1 November "Don't destroy future". Read what Valentine Cawley, a British psychological researcher now residing in Malaysia says. She is neutral because she is not Malaysian Chinese, Malay or Indian therefore her views are not bias. PAGE chairman, try to meet up with Valentine. I believe she will be able to give you a lot of input.
the MOE is learning michael jacsons moon walk steps.it looks forwarding but actually its backwarding
to my knowing,due to many parents are still computer illiteracy.moreover email address required-no way for them to send support to ppsmi
Perundangan: Percanggahan dengan perlembagaan.....
Menurut Prof Dr Aziz Bari, kedudukan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan sangat jelas dalam Perkara 152 di mana segala urusan rasmi baik di peringkat persekutuan dan negeri hendaklah dijalankan dalam bahasa itu. Walaupun terdapat pengecualian kepada penggunaan bahasa Melayu oleh Yang Dipertuan Agong, PPSMI tidak boleh dihujah sebagai sesuatu yang dibenarkan tambahan pula dasar ini tidak dilaksanakan melalui parlimen tetapi dibuat oleh pihak eksekutif secara tiba-tiba yang sepatutnya perlu melalui proses rundingan dan perbincangan awam.[39] Polisi ini sudah pun dicabar pada tahun 2002 yang oleh empat orang pelajar Melayu Perak pada tahun 2002 kerana melanggar Perkara 152.[40] Menurut Prof Dr Aziz lagi, mahkamah belum membuat keputusan mengenai PPSMI sedangkan dalam kes Universiti Merdeka pada tahun 1981,[41] isu Perkara 152 Perlembagan Persekutuan telah timbul dan diputuskan oleh mahkamah. Dalam kes Universiti Merdeka ini, mahkamah telah menolak petisyen penubuhan Universiti Merdeka yang akan menggunakan bahasa Cina sebagai bahasa pengantar kerana bertentangan dengan Perkara 152.
Menurut bekas pengerusi MAS, Tan Sri Dato' Dr Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman berkata bahawa penggunaan bahasa Inggeris dalam mata pelajaran Matematik dan Sains tidak sah di sisi undang-undang kerana bertentangan dengan seksyen 17(1) Akta 550 Akta Pendidikan 1996 dan dengan sendirinya bercanggah dengan kehendak dan tujuan Artikel 152(1) dan 152(6) Perlembagaan Malaysia.[42] Kenyataan ini disokong oleh ramai penulis muda Malaysia seperti Faisal Tehrani[43] dan lain-lain.
I've seen few candidates from local Uni. been rejected in the company I'm working with.Before interview they got to sit for a short test which is comprehension & maths in english given 20 minutes. Out of 8 candidates non of them got thru. I understand from my Boss the command of english in this company is really important for them.This Company involved with major disaster @ sea & those who got thru got to be train in their academy in Europe.Certain things that to be specialist we can't denied that we must have good command in English.To be honest I'm the only Malay in this Company & the 338 others are all red necks.PAGE Proceed with the good work.
I heard that English will be used as a teaching language for science and Maths. But why the reference books sell in bookshop now all in Malay version? Especially for Form 4 Physics, Chemistry and Biology?
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