PAGE seeks clarification on EGM status

On 8 September 2009, PAGE handed a request to Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Education, when he visited SK Bukit Damansara, for clarification on contradictory remarks made in the media about the convening of EGMs by PTAs to discuss PPSMI, by the DPM and Ministry of Education officials.

An extract: "Memandangkan kemusykilan yang dihadapi oleh pihak PIBG, dan lanjutan kepada kenyataan awam yang dibuat oleh YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri pada 10 Ogos 2009 yang lalu, PAGE ingin memohon kepada YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri mengarah KPM/Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri untuk –

(1) membenarkan ibu bapa dan guru-guru menggunakan PIBG mereka masing-masing sebagai landasan untuk bertukar-tukar fikiran dan maklumat mengenai pelajaran, khususnya Opsyen SMI, selaras dengan peruntukan di bawah perenggan 5(1)(c) Peraturan Pendidikan (Persatuan Ibu Bapa-Guru) 1998; dan

(2) menasihat semua pentadbir sekolah supaya mengakui dan menerima hak PIBG di bawah Perlembagaan PIBG mereka masing-masing untuk mengadakan EGM di dalam premis sekolah bagi membolehkan mereka membincang dan mendapat pandangan majoriti ibu bapa atas Opsyen SMI, sejajar dengan kenyataan daripada YAB Perdana Menteri pada 13 Julai 2009."

Earlier, the Prime Minister had stated that consideration may be given to schools that want to retain PPSMI.

FOR OUR CHILDREN

Whilst PAGE strategises..

PAGE appears to have quietened down although we have not. We are studying several avenues including:

1 Finalising our memorandum as requested by the Ministry of Education;
2 Reviewing laws pertaining to PTAs; and
3 Strategising our next move.

Please bear with us.

It is disheartening to note that since the decision to switch the medium of instruction was made on 8 July 2009, there has been a marked increase in the registration of children into private schools with an international curriculum as well as migrations particularly into Australia.

PAGE hopes that the Prime Minister is aware of the brain drain that the decision has caused and which Malaysia can ill-afford.

FOR OUR CHILDREN

MoE Top Brass Invites PAGE, Schools

A landmark meeting was held yesterday. Present from the Ministry of Education was the top brass, PAGE (Chair & Deputy Chair) and PTAs from selected KL schools.

The Director-General said of EGMs, "let bygones be bygones" and let's move forward. Although the EGM should have been the platform for parents to speak up, due to the sensitivity of the subject in question, the Ministry has urged parents to hold parents' meetings instead to discuss the issue and will consider positively should there be a request to use the school premises for this purpose.

The Ministry will welcome all written outcomes and decisions arising from that parents' meeting.

More importantly, PAGE is again acknowledged by the Ministry of Education, for its contribution towards feedback on PPSMI and its desire to represent parents throughout the country who support the policy. It has been suggested that PAGE present a memorandum on the fourth option and category, that is, SK/SMK (SMI).

The PTA of SMK Seri Hartamas took the opportunity to hand its parents' mandate to the Minister's office.

FOR OUR CHILDREN

Newspaper Reports Since Monday, 10 August 2009 - A Compilation

*The Star - Start in English and end in English

*Bernama - Students Can Continue Studying In English - Muhyiddin

*Bernama - PPSMI Policy To Be Scrapped In Stages From 2012

*The Star - Clearing confusion over Maths and Science

*NST - ‘Adopt dual language approach in teaching Maths and Science’

*NST - Soft landing approach to teaching Science, Maths in BM

*The Sun - Listen to parents, too

FOR OUR CHILDREN.

The Soft Landing

Dear Parents,

These are the implications on our children of the "soft landing" recommended by the Deputy Prime Minister.

Click on image for larger view.

For this reason, we, Parents, HAVE to pursue to be re-categorised as SK/SMK (SMI) - Science and Math in English to avoid this maze.

Gather together your neighbourhood schools to SEEK EXEMPTION from the decision to switch.

FOR OUR CHILDREN.

Science & Maths: Students can continue in English

Aug 9, 09 2:47pm

Students who began studying Mathematics and Science in English could continue to do so until they finished their secondary school education, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said that the issue was also raised by his Cabinet colleagues and he would like to allay the concerns expressed by parents. "We discussed the matter," he was quoted by Bernama as telling told Malaysian journalists covering his five-day working visit to Perth which ended today. Muhyiddin said that students who had started learning the two subjects in English would continue to be taught in English, and have the option and freedom of answering examination questions in either Bahasa Malaysia or English. "They (the parents) should not be unduly worried," he said. "I want to allay the concern of parents. We are adopting a soft landing approach...giving a chance to move slowly into the new system," he said. Recently, the government had announced changes to the PPSMI policy where the teaching of Mathematics and Science would be reverted to Bahasa Malaysia in national schools, and Chinese and Tamil in vernacular schools from 2012. Barred PTA meet: 'I am sorry' The PPSMI policy was implemented in phases, beginning with Year One, Form One and Lower Six students in 2003, under former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration. On newspaper reports today that the education department had withdrawn permission for the SMK Sri Hartamas Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to voice their opposition over the reversal of the policy to use English as the medium of instruction for science and mathematics, Muhyiddin said the department officers should not have done as such. "We are quite open. They (the department) should not overreact. I am sorry. I apologise. I think it is not fair (to withdraw the permission)," he said. Muhyiddin hoped the department officers would not do such things in future. He said by objecting to the reversal of the policy, it showed in a way, the success of the policy, although the government had to reverse it, taking into consideration the larger interests of students in the country.

FOR OUR CHILDREN.

PPSMI PAGE Next Step SK/ SMK (SMI)

Watch the latest production by PAGE on PPSMI, featuring our current and past Ministers of Education with special appearances by Tun M and Einstein, also Samad Said, Pinocchio and Mr Katak under the coconut shell.

To view video, click image on left for Part 1/2 and image on right for Part 2/2 below.

Please leave your comments here or on YouTube and forward this to everyone you can think of !

Thank you.

FOR OUR CHILDREN.