Friends Of STAR

I can fully understand the worries of those parents who request an option for the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI), as they are worried about their children's future.

However, the government had spent a long time to organise various round table meetings to collect views of scholars and educationalists before abolishing the PPSMI in phases. It seems quite impossible to reinstate the policy.

The Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) might threaten to let its voice be heard at the ballot box, but it would be a political suicide if the BN acts inconsistently. Please do not forget that the basic support sources of the BN come from rural areas in which most parents are opposed to the PPSMI.

It is indeed sad to have political interference in education policies. PAGE knows that the BN needs votes and thus, it keeps stressing on casting votes to the alternative coalition if the PPSMI is not reinstated. If the authority changes the policy based on political considerations, then when can we separate education from politics?

PAGE should actually fight for an alternative policy, particularly for students starting their Year Four in secondary schools next year, so that they can prepare for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations. Also, they should fight to teach Science and Mathematics in English and Bahasa Malaysia in secondary schools or start teaching the subjects in English in Year Four, while having more English lessons in a week to improve English proficiency.

A hasty decision to implement the PPSMI nine years ago had caused a huge rebound and the decision to abolish the PPSMI three years ago had also neglected the problem of connection, as well as the feelings and adaptability of parents and children. Next year is a transition period and no mistake should be done to avoid further harm.

Malaysia is a complicated and diverse country. Therefore, a single-stream education policy will of course unable to meet the demand of people of different social backgrounds.

People defending mother-tongue education do not agree to teach Science and Mathematics in English because they are worried that Chinese primary schools might be affected. Meanwhile, those defending Bahasa Malaysia are also opposed to teaching the two subjects in English. Of course, there are also a group of people who support the use of English as the medium language in teaching Science and Mathematics as they are aware that English is the world's major language.

There is no right or wrong but rather differences in stand and point of view, making education policies a sensitive issue. Just like the novel "Interlok" by national laureate Abdullah Hussein which has triggered different feelings from different racial groups.

Students of different qualifications and family backgrounds will also obtain different results under the PPSMI. Various contradictions are derived as different parties see only the results that they have expected.

However, it is an advantage of Malaysians to speak multi-languages. It is imperative to consolidate the advantage instead of triggering split because of differences in stand and principle, and turning the advantage into the cause of split and a stumbling block to progress.

It is the course of education to help students master two or three languages and apply their knowledge. The Education Ministry must not allow the interference of politics and lingual chauvinism in education. Constant changes in education will cause students unable to master multi-languages. Students will then lose their confidence while the country will lose its advantage.

The controversy is stoppable only when a language learning environment is created and a substantial solution to enhance English proficiency is proposed.

By LIM SUE GOAN

Translated by Soong Phui Jee

Sin Chew Daily