When politicians start tinkering with education, you know your kids are in trouble

Politicians are now in an indefensibly Catch-22 situation when it comes to the quest for English to be retained and used to teach Science and Mathematics in schools. They are also faced with the persistent demand by over 65 percent of Malaysian parents who are asking for English medium schools in the country to be re-established. It seems like the taxpayers are now becoming more aware than politicians on the importance of English language for their children. Politicians are, in point of fact, more worried about the votes they would or would not get from the people with regard to these issues than seeing the real importance of English for education.

There is obviously a lack of political will on the part of the government to take note of the call from parents to retain English as the language used to teach the sciences in schools. According to the grapevine, the minority voice that harp on some tapered nationalistic views on this issue is fear-provoking the government not to meet the parents’ intense demand. Be that as it may, a nation-wide referendum if held anytime today would optimistically indicate that a significant number of parents would choose English as the language to be used to teach the sciences in schools and they would even ardently vouch for the language to be used in schools across the curriculum. For this reason, it is justified that the voice of the people on this language issue be heard by the government.

English is indispensable

It goes without saying that English is just indispensable if the country and its people desire for many steps forward in social, educational and economic development. English is an international language and almost every single piece of information in this world could be accessed through this language. It’s rich in scientific vocabulary and the language corpus in all fields of knowledge is just phenomenal. Information on science and technology is in the main expressed in English and over 95 percent of information flow through the Internet is in this language. The ocean of knowledge found on the Internet is predominantly prescribed in English. Over 96 percent of educational books, journals, documents and manuals in the world are written in English. English is widely used for business communication, teaching and research. Indisputably, most parents and politicians are aware of all these advantages.

Unfortunately, for the past four decades the command of English among our so-called “educated” graduates and school leavers has dropped profoundly and in most cases it has been traced to be atrocious. The standard of English among our students today leaves a lot to be desired. We find university teachers and graduates whose poor command of English unpardonable after an enormous amount of money has been spent on their education. Over 85 percent of our graduates of today cannot even string a proper sentence in English, forget about writing a simple literary or fictional corpus in a language of their own. Plagiarism, cut-and-paste and the outsourcing of tasks and assignments have become the norm in the higher institutions of education – all due to the lack of proficiency in the English language. Over 90 percent of our graduates cannot speak the language convincingly. This crippling set of symptoms has affected the quality of our graduates and school leavers and it is in actuality a reflection of our indecisive and topsy-turvy education system. The politicians should take full brunt for all this muddle in our education system.

The passion for vernacular education

This country is unique and is one of its kind in the world that adopts a plural education system. Politicians could be at loggerheads over what should be the best formula for education but one thing they have in common is whatever decision they come up with on any education policy it must take into consideration the chances of them getting votes from the people. Hence, there is bound to be too many equations to the computation and one thing we all know for sure is that our education system is tinkered with politics.

A prosperous multi-racial neighbour of Malaysia had the forethought about 45 years ago of what education policy would bode well for her people. Initially, when becoming a nation, the judicious leaders did not deny the people vernacular education and this at the outset greatly gratified her citizens – the stakeholders. One extreme pro-vernacularism group was at first so wound up that it resolutely insisted their mother-tongue should be strictly used to teach their children. This, however, turned out to be only ephemeral as when the wise leaders of the state simultaneously introduced English medium schools vernacular education was eclipsed and vernacular schools collapsed abysmally. The pro-vernacularism groups gradually abandoned their standpoint and started to encourage the people to send their children to English-medium schools for fear of being left out in their educational pursuit. With this brilliant move, the state had astutely and definitively managed to neutralise or deactivate vernacular schools and as a consequence to this we see her people of all races studying in a single-medium school – using English as the medium of instruction.

For this reason, the state today has one of the best education system in the world with first-rate schools and universities. English is used across the curriculum and even committed parents from neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand are sending their children to this state to acquire quality education. Have the people in the state become less patriotic to their nation? Not at all. Even with the use of English in education the state could shape the minds of the people to become more nationalistic. The people are better educated and education is now on a par with what is being offered by the developed nations. The state has progressed with minimal perplexity, debates and changes to the education system.

Too many equations to education

Right in this country the scenario is wholly different. Our politicians have been experimenting with education for the past 54 years and making incessant changes to it more for the sake of political expediency. Politicians care more for votes than the desire to establish a good education model for the people. There is little element of sincerity or earnestness on their part to see a pragmatic education policy that suits the modern needs. Politicians always find it irresistible to make off beamed decisions just to stay popular among the electorate. Beyond this pretence, there is also no legitimate political will to make education free from political impositions.

When there are too many equations to the education system none of the policies could turn out to flaunt exemplary quality. English is left to perish. Partly, some politicians would want it to be this way for two reasons: Firstly, to show to the electorate that they are ‘the knights in shining armour’ who have come to rescue vernacular education. If truth were to be told, they are merely putting up a false front to seek popularity among the populace. Secondly, some politicians have the conception that vernacular education is as good as any other form of education, including English education. Incongruously, they crave to have their children educated overseas. Politicians have failed to realise that gambling with education in the local scene would make the people none the wiser. Neglecting English is tantamount to having false pride in nationalism. In the long run, the poor and the underprivileged are the ones who would suffer most by these political stunts.

The national school

The national school on its part has not truly lived up to its desired objectives. Instead of luring the people of all races to study in these schools they are distancing the people from them. Some national schools are becoming more and more religious in nature and the non-Muslims feel very much alienated studying in these schools. The racial composition of teachers has been skewed with one race dominating the others. Some bigoted teachers have no trepidation whatsoever to blatantly deride students of other races or religions. To the non-Muslims these schools are perceived as becoming more alien to them. The few past spiteful encounters involving race and religion in national schools - as highlighted in the media - have disturbed parents more from sending their children to these schools. Many parents are thus forced to send their children to the vernacular schools out of no choice. The Chinese schools, for instance, have even become the first choice for other races. Presently, there are over 60,000 Malay children attending Chinese schools and this shows that even some Malays parents have faith in these schools.

It’s interesting to note that in this country the Chinese would want Chinese schools, the Tamils Tamil schools, and the Malays Religious schools. Across the board are the national schools for all citizens. The use of mother tongue to teach is considered very propitious for some parents and thus the proliferation of vernacular education in the country. Many though have failed to realise that there are about 23 percent of Malaysians who speak English at home and consider English as their first language despite they being non-English. There are many others who do not speak the language at home but would want their children to master the English language. The education system unfortunately has not factored this theme into the equation and hence is perceptibly depriving many children of English education. If there could be schools using Mandarin, Tamil, Arabic or Malay in the country there should be no reason why the system could not accommodate schools using English as the medium of instruction. Looking into the circumstances that proliferate vernacular schools in the country, denying English education for a significant number of children who yearn for it defies logic. The education system, plausibly, should provide English medium schools as English too could be considered as another vernacular language in the context of this nation.

Elitist approach in education system

Are we being fair to all Malaysians then? Rich parents could afford to send their children overseas for English education. The poor are left with no choice but to juggle with our messed up education policy. Ironically, the government allows for private and international schools to operate in almost all the states in the country where English is used across the curriculum and where only the well-heeled or affluent could afford to send their children to. When the rich have the privilege to study in English overseas and in private and international schools the poor are left with no alternative but to attend the national or vernacular schools. This truly reflects an elitist approach in our education system.

Selective approach to education

It was reported that a government-aided school, MRSM, is already offering the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education All the subjects are then naturally taught in English. The plan, supposedly, is to have all MRSM schools in the country to follow the same by the year 2006. The issue now is, why only in MRSM and not in other schools? Why not offer the same opportunity to those in other Malaysian schools? The taxpayers are not at all happy with this double-standard approach to education. Surprisingly, we have yet to hear any objections from any zealous nationalist groups who were continuously harping on the use of none other than the National language in our education system. The people in general, then again, just cannot understand that when English as the medium of instruction is denied to those attending normal schools there are government-aided schools in the country offering or are planning to offer education in the English medium to a selected few. This again reflects a selective approach to education which is not healthy for a multi-racial society.

The PPSMI

After spending over RM4billion of taxpayers’ money for the PPSMI (Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik Dalam Bahasa Inggeris) which was initiated in 2003 it was later decided that the policy was a letdown. They have now decided to scrap the plan before 2012 at the disenchantment of many students, parents and also a former visionary prime minister who mooted the whole idea in 2003. The main reason given for the failure of this policy was that over 67 percent of the teachers were not competent to teach the subjects in English and over 73 percent of the students were not able to cope with the subjects taught in the English language.

Inopportunely, failing to focus or cater for the 33 percent of the teachers and 27 percent of the students who are able to do it in English, the government had hastily decided to stop this policy. Over 70 percent of the parents are not happy with this sway of policy as they feel that English could still be used to teach Science and Mathematics in English in school for those who have the preference for it.

Parents very much feel that students should be given a choice – either learn the subjects in Malay or English or in any vernacular language they wish. For this reason they propose that all schools, especially in national schools, should have special classes for those who want to learn the subjects in English. Observing the fact that students have failed to master the English language after many years of education there are parents who want English medium school to be reinstated in the country.

The so-called nationalist groups

The government should not concede to the demand of some zealous nationalist groups who are fond of sponsoring the notion that English should not be used as a medium of instruction in schools when they themselves should be aware that constitutionally other languages are allowed to be used for the same purpose. Neither should they advocate that English cannot be used to teach Science or Mathematics for those who are prepared to learn the subjects in this language. The issue of achievement gaps would not arise among those studying the sciences in English, National language or a vernacular language. When they are given the options they should not badmouth or nitpick on the system. The “sour-grape” or “the dog in the manger” attribute or predisposition to this issue should be nipped in the bud.

BN would lose votes

Of note here is that English medium schools or having subjects taught in English in national schools would help neutralise parents’ penchant for vernacular education. When national school starts providing education in English this would be the first step towards national integration. We would, in all probability, see almost all Malaysians turning to national schools for education as they would without hesitant cherish the value of English education. This would be the definitive and most effective tool to bring in all the races to study in the national school.

The days when the politicians knew all are gone. Politicians have to listen to the people as the people are those who have put them on the high altar. The government, as a consequence, has to have the political will to cater to the aspirations of parents who wish for English to be used to teach their children in schools. The taxpayers have got every right to dig up the best in education for their children. When many parents, who among them are also voters, are urging the government to have the sciences to be taught in English and many more demanding for English medium school to be reinstated, the government has no choice but to concede to their aspirations, as failing to adhere to their demand would have a far-reaching consequence. The incumbent government is bound to lose significant votes in the next general election.

- Malaysia Chronicle