The Penang chapter of the Parents Action Group for Education (Page) is not about to give up on its mission calling for the policy on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) to be made optional in schools.
The group has sent more than 7,000 petitions to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, despite his deputy and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin saying that the decision to discontinue the policy is final.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said when the abolition of PPSMI was announced in 2009, there was no negative reaction and the majority of the people accepted it well.
He said the proposal for abolition of the policy was presented in the cabinet and everyone agreed, and this was the case in Parliament as well, with no objection from the Opposition even.
Not to be deterred by this stand, Page held a press conference at the General Post Office in Lebuh Downing in Penang yesterday, carrying boxes of petitions backing PPSMI that have been collected since early October.
Facebook support for PPSMI growing
State Page chairperson Rowena Yam (above, right) said it was the group's responsibility to voice the concerns of parents, teachers and other stakeholders in education.
Carbon copies of the petitions were also sent to former primer Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin.
"We have petitions from concerned parents from Penang and Kedah, and we are expecting more to come in," said Yam, who is also state Gerakan education and political training bureau chief.
"We do not want these petitions to be thrown away just like that," she added.
Yam also said the group's Facebook page, '1M Malaysians say Yes to PPSMI as an Option' has garnered some 135,000 members in just three weeks.
As at 4.30am today, the figure had risen to 140,148 members and PPSMI activists hope to double that figure to 300,000 in the next few days.
Page not anti-Bahasa Malaysia
Page Malaysia chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, in calling for the PPSMI option to be maintained, said unhappy parents may vote for the opposition in the coming general election if this was not done.
The group's secretary, Paul Seah, who was present at yesterday's event, maintained that Page was not against Bahasa Malaysia.
"We are merely requesting that the option be provided for mathematics and science to be taught in the English language.
"These are analytical subjects, and we also would want the subjects to be taught in Mandarin or even in Tamil if possible," Seah said.
It is understood that Muhyiddin will announce the new policy to teach science and mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre at 3.30pm today.
The group has sent more than 7,000 petitions to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, despite his deputy and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin saying that the decision to discontinue the policy is final.Yesterday, Muhyiddin said when the abolition of PPSMI was announced in 2009, there was no negative reaction and the majority of the people accepted it well.
He said the proposal for abolition of the policy was presented in the cabinet and everyone agreed, and this was the case in Parliament as well, with no objection from the Opposition even.
Not to be deterred by this stand, Page held a press conference at the General Post Office in Lebuh Downing in Penang yesterday, carrying boxes of petitions backing PPSMI that have been collected since early October.
Facebook support for PPSMI growing
State Page chairperson Rowena Yam (above, right) said it was the group's responsibility to voice the concerns of parents, teachers and other stakeholders in education.
Carbon copies of the petitions were also sent to former primer Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin.
"We have petitions from concerned parents from Penang and Kedah, and we are expecting more to come in," said Yam, who is also state Gerakan education and political training bureau chief."We do not want these petitions to be thrown away just like that," she added.
Yam also said the group's Facebook page, '1M Malaysians say Yes to PPSMI as an Option' has garnered some 135,000 members in just three weeks.
As at 4.30am today, the figure had risen to 140,148 members and PPSMI activists hope to double that figure to 300,000 in the next few days.
Page not anti-Bahasa Malaysia
Page Malaysia chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, in calling for the PPSMI option to be maintained, said unhappy parents may vote for the opposition in the coming general election if this was not done.
The group's secretary, Paul Seah, who was present at yesterday's event, maintained that Page was not against Bahasa Malaysia.
"We are merely requesting that the option be provided for mathematics and science to be taught in the English language.
"These are analytical subjects, and we also would want the subjects to be taught in Mandarin or even in Tamil if possible," Seah said.
It is understood that Muhyiddin will announce the new policy to teach science and mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre at 3.30pm today.
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