DLP to continue in schools, confirms education ministry

It says it will issue a proper circular on this matter later this week to put to rest doubts of parents.

PETALING JAYA: The Dual Language Programme (DLP) will continue in schools this year.

This is despite recent news reports throwing doubt on the continued implementation of the programme.

Under DLP, English is used fully in the teaching and learning of Science, Mathematics and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

This is aimed at boosting English proficiency and enhancing students’ future employment opportunities.

The education ministry, in a statement today, said another 88 schools will embrace DLP this year.

This is in addition to the 1,215 schools where DLP is set to continue in 2018.

Many parents had taken to social media to express frustration that schools, including Tamil schools, were unsure whether to continue the programme this year.

They lambasted the ministry for not clarifying the issue before schools opened this week for the new academic year.

A blogger, quoting an unnamed state education department, had muddied the situation further when he stated that DLP had been suspended.

In its statement today, the ministry said the implementation of DLP would be effective for Year 1 and Form 1 in the 88 schools, beginning on Jan 7 for those in Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan and Johor and Jan 8 in the other states.

It said it would issue a circular on the matter and the implementation guidelines on the DLP this week.

“The school authorities have been requested to make preparations to ensure smooth implementation in their respective schools,” it said.

In a letter published in FMT on Dec 27, Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, chairman of the Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE), had called on the government not to resist the DLP and create another “flip-flop” of policies under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

“We urge the prime minister, members of the (National) Economic Council, the education minister and the director-general of the education ministry to consider the positive long-term impact of DLP, endorse more DLP schools, give assistance where necessary, and witness the transformation of English language proficiency among our children, further powering the nation’s economic growth,” she had said. -FMT