EVEN WHEN CHILDREN’S FUTURE AT STAKE, UMNO – GOOD ONLY FOR KLEPTOCRACY – PLAYS POLITICS: ‘BACKWARD’ TO TEACH MATHS & SCIENCE IN ENGLISH – KHALED NORDIN

DR Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to allot more time in class for maths and science to be taught in English has met with opposition from various groups, including PKR leaders.

They said it was regressive to bring back a “failed” Barisan Nasional-era policy and that such recycling of old ideas showed Pakatan Harapan’s lack of vision.

“If this policy is brought back, it does not only show the government’s failure to come up with fresh and new policies, but also indicates a backwards movement,” said Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He also slammed politicians who continued to disregard Bahasa Melayu as the language for education.

“They consider Bahasa Melayu to be a backward language when it can be used as a medium to upgrade society.

“Only a weak society will turn its back to its mother tongue,” he said in a statement.

The former Johor menteri besar said the medium of instruction was not what determined proficiency in science and technology, adding that what was needed was research, commitment to knowledge development and investment to upgrade the scientific community.

“Science and technology are language neutral. No language can claim to be a language of science or maths,” he said.

Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), meanwhile, said Dr Mahathir’s proposal went against the findings of numerous studies and academic papers showing the policy had failed when it was introduced.

“This was clear when the UPSR 2008 results showed that 170,000 students failed both science and mathematics.

“In fact, the percentage of students in the science stream has been on the decline since then,” said Abim secretary-general Mohammad Fazril Mohd Saleh.

Abim said it was best for the PH leadership council to first discuss the matter before making any decision.

Selangor PKR Youth chief Mohd Najwan Halimi said the cabinet must reject Dr Mahathir’s idea, adding that the reintroduction of the policy was not mentioned in the PH manifesto.

“The government must make it clear that all major policies are first discussed and agreed by the cabinet before they are announced,” he said.

Last night PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party would be discussing the development in a meeting. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, speaking to reporters at the same event, merely said it was up to the cabinet to make a decision.

Yesterday Dr Mahathir, who is prime minister and the acting education minister, said there would be increased focus on the teaching of science and mathematics in English.

“Science and mathematics are not indigenous fields of knowledge,” he said yesterday at his first meeting with ministry officials since taking up the education portfolio earlier this month.

“It comes from abroad, and most of it comes to us in English. Therefore, we are going to use English in the teaching of science and mathematics.”

A segment of the meeting is shared on Dr Mahathir’s Facebook page.

Currently some schools teach science and mathematics in English on the voluntary dual-language programme.

PPSMI was introduced in 2002 during Dr Mahathir’s first term as prime minister. It was pushed through despite protests from vernacular school supporters, educators and parents.

The policy was intended to arrest declining English proficiency among students, particularly Malays. It was abolished in 2009 when Najib Razak took over as prime minister.

PKR had objected to the policy when it was first introduced.

Learning science, maths in English only way to keep up, says education group

IT is easier now to learn science and maths in English compared to 10 years ago due to the wider use of technology, said education group Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE)

There are also more teachers who can teach the two subjects in the language now compared to when the policy to teach science and maths in English, called PPSMI, was rolled out in 2003, said PAGE chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim.

It is becoming harder to stay abreast of the latest developments in science and technology in Bahasa Melayu as there is a lack of skilled people to translate reference books, which are in English, said Azimah.

“The pace of technological change is so fast that by the time you translate something into Malay, it has become outdated. So the answer is to learn science and math in English,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

She was responding to acting education minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who said he wanted focus on the teaching of science and maths in English.

Azimah expects there will be opposition to such changes, which she believes are aimed at filling the dearth of scientists and engineers in the country.

In his first meeting with top Education Ministry officials on Wednesday, Dr Mahathir said he wanted more to be done to teach the two subjects in English, which is currently practised in some schools through the voluntary dual-language programme (DLP).

Dr Mahathir did not indicate whether he is reviving the controversial but defunct PPSMI policy, which was mandatory for all national and vernacular schools.

PPSMI was introduced in 2002 during Dr Mahathir’s first term as prime minister. It was pushed through despite protests from vernacular school supporters, educators and parents.

It was abolished in 2009, when Najib Razak took over as prime minister.

Dr Mahathir’s announcement has already attracted opposition from Malay writers groups and educationists.

Pena, an association of Malay language writers, said studies done by the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in 2009 showed that PPSMI had led to an 80% drop in student performance in both subjects.

“The decision will have a disastrous impact on our children especially those in rural areas and we urge Dr Mahathir to abandon the idea,” said Pena president Dr Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad.

PAGE however, argued that students now would have an easier time with science and maths through the use of mobile devices which can stream lessons using 5G.

“It will be smoother to roll this out now than before, where teachers are more like facilitators and the lessons are streamed,” Azimah said.

Language obstacles can be overcome since lessons are pre-recorded and delivered using correct English terms. Teachers would then fill in the gaps when concepts need to be clarified.

“But the decision must be matched with support for teachers to do what they need to do. How this pans out in the end will depend on how much support we give teachers to do a good job.”