Strict DLP rules will deter parents from choosing national schools, says PAGE

 

Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said parents may choose alternative education options if the programme is not successful, leading to a potential divide in the education system.

PETALING JAYA: Strict requirements of the dual language programme (DLP) may deter parents from enrolling their children in national schools, says a parents’ group.

Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said this would result in a return to Malay-medium schools, signifying a setback from the programme’s goal set in 2015 for all 10,000 primary and secondary schools to have at least one DLP class.

“Parents may opt for alternative education options, (potentially) creating a new divide (in the education system),” she told FMT.

“DLP unites, a philosophy that the unity government stands firmly by, but there seems to be hesitation on such an important language policy.”

Noor Azimah’s comments came after education minister Fadhlina Sidek stood firm on calls to review the DLP’s guidelines, saying its implementation aligned with her ministry’s goal to uphold the Malay language and strengthen the command of English.

“We have maintained our decision every time we were asked (about it). There are guidelines that need to be adhered to,” Bernama reported Fadhlina as saying after delivering her New Year message at the ministry yesterday.

The DLP is meant to give students in selected schools the option to study subjects like Mathematics and Science in English.

Noor Azimah also said there is a need to capitalise on the DLP for English language immersion, as waiting for new teachers to be trained was not a viable solution.

“We cannot afford to lose another generation,” she said, advocating for the expansion of DLP schools and classes as well as the enrolment of more students in DLP classes.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in a speech on Nov 23, had said there should be no more debate on the position of English versus Bahasa Malaysia in 2024.

“A child of Malaysia must master Bahasa Malaysia. At the same time, all our children, especially at national schools, must be given focus so that their mastery of English is much better than it is now and they can at least be bilingual.” - FMT