We Do Not Support Teaching Science & Maths In English

The Malaysian Insider:

Improve English with vocabulary and grammar, not maths and science
By Neville Spykerman and Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani.

SHAH ALAM, March 10- The Movement Opposing the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (GMP), which held a street demonstration on Saturday has an ally in DAP’s Teresa Kok.

Kok, who is both the Seputeh MP and Kinrara assemblyman, said that rural pupils from all races were severely handicapped by the policy.

“Imagine, these children are trying to cope with the ABC and have the added burden of learning maths and science in a language foreign to them.”

The Selangor executive council member said contrary to media statements from the government, parents of rural pupils had opposed the policy, introduced six years ago, from day one.

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Our Comments:

1. We do not support the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English because:

1.1 It is difficult for the children in the rural areas to comprehend the contents of the subject matter while trying to grasp with the English language at the same time. The Government had ignored the protests of the rural folks. So, this has become a campaign issue for the GE because the Government has put a deaf ear on the rural folks and BN only thinks of the elites, cronies, rich, famous and urban dwellers.

1.2 The Malay language is suppose to be the National language as enshrined in the Constitution of Malaysia. So, the Government should treat it that way across the board. There is no two ways about it. However, other mother-tongue languages can still be learnt at the vernacular schools. There is no problem here. We do not want our children to grow up to be like that UMNO Melbourne student who speaks our National language with an English slang or intonation.

1.3 We must retain and maintain our true national identity as Malaysians. Look at all the countries around us. Do they have a 'mixed-up' ('rojak') instruction delivery system in their primary and secondary schools' curriculum? They are proud Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, etc. So, we Malaysians must honor our National language to the hilt.

1.4 We learn knowledge faster in the language that we are fluent with. This is the building block for our children. Once their building blocks are strong, then learning other languages will not be much of a problem because their intellectual capacities have expanded and they are able to cope with the brain strain in the learning process.

1.5 We share the views of many known scholars around the World that however hard we to try to gain and chase the West on Science and Technology, we will never equal or surpass them as a whole. We may be ahead in a few small achievements and that's about it. So, knowing this fact, we should not waste our time and it is better for us to concentrate or prioritize on our own culture and traditions, especially on Islam, other ethnic strengths and what we do best, without neglecting Science and Technology along the way. In these aspects, we are definitely ahead of them, especially in truth, justice, equality, morality, plurality, Islamic economics and the human capital, to name a few.

2. So, we strongly recommend the Education Minister to revert teaching Science and Mathematics in the National language starting the school term for the year 2010 in both the primary and secondary schools.

3. The Education Minister can review this policy again when we have already achieved the developed nation status in the year 2020, inshaAllah.

Best Regards.........