Backward move to teach science, maths in English, say critics

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 1 Feb 2020 11:00AM · 18 Comments

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. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, February 1, 2020.

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. – February 1, 2020.

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Comments

  • Yi' (chair in Chinese) ... 1 sound, 2 bytes
    Chair (English) ... 1 sound, 5 bytes
    Kerusi (Malay) ... 3 sounds, 6 bytes

    The above explains very well how the Chinese language helps advance the development of China.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Try make any sentence, you will see the extraordinary effect.

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Basically the Chinese works more with the mind than with the mouth.

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Say "10.10" in the 3 different languages and you will find the vast difference.

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Mr Khaled, your Mother tongue is bahasa melayu by not mine. My mother tongue is Chinese Mandarin. My national language is bahasa Malaysia, a simplified and pragmatic communication national language. No Khat and literature. Science and technology changes rapidly today's world. Impractical to translate English as normally the mother tongue of Science and technology bcos translation work is deadly slow. By the time a technology is translated, it is already outdated. Practically no point to translate the technology into any local language bcos of the speed of change. Understand Mr Khaled? Your mentality is outdated.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

    • Your mother tongue is Chinese dialect lah. Mandarin is a constructed language to unify the Chinese people in mainland. Go to the outbacks of china and most do not speak standard mandarin

      Posted 6 years ago by H. Mokhtar · Reply

    • And not one of them speaks Malay, and yet they have advanced so quickly to become a major World power.
      In the meantime, for the Malay speaking folk, it's probably best used when asking for handouts.

      Posted 6 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

    • Mr. Mokhtar, Chinese dialects when put in writing use the same Chinese characters. Isn't that astonishing?

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • These opposition leaders are living in medieval times. When China, Vietnam and Thailand are taking steps to teach their students English language our joes here still want to carry on with Bahasa Malaysia when it has proven that science students educated in Bahasa Malaysia could not get jobs in the private sector..

    Posted 6 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • An GCE or MCE cert in the 70-80s allowed people to pursue further education anywhere around the globe. What has SPM achieved?

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • SPM introduced in 1980. These people who sat for this exam will be 57 this year. Are all of them screwed up?

      Posted 6 years ago by H. Mokhtar · Reply

    • Yes, as a matter of fact, most are screwed up based on my observation. My siblings, some relatives and friends in this generation do not excel in maths and science. They are poorer in general knowledge and in monetary terms too.

      Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • We have decades of BM educated leaders who can hardly converse well in English. So they objected English for S n T bcos they themselves are scared of their own shadow. They are politicians and reluctant to learn other languages. We should abandon them if they are not capable of communicating well with outside world for our nation's benefits. They become our jaguh kampong , only good at home but totally outclassed once put into comparison with our raise world. Where can they lead us to?

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Science and technology are language neutral. No language can claim to be a language of science or maths, he said.
    Really?
    Name one international science and maths journals that publish their articles and new finding in Bahasa!

    Posted 6 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • A double backward move if S & M are not taught in English at least in secondary schools. PKR has many advance and progressive leaders who can command well in English and compete on global platform. Those leaders objectes English must be incapable to communicate well in English. Which countries in the world except Indonesia and Brunei , comMunicate using Malay language? None!! All in English. So wake up lah before it's too late, as now soooo many Malay graduates can't find a good job bcos can hardly speak English. This bloated our public servants bcos govt is forced to take them as contract workers. Is this Maruah Melayu for not having a good job. Be practical, soon foreign investments will stop bcos can't find competent English speaking employees. Faham kah? Don't jeopardize the future of ouryoung Malaysians by simply objecting English.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • As sure as the sun rises in the east, these rabble-rousers of a bygone era crawl out of the woodwork, whenever meaningful changes are proposed by the government.

    Posted 6 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • keep whatever language or standard of the education. whatever makes you all happy but dont blame the non if the graduates cant make a living. no private company would hire them

    Posted 6 years ago by . . · Reply

  • They usually 'bahasa malaysianise' the english term and then call it Bahasa Malaysia so that just tells u that it makes sense to just keep it in English. This will also help students be able to better handle discussions and material written by scientists etc in a more productive manner.

    Posted 6 years ago by Sunita petrus · Reply