Retain English for Science and Mathematics

I AM very unhappy with the Government’s decision to change the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics from English to Bahasa Malaysia.

Granted, based on the statistics released in the latest Malaysian Education Blueprint, students performed better in Bahasa Malaysia compared to English.

However, switching the medium of instruction back to Bahasa Malaysia isn’t the best solution to improve education standards.

By teaching Science and Mathematics in Bahasa Malaysia, the students’ proficiency in English will only get worse – regardless of any extra classes or programmes that might be offered or implemented.

The Government should come up with ways to improve English proficiency in the country, instead of switching the syllabus back to Bahasa Malaysia. Let us not forget that English is considered an international language.

Respect and priority should still be given to learning Bahasa Malaysia. Indeed, being the national language of the country, it should be familiar to all Malaysians.

Having Bahasa Malaysia as a core subject itself through primary and secondary school is already sufficient to ensure that all Malaysians are

able to speak, read and write the language.

Having gone through secondary school education (done in a national school) with Science and Mathematics taught in English, my grasp of Bahasa Malaysia remains strong. Even after leaving school for a couple of years now, I am still able to converse in fluent Bahasa Malaysia and have no problems reading or writing it.

I strongly urge the Government to carefully revise the decision once more, for the decision will affect not only an individual but an entire nation and the future leaders of our country.

more read here http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/17/focus/12039035&sec=focus