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07/08/09
Cabinet reverses teaching/learning of science and math in English
Yup, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has just announced that PPSMI – the teaching of Maths and Science in English – has been reversed.
We have heard rumours since yesterday that this was going to happen but now it’s official – I just watched the press conference live on TV1.
I didn’t catch everything but from what I gather, Muhyiddin said that this decision was based on studies they did which indicated that English proficiency did not improve with PPSMI and that students were doing more badly in Math and Science exams than previously.
Pah.
It seems to me that this is a calculated political move, although the DPM had earlier mentioned that the decision will not be one that was made under pressure by any groups, or politically inclined.
He said at the press conference that this is for the future of the kids. Ho hum.
You would have thought that the biggest opponent to this decision will be Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad, although, The Star Education Desk (@starppsmi) Twittered that Muhyiddin said the Tun accepted the decision after a three-hour discussion.
While I support anyone who would fight to retain the PPMSI – because I’m all for it myself – I do wonder why the Tun is involved in so much of the discussions. With all due respect but isn’t he like, er, two Prime Ministers ago?
But that’s not the point. A lot of arguments have been that PPSMI will be able to help improve the English language proficiency of students. @ppsmi Twittered saying that DPM mentioned that PPSMI will take 15-20 years to see effect.
He said that by improving the language of English at primary school level – and the Cabinet will increase English hours in primary schools by 90 minutes a week – will allow us to see results in three years.
He also announced that only 9.96% of primary school teachers are proficient in English. Three years? Er … excuse me if I remain doubtful.
Even then, I think the argument is flawed (although I am glad that at least English is still being given some attention, like the DPM said through grammar, literature and drama). PPSMI is not only about language proficiency. I believe, as do many others who have said it before me, that a massive collection of science and math documents/literature etc are in English (or have been translated to English). Therefore, it is also about grasping the right concepts and knowledge.
Truth be told, as someone who studied Science and Math in BM, my knowledge of science and math jargon is limited (and I have trouble translating what I remember in BM to English because I am unfamiliar with the English terms).
BUT if language really is the main concern, then why don’t we put in some policies to improve PPSMI? Like running the English improvement policies in tandem with PPSMI?
Muhyiddin said in the press conference that they had known since 2003 that it wasn’t working, but wanted to let the cycle complete. Waitaminute, IF you knew that at 2003, why not put in the English improvement policy that you said will take three years to see results? Then by 2006, we would have had students able to cope with PPSMI and by 2009 – this year – everything would be perfect, right?
Correction: Sorry, the DPM didn’t say 2003. He said they had known earlier that it wasn’t working but they wanted to the cycle complete. I still stand by my argument that if they had known before, they could still put in the English improvement policy that runs in tandem to help students cope with PPSMI. This way, the wait is still 3 years instead of 15-20 years and the current students won’t be so badly affected.
But that’s just my point of view. Apparently, the Cabinet doesn’t agree with me.
You can get more details through @starppsmi which is Twittering live from the press conference, or this article on The Star Online. The reversal will be done in stages from 2012 onwards.
3.15pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: English, Malaysian, politics, ppsmi, science and math, tan sri muhyiddin yassin
I am on the science and mathematics in English side. Study this two subjects enables student to grasp knowledge regarding science and mathematics better in university and even study abroad.
fine. scrap ppsmi. just do something about the english syllabus, the training of english teachers and for goodness’ sake someone please acknowledge the fact that malaysia cannot cannot cannot progress any further with its people still possessing unsatisfactory standards of english proficiency!
I’m so grateful that I’m in form 4 now, so all this brouhaha won’t affect me directly. I’m on the English side, like duh. Because seriously, most of the scientific terms in BM are based on the original English words, it’s just different spelling. So why not learn it the “right” way, am I right?
despite my ambivalence on the issue, i’m quite disappointed myself – the move smells more of wanting to appease loud voices rather than doing what’s probably good for the country in the long term. i dunno, just feels like a regression of sorts, doesn’t it?
im not familiar the finer details of the policy to comment on it but wouldn’t it be spiffy if they could sort of do both at the same time. if explaining scientific concepts requires some degree of eloquence then maybe using the mother tongue isn’t such a bad idea (looking on the bright side here, because at the end of the day, i suppose, science – in english or BM – should aim to teach science, and not language), but maybe they could also like feed (and test) students with the vocabulary of the english counterparts? (they tried to do this with English in Science and Technology in SPM, but that subject was so ridiculous it didn’t even have a syllabus!) then the transition from vernacular-based concepts to english ones would only be a matter of switching words rather than comprehension. what’s more, ultimately, our concern with PPMSI has always mostly been on our students’ competency in accessing english-based scientific material, rather than their proficiency per se in the language itself.
(lol sorry niki i do like writing long comments)
One step forward, millions step back. We will be going back in time instead of moving forward with this decision of theirs. It’s just typical. The most unfortunate effect of this is that the only ones who suffer are the kids – the next generation. Only God knows what they were thinking! Bah!
Not really for or against surprisingly. THough I think it’s dumb to scrap a move that only had so few years to prove itself. At least give it a chance before revamping it. What a waste of money.
I think we need to find better methods to improve our English. Not only raising the bar for the exams but perhaps making it a must pass. Certainly worked to raise the proficiency of many in BM
i seriously think that the ministry need to revise, re-study and rearrange the English Module and the standards of teaching English in schools.
If teachers are not able to speak and teach in proper English during English subjects, send them back for re-training. In fact its best to send all of the teachers back for re-training yearly. Only then will the education and English language increase its standard.
What a sad sad day
I am someone who was educated in Malay for maths and science subjects, and did an engineering degree entirely in English. Looking at what’s happening with PPSMI, all I can say is that Malaysian students with little grasp on the English language in academic pursuit will continue to be laughing stock. No, reading Garfield doesn’t cut it.
Niki,
My thoughts at http://www.jasminmelan.wordpress.com.
[...] out up a poll on his blog to gauge public sentiments on the reversing of the PPSMI, which I blogged about a couple of days ago here. I am against the reversal by the [...]
It’s really a nonsense of what they’re doing. Especially for those in Form 1 this year. They’ll need to study the subjects in BM in Form 4 & 5. That 2 years will be critical for them cos they need to sit for SPM. Then Form 6, they’re back to English. What’s on the Government mind. Nuts. Why don’t they just stick to English and don’t let the next generation suffers.
Dude, here’s a thoughtful piece on the same issue.
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=115204204632
My daughter is less than 2 years old and she can understand both English and Japanese, and later will introduce Malay, Mandarin and Cantonese.
http://daddyparentingtips.blogspot.com/2009/07/tip-161-reading-in-both-languages.html
I can’t see why we cannot take 1 step forward to integrate the BM textbooks few years back with the current English science and maths text books. Its a lot of effort, but why move backward instead of forward. We can allow students to use either English or BM to answer in the exams as long as the maths and science principles are correct.
Some good will surely come out of the dialectics at work between both languages instead of choosing either one. We need new advancements. We need Malaysia Boleh. Not some power struggle between languages.
When will Malaysia advance and not hold on to race and language as stumbling blocks but embrace our differences as advantages?
To whom it may concern,
A bunch of Professionals from MOE, they are smart to know how important English as from now. This century; most of us can’t live without PC as in advance technology. What will be the implication if our people don’t understand English and how our nation will progress forward.
How on current ranking of MU as compare to previous year in 60s and 70s?.
I do look forward MOE can re-consider on resuming English in Maths and Science. I hope Pri 1 will start to learn English language as soon as possible to cater for the competitive global for our people forthcoming future whereby the advancements of technology are super.