Education System Must Be For Benefit Of All Not A Selected Group

By Ahmad Shukran Shaharudin KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- The government should not bow to pressure from a selected few when deciding on policy matters, especially education, because it involves the interest of a majority of students and teachers. The National Parents-Teachers Association Council (PIBGN) and Gabungan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) stated their reasons for putting forward statistics related to the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI). PIBGN reasoned that based on studies, data and research from the Education Ministry's Examination Division showed that 70 percent of the students involved in the PPSMI system faced problems. Its president Dr Mohamad Ali Hassan said the data also showed that only 15 percent of teachers were proficient enough to teach English even after undergoing training. "This is because they (teachers) are not from the English medium," he said adding that the government must be firm and not entertain any calls for its abolishment or option to schools to choose teaching of Science and Math’s in Bahasa Malaysia or English. Ali said in many parts of the world, even in developed countries like South Korea, Japan, Germany and France, governments do not allow the use of two languages as a medium for teaching in their education system. "If their command of English itself is weak, how will they be able to master Science and Mathematics in English. Students will certainly face an additional problem. "There will also be problems in efforts to prepare good teachers," he told Bernama here. He added that since the government has decided to end the teaching of Mathematics and Science (PPSMI) in English in schools there should be no protests or objection because such action may be tantamount to not recognising the government or cabinet's decision. GMP chairman Prof Dr Shaharir Mohd Zain said the introduction of PPSMI initially had actually created an imbalance between urban and rural students in mastering the two important subjects (Science and Math's) because students in rural areas were not proficient in English. "They can understand better if the subjects are taught in a language that they can understand. Globally, from 40 developed countries, only three or four use the PPSMI system, among them Singapore, South Africa and Ireland" he said. On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who is also the Education Minister said the government would not bow to pressure from any quarters to have the PPSMI reinstated. He said he would explain in detail how the new policy replacing the PPSMI, the MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the Command of English), would be implemented, particularly the soft landing transition following the government's decision to do away with the PPSMI. Muhyiddin said the Cabinet had in 2009 decided that the PPSMI would be discontinued. The Deputy Prime Minister further stressed that the decision to abolish the PPSMI was not hastily taken or for political expediency but after careful study on what was thought best for the people and nation. -- BERNAMA Malaysia