E(i)n-glish, please
Here we go again, the debate on whether Math and Science subjects should continue to be taught in English or not. And what do you know...we'll be using the results of the recent UPSR exams as an acid test of sorts, although the Honorable Minister had said this is not so.
Let the subjects be, give them time, I say. The students, the subjects and of course, the teachers teaching these subjects. One batch of students is not a good benchmark for matters as serious as this.
Please refrain from taking the views of the language teachers, more specific the Bahasa Malaysia language teachers and professors, and the activists who accuse us of becoming less patriotic, less appreciative of the national language if we continue to pursue Math and Science in English. Please also do not just listen to the views of political leaders - Malay, Chinese, Indians alike, who claimed concern over the plight of their respective cultural groups if these 2 subjects are taught in English.
Get the feedback of the "correct" market segment, do. Be comprehensive and open - ask students of colleges/univercities local and abroad, those who sat for their Math and Science SPM papers in BM and scored excellent results, how did they fare when they now have to learn Math and Science related subjects in English? Read up research materials in English? Hold group discussions with other students in English? Ask their lecturers for clarification on the subjects in English?
The issue here is not trying to improve the command of English by having these 2 subjects in English. The issue to me is, getting our young to master Math and Science to be equally competitive at the international level.
And for that, we have to master these subjects in the language of the world, English. If I may say so myself...
Let the subjects be, give them time, I say. The students, the subjects and of course, the teachers teaching these subjects. One batch of students is not a good benchmark for matters as serious as this.
Please refrain from taking the views of the language teachers, more specific the Bahasa Malaysia language teachers and professors, and the activists who accuse us of becoming less patriotic, less appreciative of the national language if we continue to pursue Math and Science in English. Please also do not just listen to the views of political leaders - Malay, Chinese, Indians alike, who claimed concern over the plight of their respective cultural groups if these 2 subjects are taught in English.
Get the feedback of the "correct" market segment, do. Be comprehensive and open - ask students of colleges/univercities local and abroad, those who sat for their Math and Science SPM papers in BM and scored excellent results, how did they fare when they now have to learn Math and Science related subjects in English? Read up research materials in English? Hold group discussions with other students in English? Ask their lecturers for clarification on the subjects in English?
The issue here is not trying to improve the command of English by having these 2 subjects in English. The issue to me is, getting our young to master Math and Science to be equally competitive at the international level.
And for that, we have to master these subjects in the language of the world, English. If I may say so myself...
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