Balancing between policy and politics: shift to English in teaching of science and mathematics: lack of qualified teachers is a crucial issue.

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From New Straits Times, Malaysia:

OPINION: Balancing between policy and politics
Chow Kum Hor

Nov 6:
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THE shift to English in the teaching of Science and Mathematics in
national-type Chinese primary schools has reached the halfway mark.
Protests against the programme, however, show no signs of ending, writes
CHOW KUM HOR. THE reality in Chinese primary schools regarding the use of
English in the teaching of Science and Mathematics can be vastly different
from what policy-makers initially conceived it to be. In theory, teachers
are supposed to teach the subjects in Mandarin and English, with emphasis
on terminologies for the latter. Computers are also provided to make the
teachers job easier.

In reality, many teachers, especially those in suburban and rural areas,
are as unfamiliar with the terms as their students. Few are as adept at
explaining, say, the concept of earth rotating around the sun in English
as they are in Mandarin. A sizeable number have no inkling of how to
operate a computer to perform basic functions. It is also open knowledge
that some teachers, stumped by the complexities and shortcomings of the
programme, opt for the easy way out: sticking to Mandarin-only in teaching
so as not to further confuse the students.

Three years into its implementation, criticisms against the programme
continue although the intensity has somewhat lessened. Leading the charge
in asking the Education Ministry to revert to Mandarin-only in teaching
the subjects is influential Chinese education movement Dong Jiao Zhong
(DJZ). "From day one, the Dong Jiao Zhongs stand is that these two
knowledge subjects should be taught in Mandarin," says Bock Tai Hee, the
Dong Zhong chief executive officer.

"Before this, students were already having problems learning the subjects
in Mandarin. Adding another language is making them more confused." Dong
Zhong or the United Chinese Schools Association and Jiao Zhong (United
Chinese School Teachers Association) make up the DJZ. A study conducted by
Gerakan in 2002 also suggested that students were better at learning
Science and Mathematics in their first language or mother tongue. The
report cited the education systems in technologically-advanced countries
like France, Germany, Taiwan and Japan, which taught the two subjects in
the students mother tongue.

The biggest problem in implementing the programme, it appears, is the lack
of qualified and sufficiently-trained teachers a problem more pronounced
in suburban and rural areas. Trained to impart the knowledge in Mandarin,
many of these teachers are barely familiar with English terminologies, let
alone the scientific or mathematical concepts with their barely passable
command of the language. A Gerakan central committee member says: "In big
towns and cities, the problems are not so obvious. Many teachers here have
a strong command of the English language.

"Parents love the idea that their children are now familiarising
themselves with English terminologies. Besides, parents can afford to send
their children for tuition. However, outside these towns, where most
schools are located, it is an entirely different story." And if the raison
detre of using English to teach Science and Mathematics is to raise
students proficiency in the language, Bock says the Education Ministry
should focus on the teaching of the language itself. He adds DJZ has no
problems if the number of English periods for Standard One to Three was
raised from the present two per week.

The Chinese education movements grounds in opposing the use of English in
the two subjects, it appears, are not entirely baseless. But as the
pioneer batch of Chinese primary school students under the programme enter
Standard Four next year, the debate over the policys efficacy or even
whether it should go on has gained renewed interest. One reason is because
it marks the start of the second and final phase of the programme in
primary schools. Another is because the Education Ministry has yet to come
up with a formula for the programme for upper primary students. It has to
do so before the new school term starts in January.

Before this, students in Standard Four to Six studied 48 periods of
lessons per week. With the Education Ministry capping the periods at 50
per week, intense discussions are going on to work out a way to
accommodate the "new"  subjects, namely Science and Mathematics in
English. The challenge is striking a balance, if there is one, between
government policy and political considerations: "sacrificing" too many
subjects originally taught in Mandarin may infuriate DJZ, which has a
sizeable following among the Chinese populace; too few and the objectives
of the programme may be defeated.

Caught in the crossfire are Chinese or Chinese-dominated parties in the
Barisan Nasional MCA and Gerakan. Both parties last month held separate
dialogues with DJZ on this and other related issues. "On the one hand, we
have to toe the Government line. We know there is no backing off now. On
the other, DJZ has articulated some very real concerns," the Gerakan
central committee member says. Seizing the opportunity, DJZ has raised the
din in asking for the programme to be scrapped altogether. But even the
most optimistic DJZ leader is aware that this remains a distant
possibility, given the Governments unwavering determination three years
ago, the money invested, teachers trained and possibly, the "face factor"
if the Education Ministry were to revert to the previous programme.

"Teething problems are only expected. When schools switched from English
to Bahasa Malaysia, it was the same thing," says Senator Lee Sing Chooi,
MCAs education bureau head. He concedes there are areas "here and there"
that need fine-tuning. The general consensus in the MCA and Gerakan is
that it is more productive to focus on overcoming the weaknesses than to
debate on whether the programme should stay. National Union of the
Teaching Profession secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng (picture) says with
the programme now on track, it will do students more harm to reverse the
policy. She suggests that the ministry send teachers for continuous
training, not just a one-off course and expect them to do wonders.

Another middle-ground proposal is to adopt Bruneis formula in teaching the
two subjects. Students learn the subjects in Malay from Year One to Three
with English terminologies introduced in Year Four. Lok says despite the
stumbles, baby-steps have been made. She takes consolation in the fact
that many students, including those from rural areas, are now speaking
more in English grammatical and pronunciation errors notwithstanding.

"In the past, they could read and write but were reluctant to speak. Now,
for the first time, they are less afraid to speak and that is a good
sign." Loks only regret is that it is not taking off as fast as it should.
But for all its shortcomings, it might just still be early to give up on
an unorthodox programme of such magnitude, which is already halfway
through implementation.


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