[lg policy] Malaysia: New education policy to uphold Bahasa Malaysia, strengthen English

[Harold Schiffman]

New education policy to uphold BM, strengthen English
News  2009-12-10 11:51

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- After seven tumultuous years, the
government has decided to abolish the Teaching of Science and
Mathematics in English (PPSMI), starting 2012. The hallmark decision
was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on
July 8, three months after helming the education ministry.
Muhyiddin's appointment as the education minister showed the
importance attached to education by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Tun Razak.

The PPSMI will be replaced by a new, two-pronged policy known as
"Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the Command of
English," which will not be disadvantageous to either PPSMI defenders
or opponents, but rather strike a balance between them. Muhyiddin
said, "The government's commitment in abolishing the PPSMI should not
be questioned, although it would start only in 2012. The decision is
final, come what may, we have reaffirmed our stand of not reverting to
the old policy."

He said the preparation towards that direction had begun, and it was
not done half-heartedly as the government did not want to be drawn
into controversies when the new policy was introduced. Besides the
decision to abolish the PPSMI, the government's commitment and
sincerity in placing the people's interest first, should be seen in
the light of the 2010 Budget which has allocated RM30 billion to
educational expenditure. The ministry would also focus on four
educational sub-National Key Result Areas (NKRA), namely widening and
strengthening pre-school education, raising the literacy and numeracy
rate, creating high performance schools and giving recognition to
outstanding principals and headmasters.

Muhyiddin had also stressed on prudent spending because the allocation
would be better channelled to enhance the quality of teachers than
building infrastructure projects.
Efforts to improve the command of English in schools would start at a
tender age through the pre-school education system, which would be
incorporated in the national education system, said the deputy prime
minister, adding that pre-school pupils would be increased by 20 per
cent in 2012. English teachers, who are willing to serve in rural
areas, will be given additional incentives to ensure that rural
students are not left behind when the strategy to strengthen the
command of the language is implemented in 2012.

Principals and teachers who succeed in enhancing the academic
performance of students will be rewarded. "These are part of the
incentives, which will be continued by the ministry, to enhance
educators' professionalism," noted Muhyiddin. The suggestion of a
single-stream education system, recently raised by Prof Emeritus Tan
Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, had received mixed reactions from various
quarters and was even debated in the Dewan Rakyat. Najib felt that the
government would opt for the single-stream education system only when
the people were ready and willing to accept it.

For Muhyiddin, although he agreed with the single-stream arrangement,
the country's multiple-stream system was inherited from the past, and
could only be changed if all races were willing to accept and practise
it. Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad supported the
single-stream system as he believed the unsurpassed unity could only
be achieved through education. Despite the polemic, the country's
education system is recognised to be among the most successful in
providing access to education to the people.

Malaysia was ranked 45th out of 129 countries in the education system
by UNESCO's Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2009. The
accolades should be accorded to the education ministry's employees for
their professionalism in enhancing the education system, as well as in
their endeavour to deal with problems at hand, like the Influenza
A(H1N1) scare and floods, which had affected schools. After an
eventful year, they must now forge ahead to take the education system
to greater heights as changes in the new education policy, which is in
the offing, calls for greater commitment on their part.

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/32623
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