[lg policy] Malaysia: 400,000 reasons to keep DLP

[Harold Schiffman]

400,000 reasons to keep DLP
Posted on 15 February 2016 - 07:51pm

*THE *Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) has since 2008 been seeking
for the non-abolition of the mandatory policy of teaching and learning of
science and mathematics in English but thwarted at every turn. We
persevered and the policy was resurrected in the form of the Soft Landing
in 2011, which will end in 2020 allowing students who started in English to
finish in English.

Meantime this scientific English policy was replaced by a language policy
in 2011 called "Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu, Memperkasakan Bahasa Inggeris
or MBMMBI (Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen the English Language) which
continues to be further expanded and developed.

In 2015, the prime minister with the Economic Council sought a radical
approach towards rectifying the appalling state of the English language
causing to date over 400,000 graduates to be unemployed. The Education and
SRI (Strategic Reform Initiatives) Human Capital Development of Pemandu
(Performance Management and Delivery Unit), comprising analytical, dynamic
and outstanding professionals carefully hand-picked from the private
sector, was tasked to explore and recommend this radical solution.

Numerous stakeholders were invited including the Federation of
Manufacturers Malaysia, the Malaysian Employers Federation, the British
Council, advocates of English, think-tanks and scholarship foundations,
professors of IPTAs and IPTSs and most importantly, high-ranking officials
from the Ministry of Education and many more to brainstorm and articulate
an effective approach.

A lengthy and detailed process was undertaken which culminated into three
main recommendations as an expansion of MBMMBI programmes in enhancing
English as advocated in Wave 2 (2016-2020) of the Malaysia Education
Blueprint 2013-2025 namely: the High Immersion Programme for all schools,
Dual Language Programme (DLP) as a pilot project involving 300 schools or a
mere 3% and Dual Language Programme Plus (DLP+). DLP+, which would have
been the closest we will ever get to the return of English medium schools
excluding the subjects of Pendidikan Islam/Moral and History although
endorsed by the prime minister, the education minister and the Economic
Council, was withdrawn by the Ministry of Education from a lack of
resources.

The philosophy behind DLP is: it is a parents' option (as stated by the
Education Act 1996 where "pupils are to be educated according to the wishes
of their parents") and not teachers nor critics to choose the medium of
instruction; students cannot achieve operational proficiency through the
15-20% English hours offered in classrooms (as indicated by international
research) and therefore other subjects had to be explored; and that the
majority of science and mathematics teachers had a minor in English unlike
those of other possible non-core subjects and analysed in great detail).

Parents will fill in a standard form providing consent for their children
to be taught in Bahasa Melayu or English for the four STEM subjects. This
was done at the start of the year for Primary One, Four and Form One. A
class will be provided where there is a minimum of 15 students in either
language. There is no plan to have all the approximately 10,000 schools
nationwide offer DLP next year or at any point in time as long as parents
do not consent.

DLP is designed for students to immerse themselves in an environment where
the English language can be applied and practised beyond the English
classroom. For students who are already proficient they can assist the
teacher and mentor those who are not. Parents too have a role to play
alongside the teachers in providing support, encouragement and a positive
attitude. There is no magic formula. Children and grandchildren of
teachers, past, present and future will benefit tremendously too.

To give up from the start without even trying would be a great injustice to
the innocent child who has infinite potential if they were guided by
visionary adults. Critics especially politicians who reject DLP are selfish
hypocrites who want only their own children to excel by quietly enrolling
their children in international schools where they get to enjoy an English
education.

Parents who are level-headed and thinking adults will not want their
children to add to the 400,000 unemployed graduates. Or do you?!

*Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim*
*PAGE Malaysia*


*http://www.thesundaily.my/node/350326
<http://www.thesundaily.my/node/350326>*


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20160215/38ac5f56/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list