English for Maths and Science will start next year: Manyin
KUCHING: It’s confirmed. The implementation of English as the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science will start in primary schools from January next year.
State Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong announced this during a press conference yesterday at Baitulmakmur Building in Petra Jaya.
“When we had a full meeting on Wednesday with nine heads of sections related to the implementation of English, they gave their full support.
“We are not going to make any U-turn and we will start the implementation next year at the Primary 1 level,” he said, adding that the state government does not want to be too ambitious by starting at the secondary school level as well.
He said there are 1,265 primary schools in the state and a sufficient number of teachers have to be trained to serve them.
Manyin further pointed out that this is a programme and not a policy. If it were a policy, all schools must implement the change with no objection.
“This programme is similar to the Dual Language Programme (DLP) implemented in 152 schools in Sarawak. This programme comes with the condition that the schools must maintain and guarantee the usage of the Malay language, and parents and teachers must agree to it.
“Next year’s usage of English is a modified DLP and the officers suggested that we use ‘DLP Sarawak’ instead of the original DLP, that is, we do not need to abide by all the conditions. We can just implement the programme with the consent of the parents,” he said.
He claimed that a majority of the parents would welcome this implementation as the idea is to prepare the young generation to compete in the global market.
“Quite a number of them find it difficult to work in the private sector as a majority of companies use English. That’s why after graduating from local universities, they rely on the government sector for employment.
“Once we use English to teach Mathematics and Science, there will be an increase in the number of 30-minute periods in school. English and Mathematics will each have six periods and Science will have three periods for a total of 15 periods weekly,” he said.
At the end of Primary 6, most pupils will have enough confidence to speak, read and write in English.
“I advise everybody to just gasak-gasak aja (just bulldoze through)! Do not nit-pick their mistakes as they might become scared. Making fun of their mistakes could lower their confidence.
“Just gasak-gasak aja as it is not our mother tongue. Do not be scared to make mistakes!” he said.
He then urged members of the public, parents and associations to fully support the programme implementation.
Manyin said only Chinese schools will not be using English in teaching the two subjects and will continue using Mandarin as the medium of instruction.
“The ministry respects their decision and they have the right to choose,” he added.
He said that in schools with DLP when Primary 6 pupils sit for the Primary School Evaluation Test (UPSR) they have the option of either answering in English or Malay.
He said a road show will be organised immediately after the Hari Raya celebration next month to further explain the programme implementation to those who are not able to understand it completely or parents who have doubts as to whether to follow it or not.
“If the success from the first year of implementation is great, we might introduce the same in secondary schools either in 2021 or 2022,” he said.
Among those present at the press conference were Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research permanent secretary Datuk William Patrick Nyigor, deputy permanent secretary Dr Abdul Rahman Deen and state Education Department director Dr Azhar Ahmad
