KUCHING: Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) is optimistic that the teaching of mathematics and science in English will be a success this time around with the cooperation of everyone involved.
STU secretary-general Chung Fui San said, “It is wise for the state government to take up the challenge put forth by the federal government to teach maths and science in English.
“By using English to teach maths and science from an early age, we are giving our students the best opportunity to succeed in the future. It will also be easier for our teachers to source for materials if the teaching of the subjects is done in English.”
She pointed out that the news that the Sarawak government would take up the challenge of teaching maths and science in English might have created some unrest among teachers while some were happy about it.
There were others, she said, who were concerned that the unfortunate history of the teaching and learning of science and mathematics in English might repeat itself.
“To ensure that the unfortunate history does not repeat itself, the implementation of the teaching of maths and science in English must be properly planned and executed,” she warned.
“Firstly, the mother tongue must be allowed as a language of interaction during maths and science lessons even though English is the medium of instruction.
“In fact, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) 2016 recommended the use of mother tongue-based bilingual education – the use of the child’s mother tongue alongside a second language – as a strategy where the medium of instruction is not the child’s mother tongue.
“Therefore, to ensure that our students master the subject matter when they are taught in English, it is better if our maths and science teachers are locals who can speak the children’s mother tongue.”
Chung added, “Unlike the previous policy, the teaching of maths and science in English this time around will only start in Primary One which means that students who undergo the teaching of maths and science in English this time around will not get a “shock”, unlike previously when the language of instruction suddenly changed in Form One and Form Six.
“Also, this time around, teachers will be better prepared since the government has promised to train the teachers before the new move is implemented next year,” she explained.
Chung also stressed that sufficient resources in different forms must also be provided for teachers to use in their lessons. These resources included remedial materials and teaching strategies to cater to students who could not cope with the subject matters due to learning issues such as suspected dyslexia, slow learners and other unknown reasons that caused illiteracy in them.
Chung pointed out that so far, only 152 primary schools and 114 secondary schools had opted for the teaching of maths and science in English.
She added it would be a long way for STU to get all the schools on board to implement the programme.
Afida Khasuma Zaidi, a Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology lecturer, stressed that teachers should be well prepared and given proper training before they were asked to teach maths and science in English.
“A bilingual education creates more cultural opportunities. A major advantage of attending a bilingual school is that you get to meet with people from different backgrounds and from there, students will gain a lot of social advantages besides being able to adapt better in a multicultural environment,” she added.
