Teaching Maths and Science in English

I have been told that the government has reverted to using Bahasa Melayu to teach Maths and Science in national schools and mother tongue in vernacular schools. At the same time, the Ministry of Education would strengthen the teaching of English, both in primary and secondary schools.

Of course we welcome the decision, which is what MCA and a lot of Chinese parents hope for. Of course parents in the urban area may be disappointed since they want to continue to use English in the teaching of Maths and Science.

With this decision, we hope that the Ministry of Education and parents should then move forward in ensuring that their children do not neglect Bahasa Melayu and English. All Malaysians should be multilingual. We should not be a monolingual race knowing only one language. In a highly competitive world, command of languages is an added advantage. English is today an international language. The Ministry of Education should meanwhile improve the teaching infrastructure of English in both primary and secondary schools. Steps should be taken to overcome the shortage of qualified English and Mandarin teachers. One of the solutions is to employ contract teachers who are trained to teach English and Mandarin.

Since the new policy will be implemented in 2012, I hope that the scrapping of the policy would not affect the students and their studies.

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拿督斯里蔡细历医生文告

（吉隆坡8日）马华署理总会长拿督斯里蔡细历医生欢迎政府恢复母语教授数理科，但也希望这项政策不会成为国人学习和掌握多种语文的障碍。

他说，母语教育固然重要，但也不能忽略英语和国语的掌握。目前，大部分华校生面对英语和国语掌握差强人意的问题，而削弱他们的就业和竞争条件。

蔡细历今日发表文告说，以母语教授数理是马华长期以来的要求，也是马华向来的立场。

他说，在城市地区的一些父母或许感到失望，因为他们都支持、也希望继续推行英文教数理。

“这也证明政府重视和愿听取众议和要求。教育部长丹斯里慕尤丁早前也公开接受各造的意见，加以研讨才向内阁寻求定案。”

蔡细历强调，长远之计，教育部、校方和父母要重视孩子多种语文的学习和掌握。因为激烈的全球自由化市场重用多语人才，而我国人民身长在多元化的国家，应该要善用此有利条件，学习以精通多语，而非成为单一语文的族群。

他说，与此同时，教育部必须采取步骤，包括考虑增聘合约英文和中文老师，以解决国内英文和中文师资不足的问题。

他补充，由于政府在2012年才恢复使用母语教授数理科，当局必须确保在过度阶段的现有学生不会受到影响。