PUTRAJAYA, Aug 11 — The teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English will be scrapped in stages from 2012 starting with Year 1, Year 4, Form 1 and Form 4, Education Director-General Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said.
Form Six and matriculation would not be involved in the scrapping of the policy, he added.
“As a ‘soft landing’ mechanism, the teaching and learning of both subjects will be carried out in two languages either in English and Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese or Tamil from 2010.
“The teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics for Year 4 in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Year 5 in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and Year 6 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 will be conducted in two languages,” he told reporters after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is also Education Minister, here today.
In line with this, he said, Science and Mathematics examinations would be carried out in two languages until 2016.
Both subjects would be taught in two languages in Form 4 in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Form 5 in 2013, 2014 and 2015, he said.
The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations for both subjects would be carried out in two languages until 2015, he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Muhyiddin said the clarification was made due to some confusions arising from the government’s decision to revert the teaching of both subjects to Bahasa Malaysia in national schools, and Chinese and Tamil in vernacular schools from 2012.
Asked on the demands by certain groups that the government do away with the policy immediately, Muhyiddin said there was no necessity to do so.
“We are a responsible government. They can make a demand but they should also understand the reality of the situation.
“Do we have enough qualified English language teachers? Have we put in place all the logistics to teach both subjects in Bahasa Malaysia? Have we enhanced the skills of teachers to teach the subjects in Bahasa Malaysia? They should understand this before making such a demand,” Muhyiddin said.
Muhyiddin also reiterated the ministry’s stand in not closing schools in the wake of the spread of Influenza A(H1N1).
“We don’t have to close schools. We have to complete all the examinations first. How can we close schools without holding these examinations?” he said.
Muhyiddin said the ministry would continue to monitor the situation and would announce appropriate action accordingly.
Meanwhile, Alimuddin expressed regret over the inconveniences faced by SMK Sri Hartamas Parent-Teacher Association at its extraordinary general meeting at the school on Saturday.
“The ministry was open to views on ways to enhance the quality of education and they are welcome to use school premises to discuss the matter,” he said, adding that any group wanting to express their views on certain issues could send memorandum or letters to the ministry so that they could discussed at the ministry’s meetings. – Bernama
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I dont believe our honorable minister said this.