English hours to be extended

2009/07/09

The New Straits Times

English hours extended

PUTRAJAYA: Science and Mathematics will be taught in Bahasa Malaysia and vernacular languages, in stages, from 2012.

At the same time, bold and decisive measures will be put in place to strengthen the teaching of English at all levels of education — primary, secondary and matriculation.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also education minister, announced the decision to revert to Bahasa Malaysia for the teaching and learning of the two subjects.

The decision is in line with the ministry’s “Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu, Memantapkan Bahasa Inggeris — New Deal for the Malaysian Education System” strategic move.

The teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English or PPSMI (Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris) was introduced by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.

Muhyiddin said that with yesterday’s decision, the government was actually offering a new approach in the teaching of Science, Mathematics and English.

“The government believes that with this approach we will be able to empower Bahasa Malaysia and strengthen English, and at the same time enhance the capabilities of students to master science and technology which are vital for the future of the country,” he said at the ministry yesterday.

Muhyiddin said the policy would be implemented in stages for Year One, Year Four and Form One.

The changes, however, will not involve Form Six and matriculation. Muhyiddin said to ensure that achievements of students now learning the two subjects in English were not affected, the teaching and examination for the two subjects would continue to be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia and English until the last PPSMI group ended in 2014.

He stressed that the decision was made after studies by the ministry and independent bodies since the introduction of the policy.

“Studies revealed that PPSMI was never ever fully implemented as envisioned. Teachers were teaching the two subjects in both Bahasa Malaysia and English.”

Observation and monitoring by the ministry last year revealed that only a small number of teachers used English to teach the two subjects.

Reading from a statement, Muhyiddin detailed the new deal which would see an increase of 13,933 English language teachers. There are now 31,893 English teachers nationwide.

The measures are:

• Establishing more “contact time” between teachers and students. Grade DG 41 English assistant teachers will be in charge of Year One and Two classes with more than 35 pupils.

• Increasing English language hours by 90 minutes for Level One (Year One to Three) and Level Two ( Year Four to Six) for national primary schools, from the present 240 minutes to 330 minutes, and 210 minutes to 300 minutes a week respectively.

• Increasing English hours for Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina/Tamil (Level One) by 100 per cent, from 60 to 120 minutes and 30 more minutes for Level Two, from 90 to 120 minutes per week.

• Increasing English hours for Form One to Form Six by 80 minutes, from 200 to 280 minutes a week.

• Increasing English hours for Malaysian University English Test for Form Six by 80 minutes, from 320 to 400 minutes a week.

• English hours for matriculation students will be increased by 100 per cent, from three to six hours a week.

• English Children Contemporary Literature programme will be introduced to Level 2 primary students to instil reading interest.

• English language laboratories will be set up in schools to facilitate the learning of English more effectively.

• Information technology will be utilised in the teaching and learning of English via suitable computer software.

• Grammar will be given emphasis in the teaching and learning of English.

• To expose students to Science and Technology terms in English, the elements will be incorporated in the teaching and learning of English. Muhyiddin said the percentage of students in urban schools who scored A, B and C in Science in Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah exam last year declined to 82.5 from 85.1 per cent in 2007.

For rural schools, the percentage dipped from 83.2 to 79.7 per cent. For Mathematics, the achievement of students in urban schools declined from 84.8 to 80.9 per cent, while in rural schools from 80.9 to 77 per cent.

“The achievement gap between urban and rural schools has widened due to PPSMI.”

Apart from monitoring by the ministry, the Trends Report in Mathematics and Science Study 2007 showed the position of Malaysian students in Science subject went down from the 20th place in 2003 to 20th in 2007.

For Mathematics, the position also dipped from 10th to 20th placing. Studies by local universities revealed that the level of English proficiency was nominal at less than three per cent since the implementation of the policy.

“Based on these observations, the government is confident that Science and Mathematics need to be taught in a language which can be easily understood by students, that is Bahasa Malaysia at national schools and Chinese and Tamil for vernacular schools.”

Muhyiddin gave an assurance that efforts would continue to be made to enhance English language proficiency.