Dr Mahathir reintroduces the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English language during a special meeting with Education Ministry management officials on January 30, 2020 in Putrajaya. — Picture by CHEDET OFFICIAL
By Ashwin Kumar
SHAH ALAM, Jan 31 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced that English will be again used to teach Science and Mathematics subjects
The acting Education Minister said the move was to promote the use and mastery of the language in the education system.
"It is very important that we give time for English, particularly in learning Science and Mathematics.
"Geography and History can come in any language but Mathematics and Science are not indigenous fields of knowledge to us. It comes from abroad.
"Therefore, we are going to use English in the teaching of Science and Mathematics," said Dr Mahathir during a special meeting with Education Ministry management officials yesterday.
A video of his address was later uploaded on his official Facebook page.
The video did not contain any of Dr Mahathir’s remarks on when the policy would be reintroduced.
He stressed that students who studied Science in Bahasa Melayu would later find it difficult to work where English was required.
"The country and people want to see reforms in the education system. I have ideas for the role of education in the country and towards this end, certain weaknesses have to be attended to.
"I wish to put my views on record so that we can work together to achieve it. Of course, my views are not always popular or acceptable to many people but I feel we have to push certain things so that our children grow up and are able to tackle the problems of adult life — that is the purpose of education," he said.
Dr Mahathir said Malaysia’s multiracial society had posed some problems but the same factor had also contributed to the development of the nation.
He added that the country’s development all this while was based on good working relations between the various races.
The policy for teaching Mathematics and Science (PPSMI) in English was introduced in 2003 under Dr Mahathir’s administration as the fourth prime minister.
It was implemented at all stages in national schools across Malaysia in 2007 but was phased out in 2012 by the previous Barisan Nasional government.
The PPSMI was replaced with the “Uphold Bahasa Malaysia and to Strengthen the English language” (MBMMBI) policy when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was the education minister at the time.
Currently, schools are given the option to adopt the dual language programme, where the two subjects can be taught in English instead of making it mandatory.
The Pakatan Harapan administration has been keen to reintroduce teaching Mathematics and Science in English since it took over the government in May 2018.
