Malaysia's PM Mahathir defends decision to restart maths and science teaching in English

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday (Feb 6) defended his decision to reintroduce in schools a policy to teach mathematics and science in English, while at the same time added that more discussions might be needed as he faces opposition over the issue from even within his coalition allies.

Citing some Malaysian scientists who attended international scientific conferences but were unable to understand the discussions in English as an example, Tun Dr Mahathir said the Malay community needs to focus on more than just their mother tongue.

"I am a Malay. I love the community and the Malay language. But we need to consider the advancement of the community. If we care for the community, we must emphasise on their success more than focusing on the mother tongue.

"We need to think this through," said Dr Mahathir, who is also Acting Education Minister, at a special address at the ministry. He added that those with poor command of English found it difficult to get jobs.

The premier on Jan 31 announced that the policy known widely by its Malay acronym, PPSMI - the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English - would be making a comeback. This has sparked an outcry among a section of Malaysians, especially from Malay nationalist and Chinese educationist groups who feel that the decision was an attack on their ethnic identity.

Several lawmakers in his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition lamented that the reintroduction of the controversial policy should be first discussed by top coalition leaders.

The policy was first introduced in 2003 when Dr Mahathir was also prime minister. But it was abolished in 2012 when the Education Ministry found that a majority of maths and science teachers used a mix of Malay and English when teaching the two subjects to their students. Only 4 per cent used mostly English to impart their knowledge in these subsjects.

It was found that the teachers had to often switch to Bahasa Malaysia because most students could not understand their lessons in English, hampering their ability to understand basic maths or science concepts that resulted in poor performance.

The PPSMI policy was replaced with the Dual Language Programme (DLP) in 2016, which allows selected schools the option to teach maths and science in English.

Denoting the lack of English proficiency among some teachers, Dr Mahathir said the government will introduce a new way to teach using local and international experts if the improved policy is implemented.

"... (They) will teach lessons and produce lessons and record them on videos to be shown to students, so that teachers would no longer be fully relied on in the classroom if the improved PPSMI is implemented," the premier said. "I still believe that without English, we will be left out of certain industries."

This, however, still does not sit well with a coalition of education non-governmental organisations (NGO) and several Malay literary figures, who urged Dr Mahathir to focus on improving the teaching of English in schools rather than using it to teach the two subjects.

"Our students are far behind when compared with countries such as Vietnam, who learn science and maths in Vietnamese and whose standing is much higher" in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and the Programme for International Student Assessment, Abolish PPSMI chairman Wan Ramli Wan Daud was quoted as saying by Malay Mail news site on Thursday.

He added: "It is puzzling why Dr Mahathir seeks to repeat a policy which has affected nearly three million students and cost over RM3 billion to carry out, without producing any tangible benefits."

Mr Stanley Yong, secretary-general of NGO Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (United Action Malaysia), said quite a number of people in the Chinese vernacular school system believe that teaching maths and science in the pupils' mother tongue is the only way to let them understand the subjects better.

"Though PPSMI has good intentions, as it stands, we cannot do so without negatively impacting future students since we do not have the properly trained teachers to do so," he said.

While it welcomes the reintroduction of the policy, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) on Jan 31 warned of implementation problems, such as an ill-prepared teaching force.

"NUTP supports the Prime Minister's suggestion that maths and science be taught in English, but we pray that the minister treads carefully on this issue so that it will be politically right for the betterment of the society," said NUTP president Aminuddin Awang.

Parti Amanah Nasional (PAN) - one of the four PH parties - rejected the proposed re-implementation.

"In essence, PAN's position in relation to PPSMI is that we disagree, unless there is a strong argument to prove otherwise... If the teaching of mathematics and science in English is to be done, then we want to hear the argument behind it," said paty vice-president and Federal Territory Minister Khalid Abdul Samad.

The Democratic Action Party, another PH component party, questioned why coalition leaders were not consulted about the matter.