Hello everyone. Time flies so fast as we are now in November 2011. Christmas is around the corner and so is Thanksgiving Day. Anyway, without any delays and beating around the bush, I am back once again since my last post about the PPSMI issue in Malaysia. According to The Star article published 3 days ago, the PPSMI policy will stay for those already learning their mathematics and sciences in English. But the downside: the policy is not going to remain for long (sadly) especially for younger Malaysians born after 2003 who are still in pre-school and kindergarten.
A day after this article was published, The Star reported that some parents are not taking it lying down as reported in this one. PAGE chairman Datin Noor Azimah AbdulRahim has a point and I couldn’t agree more with her. The PPSMI policy should not only stay for many generations to come in Malaysia but also it will benefit many young Malaysians in the long run. Therefore, I ask these questions. Why get rid of a policy that will give young Malaysians the competitive edge their older brother and sisters were deprived of prior to 2003? Don’t these politicians know that they are going to put younger Malaysians (especially those born after 2003) in great difficulty when they are unable to have the chance to compete in the maths and sciences arena at international level? Why not come up with a compromise of keeping PPSMI as an option (although I personally prefer PPSMI to placed full on in the education system) for those choosing to learn mathematics and sciences in English (especially for Malaysians whose English is their mother tongue)? Last but not least, those politicians do not know what they are doing and they have no right to change or abolish an education policy according to whim and fancy. They should just stop and listen to parents and students since citizens have the God-given right to decide what is best for their children especially in the teaching of mathematics and sciences in English as a medium of instruction.
Anyway, what says you about this issue? Do you think the PPSMI policy should stay for good and many generations to come? Or do you believe the PPSMI policy should be an option instead? Opinions are welcomed.
whatsaysyou 
Malaysian education and universities need to be depoliticised and decolonised.
It is the quality of education that matters, not English. English is not the mother tongue of Malaysians, but the products of British colonial power and American influences of the past. However, mere English is impossible to understand the rapid changes of today’s world!
Dr Kua Kia Soong rightly pointed out that the right to mother tongue education and the fact that every child learns best in the mother tongue is a principle that has been established in UNESCO and is now widely accepted in Malaysia.
Also Dr Chua Soi Lek is right that Malaysians should be multilingual by being well-versed in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin as Malaysia is a multiracial and multicultural society.
Since Bahasa Melayu is lacking in science, mathematics and technology, Malaysia must upgrade the teaching of English by makng it a compulsory pass in SPM.
More on Malaysian education being heavily politicised, Quality English standard not up to par!
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/11/malaysian-education-heavily-politicised.html