PPSMI: Parents unhappy over decision to revert

KUALA LUMPUR: Many parents and students are very disappointed at the Cabinet’s decision to reverse the Teaching of Science and Mathematics policy.

Said mother of three Kam Swee Har: “Language is not just about teaching grammar and writing essays; it is the whole application of the language.

“The exposure is different when you’re learning technical subjects like Science or Maths.”

Engineer and father of four, Sulaiman Mahran, agreed: “Technical terms need to be absorbed in English, so strengthening English in general is not going to help in Maths and Science.”

Azra Banu, who has a child in Year Six, pointed out that it is the rural students who will lose out in the long run.

Businesswoman Haili Abdul Jamil, who has two children in Years One and Two, is seriously considering enrolling her children in an international school following the decision.

The impact of the decision is particularly hard on students who will enter Form Four in 2012.

Form One student Anisa Sulaiman is anxious about switching to Bahasa Malaysia in the two subjects when she gets into Form Four in 2012.

“I have been learning Maths and Science in English, so it will be difficult if we change the medium of instruction later on,” she said.

In Penang, Han Chiang High School Just English centre adviser Ooi Lay Le said the standard of English among students would drop if the two subjects were not taught in the language.

“We are going backwards,” said Ooi who has been teaching for 40 years.

SJK (C) Union Bahasa Malaysia Committee head Cheah Choo Suan, 55, said teaching the subjects in English would have helped broaden students’ knowledge of new terminologies and improve their command of the language.

Year Five student R. Abirami, 11, from SK Convent Green Lane, said it would be hard for her to adapt to the new system.

“We have memorised the scientific terms in English,” she said. “I’m afraid it will be hard to re-learn them in Bahasa Malaysia.”

In Johor, some parents are even considering sending their children to Singapore where they can learn in English.

Dr Santhi Sivalingam Moorthy, 41, said she would seriously consider transferring her three children, aged between five and 10, to Singapore schools now. (petikan dari The Star 9 Julai 2009)

Ulasan saya

Saya mewakili diri saya sendiri, tidak dapat menerima keputusan kerajaan ini. Tetapi saya ini ikan bilis. Bagi pendapat saya kerajaan mengambil keputusan yang amat terdesak tanpa melihat objektif jangka panjang PPSMI. Alasan, tidak cukup guru yang boleh mengajar matematik dan sains dalam bahasa inggeris, adalah alasan yang sangat dangkal dan dibuat-buat.

Sekiranya pelkasanaan PPSMI adalah punca penolakan rakyat kepada UBN, kenapa pada tahun 2004 UBN menang besar???

Jika alasan kekurangan guru yang mengajar kenapa tidak diberi latihan? Betul ke.. jika PPSMI di mansuhkan maka kemahiran guru-guru yang mengajar dalam 2 mata pelajaran ini meningkat?? Ada jaminan ke.. bahawa pengajaran 2 mata pelajaran ini dalam bahasa melayu.. bahawa bahasa melayu telah dimartabatkan???

Kenapa kita suka membandingkan diri kita dengan negara-negara yang telah lama bertamadun di mana penggunaan bahasa ibunda mereka boleh juga maju. Jangan lupa kita adalah negara bekas jajahan.. hanya setengah abad merasa merdeka. Untuk mengejar kemajuan itu.. kita mesti melalui jalan pintas dan cepat mengekses maklumat, dan kebetulan maklumat itu adalah dalam bahasa inggeris.

Jangan kerana bahasa adalah jiwa bangsa menjadi faktor kita mundur. Saya.. bukan menghina.. cuba jalankan penyelidikan rawak.. dalam 10 orang pelajar universiti tempatan kita.. berapa orang ke.. yang mampu menulis dan berbahasa inggris yang baik? Buat kajian juga.. dalam 10 orang bijakpandai kita.. berapa orang yang benar-benar mengunakan bahasa melayu sebagai bahasa penulisan dalam kajian mereka.