2011/03/25
W.H., Kuala Lumpur
letters@nst.com.myShare
I REFER to letters that still raise the question of whether it was a wise move to have abolished the PPSMI (Teaching Mathematics and Science in English beginning from primary and secondary schools) and replacing it with MBMMBI (Memperkasa Bahasa Melayu, Memperkukuh Bahasa Inggeris (strengthening the use of Malay, upgrading the teaching of English).
The debate may not be relevant anymore as the government has made the decision after careful consideration and getting expert opinions.
I remember attending a special session in Shah Alam organised by a Johor based non-governmental organisation early last year. The keynote address was by a respected senior professor from a university in the Klang Valley.
He said, a total of five times, that "those who think we can improve the children's English by teaching Maths and Science in English are "crazy" (the exact word used was gila).
I would like to share my experience and observations as someone who taught at tertiary level for 30 years and is now a pensioner.
I had my education in the English medium but I do not think or feel that my colleagues in the sciences (now full or associate professors) from Sekolah Alam Shah, who had obtained Masters and PhDs locally or overseas, are inferior to me.
Neither do I consider my sons, daughters and in-laws less competent because they had their education in the 1980s and 1990s in the national language (English medium was abolished by then).
I am very proud that Universiti Sains Malaysia and University Kebangsaan Malaysia, the pioneers in our national education system, have produced thousands of scientists and professionals, including specialists in medicine, dentistry, engineering or accountancy, who have contributed much to the development of our young nation.
Many of their graduates have been accepted to do postgraduate studies in almost any country in the world, even though they are from the Malay medium.
Of course, these above average students are also above average in competency in our second language, English.
Malay language (including bahasa Indonesia which originated from the Malay language) is the fifth widely spoken language (spoken by over 300 million people) in the world after English, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, and Spanish.
Since the last four decades, our academicians and language experts at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and universities have worked together to develop it to be the language of mathematics, science and technology, drawing inspiration from English and the experience of Indonesia.
Of course, the importance of English was never neglected.
My personal observation among my students who studied social science is that those who are good in their command of English are also good in their subjects, and also have a good command of Malay.
The few students who are not good in English are usually those who also did not do well in their studies; neither are they good in their command of Malay.
My nine years experience of studying overseas (six years in Australia and three years in the United Kingdom) allowed me to conclude that the Australians and the British are rather impressed with the command of English among our students.
Some would lump Malaysians together with students from Singapore and Hong Kong as those who are most competent in English among foreign students.
I remember, that during orientation week, students from overseas were asked to sit for English competency tests, and those who did not score a certain mark had to undergo special English tuition for at least a semester or term. I do not remember any of our students having to do so.
I did some study on the subject of neuropsycholinguistics, the relationship between the function of the brain, learning and development.
To put it in a nutshell, research has revealed that our brain functions better, that is, it is more efficient and creative, if teaching and learning is conducted in the first or the national language of the country.
The success story of many European countries, including Russia and the Far East like Japan, Korea, and China, confirm the finding.
An intensive case study on Germany has pointed out that the country in the 16th and 17th century was backward and the Germans, especially the elite, suffered from inferiority complex.
The medium of instruction then was French as this was considered an international language and the language of progress.
But, a linguistic nationalist, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), campaigned and popularised a new discovery that Germany could achieve progress like France, Germany, Britain, and Russia if it were to develop its own national language and use it as the vehicle for teaching and learning.
This, the German elite accepted and after Leibniz's demise, his theory was proven to be true.
In fact, I came across an article which quoted Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore admitting that his two language policy of using English as the first language was a failure, as the young generation of ethnic Chinese and Malays were suffering from inferiority complex and the loss of pride and ethnic identity.
Some months ago, I read with great interest an announcement made by Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry, that Malaysia had entered the prestigious club of the top ten most competitive nations last year, from 18th the previous year and further below some years earlier.
This is thanks to our National Education Policy and the young generation of professionals which the country has produced since the last four decades.
Read more: English: Malay medium a success http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/23gaga/Article/#ixzz1IwKvXZuG
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Memang tidak dinafikan bahawa Bahasa Inggeris itu penting di peringkat antarabangsa. Seseorang perlu menguasai bahasa itu untuk berkomunikasi dengan orang luar Malaysia yang tidak fasih atau memahami bahasa kebangsaan.
Dalam perkara PPSMI ini aku tak nampak dengan menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris sebagai medium untuk pelajaran Sains dan Matematik dapat meningkatkan tahap pengguasaan Bahasa Inggeris para pelajar sekolah. Mengapa perlu korbankan kedua-dua mata pelajaran itu?. Mengapa tidak panjangkan masa pembelajaran mata pelajaran Bahasa Inggeris?. Kalau nak berceloteh mengenai PPSMI ni memang tak habis . Sebabnya pejuang bahasa ada sebabnya sendiri untuk mansuhkan PPSMI dan PAGE pula ada sebabnya tersendiri untuk mempertahankan PPSMI.
Baru-baru ni PM ada mengatakan bahawa beliau akan memberi perhatian pada memo dari PAGE mengenai PPSMI. Maksudnya belum tentu lagi PPSMI akan dimansuhkan pada 2012.
Bagi aku senang saja tak payah pening-pening kepala. Perkara utama ialah kelemahan Bahasa Inggeris dikalangan pelajar sekolah maka tumpukan saja kepada hal itu iaitu pembelajaran Bahasa Inggeris. Panjangkan masa dan tusyen percuma.
Panjang lagi nak tulis ni ...PAGE pun ada sebabnya...iaitu ..Bahasa Inggeris itu bahasa yang penting untuk pengetahuan.
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