PPSMI : Smoother transition from English to Bahasa Malaysia

The decision to allow for a smoother transition from English to Bahasa Malaysia in the teaching science and mathematics in schools is most welcome.

The attention to the case is a fair decision-making to the affected students.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, both Science and Mathematics would be taught in English and BM for national schools and mother tongue languages for vernacular schools, beginning 2010.

It would start in stages, starting 2012 for Year 1, Year 4, Form 1 and Form Four. Form six and matriculation students are not involved.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, students sitting for Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) would be provided options to answer questions either in English or BM till 2016.

He stressed that the government would allow the present cohorts of students affected or "trapped" by the change in policy to study both subjects in both BM and English.

Najib: Govt committed to improve English

The decision to teach mathematics and science in Bahasa Malaysia and mother tongue languages will not detract the government from its efforts to make Malaysians more proficient in English.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

In relation to this, government had announced to increase hiring an additional 13,966 English teachers, increasing up to 100% the time allocated to teaching English in schools and introducing new elements for teaching of English such as grammar, contemporary literature, information technology and language laboratory.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said it was still the Government’s aim to see Malaysians proficient in the language and even master it so that it could compete in the ever challenging times and globalised era.

“The aim remains the same; there is no change. Only the method in reaching objective is now different.

“The government is aware how important it is for Malaysians to be proficient in English for their own advantage and for the future of the country.

“In fact, increasing the time allocated to teaching English, introducing English literature and language laboratories, among others will be a better method in boosting proficiency than teaching mathematics and science in the language,” he said.