Joint Statement Made by Dong Zong and Jiao Zong

July 17, 2019

Dong Zong Objects to the Reactivation of Using English in Math and

 Science Teaching

Same Error Commitment is Cautioned for the Pawn of Students’ Learning Right

The address delivered by the Prime Minister Tun Mahathir in the House of Commons (Lower House) informing that the government is studying the reactivation of the use of English in Math and Science teaching has rippled some doubts towards Dong Zong and Jiao Zong. Herewith Dong Jiao Zong forwards its firm stance as follows:

1. The results of Math and Science in Primary Six UPSR (2018) indicated that the percentages of the minimum pass were 15 and 96.12 respectively. Dong Jiao Zong reckons that it is the effectiveness of employing mother tongue as medium of instruction in vernacular schools. Nonetheless, for the sake of grasping the fundamentals of Math and Science, the government should further enhance the use of mother tongue in Math and Science Teaching for optimal learning results but not the use of English in the teaching as it forces primary students to learn Math and Science through English which is an additional language. It is attributed mainly to the fact that the primary students in general cannot master an additional language easily and this very reality weakens students’ performance in Math and Science, which seriously undermines the quality of national education.

2. The necessary provision of mother tongue education in any nation is the common understanding of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (henceforth UNESCO) and educationists worldwide. “Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025” likewise quoted UNESCO’s report stating the importance of mother tongue-based learning during the preschool period as it ensures effective preparation for bilingual or multilingual education. The citation shows the Ministry of Education realises this decisive factor. Inconceivably, the government intends to reactivate the use of English—which is not the mother tongue—in the teaching of Math and Science contradictorily. Dong Jiao Zong pleads the government to admit that mother tongue education is the most effective learning approach for elementary students and it has nothing to do with national pride but plays a critical role in the right to learn for students. The government should rather practise mother tongue education in compliance with education theory accordingly. It is evident that the Use of English in Math and Science Teaching Policy pushed hastily forward from 2003 to 2009 severely posed harmful consequences to the quality of national education. As such, the central government should not repeat the commitment.

3. We also believe that what our Prime Minister Tun Mahathir had claimed—new software of Intelligence Technology would be used in the said policy—was essentially incorrect as Intelligence Technology is merely a supplementary asset for education and it has no correlation with the use of language in Math and Science learning. As it was known, national funds were used for the purchase of educational aids in the implementation of the policy previously but consequently the effort did not pay off. At the end of the day, students’ proficiencies in English, Math and Science were not improved; worse still, there was an abuse of resource due to improper use of devices and equipments installed. In view of this, Dong Jiao Zong believes the government should rather enhance the use of mother tongue in Math and Science teaching and concurrently leverage Intelligence Technology for effective and optimal learning. It cannot be gainsaid that successful results are obtained and national development achieved through the preservative use of mother tongue learning in educational advanced nations such as Korea, Japan and Finland, etc.

4. Dong Jiao Zong reckons that the success of additional language learning differs from one individual to another and therefore not everyone can be well-versed in three languages as anticipated. In national education, the learning of other subjects should not be hindered by students’ language proficiency. National education caters for all and hence it should meet the needs of the students. English is not the mother tongue of most of the different ethnic groups and the government should not sacrifice the learning right of the majority at the expense of minority elites. If the Use of English in Math and Science Teaching policy were to be implemented mandatorily, the limited education resource provided by the Ministry of Education and schools would be focused on the prodigies, and it would consequently accelerate educational inequality and be baneful to low achieving learners.

5. Dong Jiao Zong reiterates, its objective stance towards the Use of English in Math and Science Teaching Policy cannot be translated as denying the importance of English as the lingua franca as well as the register for technology. It is simply that the use of English in such teaching does not comply with educational theory and is known to be an inappropriate approach; it not only weakens students’ level of Math and Science in the national education but also pawns students’ learning right which essentially poses harm to the nation. We agree that students’ proficiency of English should be enhanced and it appears to be imminent but to reach such goal, we should refer to language acquisition principles, viz., to begin with elements like teaching objectives, curriculum, lesson duration, learning materials, pedagogy, teaching force and facilities among others for a holistic and successful learning.

6. Last but not the least, Dong Jiao Zong pleads the government to abandon sentiments and persistence, and eventually push educational reform forward based on research findings and data analysis documented globally. All and all, Dong Jiao Zong insists on mother tongue education and is strongly against the reactivation of the Use of English in Math and Science Teaching Policy.