Feet Dragging and PPSMI

A couple of months ago, we were all told that the decision whether Maths and Science to continue to be taught in English will be made after the UPSR results came out. Well, the UPSR results are out. If anything is to go by, the data indicates that more students are answering in English. But what did our policy makers say??? They need to study some more....still feet dragging. Best to get this uncertainty over and done with. If they really feel that the stakeholders (parents and students) want to revert to BM, then by all means revert.

But by and large a very big group of parents are for PPSMI (teaching of Math and Science in English). Our ability to conduct ourselves in the lingua franca of today's world is very lacking. It's also the language of science and technology. And to cap this already debilitating disability, DBP can't even translate the stuffs that come into the mainstream fast enough... let alone find enough good translators to do a good job. So, why all these yo-yoing....

Then why the shuffling of feet? Maybe the decision has already been made and now that the results are out...it's not what they expected. Last week, rumours were flying that text books for Std 1 in BM have made their way to schools. These came from people who were in charge of the distribution of textbooks. So, they would actually be in the know. Presently all students get their textbooks free...so many schools are giving out the books before the new academic year begins. Kononnya so that the students will do their revision before school starts. Hello!! I wonder the policy makers themselves once did extra revision during the hols as kids.

Today, the Education Director General said that there were no basis for the rumours as school textbooks are only given out a week before school reopens. Again, wonder whether he knows what he is talking about. I supposed he meant that the schools are making the students go back to school a week before the new term begins.... Our DG has been sitting high up there for so long that he doesn't really know what is going on.

After 6 years and a couple billion ringgit later...we will change policy again??? It baffles me how the policy makers think. Why can't they see that whatever policy we carry out, whether or not BM or English is used as the medium of instruction, there is another issue at hand...competency and commitment of the teachers and school administrators. Get the best people for the job and perhaps we may see better things to come. There are Math and Sciece teachers who still refuse to teach in English....ignorance, pride and no touch with reality.

Ah, maybe by keeping the populace ignorant in English may work well for the gahmen...most anti gahmen stuff...they're in English. So keep them happy and ignorant...maybe the power will not shift from them.. I dunno what to think cos I see no sense in this. Teach in BM...students also cannot do. Teach in English...oso the same thing. So why all the hoo-hah??