All Tamil schools will be prepared to implement the new policy to teach Science and Maths in English provided 12 conditions are first met, MIC president S Samy Vellu said after a one-day symposium to discuss the issue today.
The MIC-backed National Action Council for Tamil Schools announced the 12 conditions after 39 of the 45 speakers who took to the stage wanted the policy implemented simultaneously next year.
Presently, the Cabinet gave the nod for implementation in national schools only starting next year pending feedback from the respective Chinese Malaysian and Indian Malaysian communities.
The conditions include retaining the character of Tamil schools, prevent any reduction in time allotted for Tamil in the primary school curriculum, to maintain the number of Tamil teachers in SJK(T) and to train Tamil-speaking teachers already familiar with the culture of pupils in Tamil schools to teach Science and Maths.
Others are to prioritise teachers currently teaching Science and Maths in Tamil schools for further training, maintaining Tamil in all but four subjects (English, Bahasa, Science, Maths), to teach English starting from Year One in all Tamil schools and to include Tamil as part of secondary school curriculum.
Relay to Cabinet
The conditions also cover incentives for both teachers and schools when implementing the initiative, to introduce pre-schools for all Tamil schools to prepare pupils for English as medium of instruction in Year One and to upgrade the infrastructure in Tamil schools regardless of whether they are fully-aided or capital-aided schools
Speaking to reporters after the symposium, Samy Vellu said he will relay the outcome of the gathering to the Cabinet on Wednesday, and then it will be up to them to decide whether to implement the policy in Tamil schools next year.
Asked about the objections raised by the Malaysian Tamil Educational Research and Development Foundation over the policy, he said there will always be groups which oppose without good reason.
"Anyone can object, but we (MIC) have closer relations with Tamil schools and we know what is best for them and our children's future.
"These people are well-trained in organising pickets, like this morning where about 50 of them gathered outside the hall," he said.
"They think that the government wants to close down Tamil schools. But will the Barisan Nasional government do a thing like that? Has it done anything like that in the last 44 years?"
Aug 3 resolutions
A spokesperson for the foundation said several resolutions were made when about 500 parents, headmasters and teachers of Tamil schools met at a forum on the "Proposed Teaching of Maths and Science in English in Tamil Schools" it organised on Aug 3.
Several of the unanimous resolutions highlighted the importance of the English language, including proposing that the government increase the hours of instruction in English and the frequency taught in Tamil schools.
The forum also resolved to support the government's efforts to improve proficiency in the English language among all Malaysian schoolchildren.
One of the Aug 3 resolution laid down the reasons why Science and Maths should continue to be taught in Tamil, namely because it was the sole medium of communication at home and in school, as well as for easy conceptualisation in younger minds.
The forum had also urged the government to conduct more extensive research before making the final decision, and to seek the views of those involved in primary school education and educationists.
"Above all, the views of parents who send their children to Tamil schools must prevail over the rest, as their choice must be based on a fundamental reason."
