The issue of teaching Mathematics and Science in English has become a hot debate in Malaysia recently. Certain groups have also made the issue racial and started name-calling to make it a bigger mess.

Based on the many reactions in the Chinese community (and some Malays too), the main reason for the resistance is not racial as some claim. It is simply practicality.

There are objections from the Chinese, as well as Malays and Indians. These questions will give a clearer picture why they are against the plan:

  • Is the command of English of a Standard One student proficient enough to learn other subjects in it?

  • Will the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English be enough to cultivate proficiency in the use of the language, or is it better to put more time in teaching English language itself?

  • We all know that most Malaysians can speak some English, but how many have a good enough command to teach Mathematics and Science in English?

  • Does learning Mathematics and Science in English bring any advantages in the long run?

    • I came from an independent Chinese secondary school which teaches Mathematics and Science in English for science class students. It's not an easy thing even for a Senior Middle One (equivalent to form Four) student to make that switch. Most take about one to four months to get use to it.

    I was lucky to have an English-speaking father who taught me to read English books at home before that. Only Science class students were taught the subjects in English as they were considered the 'elite' because of their better results in Junior Middle. So, do you think all primary school students have the kind of English background enough to make the change?

    Even then, teachers proficient in English were in scarce supply at my secondary school. There was a trick popular among my classmates with certain teachers we knew were not so good in English.

    When answering subjective questions, students would simply write a long paragraph full of important keywords without much organisation (some did not even make sense). Since the teachers had such a poor command of English, they could only grade based on the keywords. So, if you mention the keywords, you get the points, no matter how nonsensical or fragmented the sentences were.

    So, how is that helpful in learning English when you only need to memorise the keywords and just string them together in a paragraph that makes no sense?

    When I studied at a private college after secondary school, I found out from other independent Chinese school students that my school was among a minority that had taught Mathematics and Science in English.

    However, my schoolmates and I had the advantage for only one semester as the others, including those who came from national-type schools soon caught up with us in learning the two subjects in English.

    This proves the point that theories and facts in Mathematics and Science are universal and you do not really need a good command of English to master the subjects. For example, force is always equal to mass multiplied by acceleration, whatever the language. So, learning Mathematics and Science in one's native language (which is not English) is certainly not a handicap.

    If those proposing the plan are sincere about helping us, they should do more research and studies before launching a small-scale experiment with perhaps Form Four students or some 'elite' classes first.

    And please do not label those voicing their opinion for practical and rational reasons "extremists". And those who can't find scapegoats for Malaysia's unemployed graduates should stop using innocent students as guinea pigs. This will not help to advance education in Malaysia.