I cannot help but be tickled by IKS's letter Self-determination to rise above poverty

response to my earlier letter clarifying what actually took place at the MIC-orchestrated education 'drama' on Aug 10.

It is amusing that IKS is still not aware of the crux of the arguments against the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English in vernacular primary schools despite malaysiakini carrying numerous articles on the issue in simple English. Let us recap the debate for his benefit.

Firstly, no one is opposing the government's efforts to improve proficiency in the English language. In fact, parents have been asking the government to introduce English language lessons from Standard One in Tamil schools and to increase its teaching hours. Currently, English is taught from Standard Three in Tamil schools.

When we learn any language, we first start by learning the alphabet and simple words and then progress to vocabulary, grammar, complex sentence structures, reading essays and so on. But for some convoluted reason the government wants to introduce the teaching of Math and Science in English from Standard One to Tamil and Chinese pupils who would have no foundation in the English language.

It is akin to asking pupils to read Shakespeare when they cannot even recognise simple English words yet. These pupils will end up learning neither English, Math or Science.

Secondly, which is more important: the language or the knowledge?

I would go for knowledge. Language is only a vehicle of knowledge. And knowledge in Math and Science is best picked up in a child's mother tongue in his or her early years of schooling. Tamil and Chinese pupils' current performance in Science and Math proves this point.

This fact has been well documented and supported by Unicef and other studies undertaken by international education and language experts. Or if IKS wants direct evidence, he should visit White Hart Lane Comprehensive in Tottenham, north London. The school is among the few in Britain that has started to teach Science and Math in the mother tongues of ethnic minorities for reasons stated earlier.

Thirdly, it is a question of cultural diversity and the democratic right of a parent to choose the best form of education he or she sees fit for his or her child. Some English-speaking parents may want their children to learn Science and Math in English. Fine, we respect their decision and they are free to send their children to the national schools.

But other parents like me want our children to be schooled in Tamil. I do not think IKS or MIC president S Samy Vellu, who do not send their children to Tamil schools, have any business to sabotage this existing right. It is in this context that Samy Vellu's manipulation of the education symposium on Aug 10 to serve his political interest is repugnant.

I do not consider the anger of the parents, who were deliberately denied the opportunity to state their stand on the matter on that day, as "emotional," "irrelevant" or without substance!

As for the English language leading us to the path of riches, I think MS' letter More than English skills to halt Indian poverty had responded to the point. I wonder why I never reached the promised riches in the Silicon Valley though I was educated in the English medium throughout my life.

At least I reached varsity but the other 50 Indian students in my batch who enrolled in the English-medium primary school were not so lucky. They dropped out after Standard Six and ended up working as odd-job labourers.