Ask the people how the government is fairing and ask the students how they are fairing in their subjects. This is the lesson learnt based on the results and performance of the students who took this year’s UPSR examination the result s of which were released last week..

The results showed that these primary school pupils have not been affected or had suffered or were sidelined having gone through the full six years of studying the subjects of science and mathematics in English.

The controversy by some quarters to switch the teaching of the two subjects to Bahasa Malaysia must be now reviewed.

The Malaysian Indian Business Association is in agreement with current policy whereby the subjects need to continue to be taught in English bearing in mind that this will enhance the scope of employment opportunities in the future for our youngsters.

The serious and growing impact of E-commerce, the region’s technology-driven economies and the lingua franca of the Internet being in English are best reasons as to why we call for this continuation.

Those calling for a switch should think 10 years ahead when the most of our youngsters will be graduates to the current number of public and private universities.

They may opt to seek employment overseas to match both their skills and income expectations. Their thirst to keep up with new and changing technologies in order to remain competitive within global businesses is also another reason why they would need English.

Even locally, we would want more foreign multi-nationals to set up their industries here and they would first and foremost demand understanding of English as a means of communication.

The teaching of science and maths in English has actually driven all students overall to excel and improve in the English language.

After all, it was Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made the initial switch. And I am sure that the wise Tun would have soul-searched every aspect of the decision.

He chose to be bold to bring about the changes knowing then it was important to switch in order for the younger generations to remain competitive in a globalised technology-driven world.

So the policy has been proven right. Why change it and handicap our youngsters’ future?

One has to look at the oak tree and not the acorn.

The writer is president, Malaysian Indian Business Association.