The Parents Action Group for Education wants all national schools to be given the option to continue teaching Science and Mathematics in English.

NONE Its chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said an opinion poll carried out in seven schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur showed that 97 percent of parents wanted their children's schools be exempted from the scraping of the policy of teaching Science and Mathematics in English.

The seven schools are Sekolah Kebangsaan Assunta 2, Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara, Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Hartamas, Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Megah, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Hartamas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (Perempuan) Sri Aman and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman SEA.

"We are not against the policy of upholding the Bahasa Malaysia and strengthening the command of English. We just want schools to be given the option," she said.

She said that a memorandum on the matter had been handed over to Deputy Federal Territories Minister M Saravanan, to be submitted to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

High-speed broadband next year

On another matter, the country's high-speed broadband is expected to be deployed by middle of next year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

NONE Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Joseph Salang Gandum ( right ) said at the moment the system was being tested at four exchanges in the Klang Valley namely Bangsar, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

Telekom Malaysia, he said, had also started physical work at 22 other exchanges nationwide.

"The network access will provide high-speed broadband via 1.3 million premises in the Klang Valley, Iskandar Malaysia and in several economic and industrial zones in Malaysia.

"The comprehensive test is to be completed this year and the service will come on stream by middle of next year," he said in reply to Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang) during question time.

He said that apart from last mile access, the joint venture project between the government and Telekom Malaysia would also cover core network and international gateway which was currently under preparation.

"Most of the domestic core network has been installed and is being tested. As for the international gateway, the existing American-Asia Gateway undersea cable system is being enhanced and expected to be completed by end of this year," he said.

- Bernama