DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang has described Education Minister Musa Mohamad's statement that it was not his (Musa's) responsibility to convince Dong Jiao Zong and Hua Zong to accept the use of English to teach Mathematics and Science in Chinese primary schools as "a very irresponsible and haughty attitude unbecoming of an education minister".

"It is not only the responsibility of the education ministry to make available its studies and reports showing that the switch will lift the standard of Mathematics, Science and English in Chinese primary schools to Dong Jiao Zong and Hua Zong, but also to the Malaysian public and in particular the Chinese community, parents, teachers and organisations concerned about mother-tongue education and convince them of the educational wisdom of such a switch," Lim said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Musa said there was no need for him to meet representatives of the three organisations as they must evaluate themselves as to whether the use of English to teach Mathematics and Science is good or bad and to give their views.

Minister's responsibility

Lim said he could accept that Musa has no responsibility to politically convince Dong Jiao Zong and Hua Zong to accept the switch but "he cannot abdicate from his responsibility to convince them of the educational soundness and superiority of the switch, as it is the education ministry which is advocating the switch".

"It is only after it could be proved that such a switch makes educational sense, that the political decision should be made whether to accept it and not as present, demanding a political decision that the switch be accepted without any effort to convince the Malaysian people and the Chinese community that it is educationally sound," he added.

The DAP leader said he has e-mailed an invitation to Musa to attend a forum on the Education Development Blueprint 2001-2002 at the Chinese Assembly Hall tomorrow so that he could present the ministry reports and studies at the forum.