The government should immediately retract its proposal to teach Science and Mathematics in English and stop making scathing remarks about education groups which oppose the move, said Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

In a statement today, she said the retraction was necessary in view of strong opposition from various political parties, educationists and intellectuals of all races in recent weeks.

The Education Ministry should instead conduct a special programme to improve the mastery of English among students, she added.

However, the opposition leader said if a new programme is suggested, in-depth studies should be done, and educationists and academics consulted first.

"The government should realise that the objection from various parties to the language switch was not an indication of their anti-English attitude or their resistance to the government's effort to raise the standard of English in schools.

"It should also stop accusing those who oppose the proposal of being extreme and betraying the country," she said.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently labelled these groups "extremists" and warned them "not to play with fire".

This was followed by another warning from Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin who said that the Internal Security Act will be evoked against those who try to turn the issue into a racial one.

Be consistent

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah said the language switch, if implemented, would threaten the use of Bahasa Melayu for teaching and other academic purposes in national schools as well as the use of different mother tongues in vernacular primary schools.

She hoped the government will be consistent in its education policy and not make schools the testing ground for "ideas that are not constructive and not supported by facts".

"The future of the country depends on the quality of education, and that should not be affected by hasty policies which lack proper studies," she said.

Since announcing the language switch last month, the government has come under fire from various groups and parties, particularly those supporting vernacular education.

Following this, the Education Ministry said it will allow Barisan Nasional component parties to decide whether the switch should be implemented in vernacular schools.

However, Education Minister Musa Mohamed said last week that the proposal will take effect in all schools next year as scheduled.

On Saturday, Gerakan urged the government to maintain the present teaching medium for the two subjects in different types of schools.

Leaders of four Chinese-based BN parties &38212 MCA, Gerakan, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) met last Friday for the third time in recent weeks to discuss the issue but failed to reach a common stand.

The parties will meet again tonight.