The coping powers of Malaysian schoolchildren should never be underestimated because of their natural capacity for much more than what politicians think they can handle, said a prominent educationist.

Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid, former director of Institut Aminuddin Baki, a teachers training institute, said the new policy to teach Science and Math in English would work well due to the God-given capacity humans have to master more than one language.

He said it was a logical progression for India to achieve fantastic heights in information and communications technology (ICT) because their foundation in Math and English had always been solid.

Ibrahim also felt that a positive mindset and attitude can make anyone achieve anything, including the mastery of any number of languages.

"During the advent of ICT, India thrived because there is the element of Math in all science subjects just as much as there is the element of language in it," he said.