Chinese dailies laud party leaders in education deal

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Chinese newspapers in the past week downplayed the impact of the bilingual teaching of Mathematics and Science in Chinese primary schools but were full of praises for the Chinese-based parties in Barisan Nasional for standing up for their community on the issue.

MCA leaders aligned to Team A led by party president Dr Ling Liong Sik and Gerakan deputy president Kerk Choo Ting were among the leaders feted in news reports.

Ling said the Chinese Malaysian community will accept the compromise reached at the BN supreme council meeting last Thursday and will continue to support the ruling coalition in the next election.

The transport minister also told party leaders not to make any more remarks nor politicise the issue further as the matter has been resolved.

Kerk described the teaching of the two subjects in both Chinese and English next year as a "visionary design that will improve English proficiency among students".

"It is a big improvement for us. Before this, we (Chinese schools) did not have English and Science in Year One. Now we have both, and nine periods taught in English," he was reported as saying.

MCA vice-president Ong Ka Ting, who is also the housing and local government minister, described the decision as a "bonus" for the Chinese schools.

He said the number of periods for Chinese as a subject was not decreased because the three periods taken from the original 15 periods per week were already decided by the Education Ministry early this year.

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