A parents group has complained that a lack of English textbooks for science and mathematics is pushing children who have opted to learn the subjects in English to revert to Bahasa Malaysia.

Parent Action Group for Education (Page) said that this is despite the Education Ministry saying that students who had started learning these subjects in English would be allowed to continue in that language until they complete secondary education.

NONE Page in a statement yesterday said although some schools continue teaching students in English  as per the parents' wishes, albeit without teaching materials, teachers are also faced with other problems.

For example, they said, the state and district education departments only provide examination papers in Bahasa Malaysia for the two subjects, leaving the English-medium schools with having to translate the papers themselves.

The parents also claimed that not a single English mathematics or science textbook can be found on bookshelves today, for the 2013 school year which begins in January.

“Printers when contacted admitted that they were told not to print textbooks in English at all for next year. This smacks of foul play... Can the minister prove us wrong?” they asked.

Accusing the government of “sabotage” against PPSMI, they said the government should follow the oft-trumpeted slogan ‘Janji Ditepati’ (promises fulfilled).

“Therefore we expect the minister to keep to his promise of allowing PPSMI to continue unhindered for those who want it.

“Leave your ego aside and put the children first for the sake of their future and the future of the nation,” they said.

Final PPSMI batch to complete in 2021

In a press statement on Nov 4, 2011, the Education Ministry announced that primary school students who had started the English medium syllabus, would be allowed to continue, despite the scheme being scrapped this year.

NONE With the new policy, students entering standard one in 2012 will be taught the subjects exclusively in Bahasa Malaysia.

“(The students who were taught the subjects in English) can choose to learn mathematics and science entirely in English, entirely in Bahasa Malaysia or in both languages when they enter secondary school next year.

“This means that the PPSMI cohort will be allowed to do so until they complete form five,” the ministry had said in explaining the 'soft landing' approach to the scrapping.

The final batch of PPSMI students are expected to complete form five in 2020 and English textbooks for science and mathematics and bilingual examination papers should rightfully be available until then.