English or BM?

It is now December and in a few weeks time schools will be full again and I can imagine how hectic it would be particularly in the primary schools with those first timers. Teachers will then have to divide their attention to two sets of people - the first timers and the old timers and of course the very - very old timers who think they know everything about their children and the school. Well, good luck to teachers.

A few days ago a local paper had published views of various sections of the society about Etems or PPSMI. I was surprised to see their reactions most of them or I can say all of them are against reverting back to BM in the teaching of Science and Math. Well, most of them say the act is looking returning to the stone age or something. Some of them argue that all these while their children have been struggling but now they have settled down.

Well, to certain extent I agree with them but these are the minorities the majority are those in the rural areas where some may find it very hard even to excuse themselves to the rest room! If those in the urban areas are still familiarising themselves those in the urban areas are still in shock although the change was initiated back in 2002 especially those in the secondary schools. Out of the blue they have to learn or re learn everything in English. In the beginning they are afraid of English now they are even more scared of Science and Maths. Those who agree to stick to Etems I think are inconsiderate and selfish because they are not the ones will have to bear the burden but their children. Let us once in a while listen to what children say like in those Petronas ads " Kanak-kanak Memahaminya".

They view English as something detached and alien to their lives, they will not use English at home, who'll be their sparing partners? Their parents? Oh no,their parents may think that they are belittling them rather than communicating with them. Many may not realised the real problem. Students are weak in English and as such they lack the tools and motivation to learn it. Suddenly Science or Maths is now taught in English. The clear blue sky now turns into black rainy day.

Some may have forgotten the burden of English teachers who now are overburden with teaching and tutoring two sets of people - Science and Maths teachers and of course the students themselves. Some are even unlucky still because they have to teach Science or Maths as well!

One solution to this problem is to reopen English national type schools once again which were abandoned some times ago. By doing this, parents and students will have ample opportunity to choose between English, BM or other vernacular languages.


Lets ask the children!


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