PPSMI, The program known as ‘Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English Policy’ is supposedly better known by its unpronounceable Malay abbreviation PPSMI rather than something like ToMSiE which has a better ring to it. On the onset, if an English program is going to be better known by its Malay abbreviation, then it’s doomed for failure.
It was introduced by Mahathir in 2003 to help keep young Malaysians abreast with the latest in science and technology where the majority of content is in the English Language. Its secondary objective is to increase English proficiency throughout the nation.
In 2007, studies that were carried out challenged the efficacy of the whole program. Students, especially rural ones, lost interest in Science and Mathematics and their performance suffered. The enemies of PPSMI were quick to strike back. Dong Zhong (Chinese schools) and Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) succeeded into coaxing the government to abolish PPSMI, Mahathir’s parting gift to Malaysia.
PPSMI’s failure is not due to the students, honestly, kids can absorb anything you throw at them. It’s the adults, teachers and parents who can’t handle the heat. It may be asking too much of monolingual teachers to spontaneously teach in another language. It would aptly take years of training, and not simply because CD ROMs, guide books and other digital aids were provided.
As a Malaysian school leaver, university graduate in Electrical Engineering and a working professional within the local engineering industry, I can comfortably comment on this matter without political bias or cultural sentiment.
My entire schooling life was unaffected by PPSMI, I studied Maths and completely in Bahasa Malaysia Science from Standard 1 to Upper Sixth Form. Then I had to make the abrupt switch to English in university. Had I not been brought up in an English speaking background, it would prove a double roadblock, and for some people it might extinguish any interest they had in science.
Let’s not kid ourselves, Malay nationalists, any credible technology driven company in Malaysia, multinational or otherwise, conducts all technical undertakings in English. Even today, most Malay scientific terms used in schools are blatantly borrowed from English anyway.
While most private colleges and universities in Malaysia use English completely, public universities straddle the line between Malay and English. Some lectures are in Malay, but not if there’s an international student. All reference books are in English, but some lecturers ‘publish’ their own books, sometimes in Malay. And you can answer your exam questions either in Malay or English. In short, it’s a mess.
One good and lasting outcome of the PPSMI in 2003 is its implementation on Form Six and matriculation maths and science subjects. Form 6 and matriculation are university preparatory courses for hard degrees like Medicine, Engineering and Information Technology; it’s more than appropriate that it uses English. And it’s staying that way even if/when PPSMI is abolished. Yahoo!
I learnt the meaning of futility upon arriving at university, coming from a Malay education background. In retrospective, tightly cramming line after line of Malay terms into my brain from my trusty Buku Ulangkaji (revision book), has next to no consequence in my professional life today.
My perspective is from an industry insider’s point of view. I don’t think it’s wrong to learn science and maths in your choice of vernacular language, but if you’re taking up those hard degrees or if your interest lies deep within these fields, then not learning it in English would be disadvantageous.
If PAGE wins, and the English option is available at all schools, then good. But if not, at the very least, the Ministry of Education should really bring a little PPSMI to the Pure Science (Sains Tulen) streams in Forms 4 and 5.
I’m singling out Additional Mathematics (Matematik Tambahan), Chemistry (Kimia), Biology (Biologi) and Physics (Fizik). Students in science stream would obviously consider going to university for further education in science related fields, and having it in English would be a great launch pad for pre-U. For everyone else, it’s fine in Malay, Mandarin or Tamil.
If the government decides to make the right decision again to revive the PPSMI, they should do it right. Hopefully they start with a smaller number of schools, which will eventually grow as more teachers become comfortable with teaching in English. And yes, the English Language as a subject has to be stepped up a whole lot.
It was introduced by Mahathir in 2003 to help keep young Malaysians abreast with the latest in science and technology where the majority of content is in the English Language. Its secondary objective is to increase English proficiency throughout the nation.
In 2007, studies that were carried out challenged the efficacy of the whole program. Students, especially rural ones, lost interest in Science and Mathematics and their performance suffered. The enemies of PPSMI were quick to strike back. Dong Zhong (Chinese schools) and Gerakan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP) succeeded into coaxing the government to abolish PPSMI, Mahathir’s parting gift to Malaysia.
PPSMI’s failure is not due to the students, honestly, kids can absorb anything you throw at them. It’s the adults, teachers and parents who can’t handle the heat. It may be asking too much of monolingual teachers to spontaneously teach in another language. It would aptly take years of training, and not simply because CD ROMs, guide books and other digital aids were provided.
As a Malaysian school leaver, university graduate in Electrical Engineering and a working professional within the local engineering industry, I can comfortably comment on this matter without political bias or cultural sentiment.
My entire schooling life was unaffected by PPSMI, I studied Maths and completely in Bahasa Malaysia Science from Standard 1 to Upper Sixth Form. Then I had to make the abrupt switch to English in university. Had I not been brought up in an English speaking background, it would prove a double roadblock, and for some people it might extinguish any interest they had in science.
Let’s not kid ourselves, Malay nationalists, any credible technology driven company in Malaysia, multinational or otherwise, conducts all technical undertakings in English. Even today, most Malay scientific terms used in schools are blatantly borrowed from English anyway.
While most private colleges and universities in Malaysia use English completely, public universities straddle the line between Malay and English. Some lectures are in Malay, but not if there’s an international student. All reference books are in English, but some lecturers ‘publish’ their own books, sometimes in Malay. And you can answer your exam questions either in Malay or English. In short, it’s a mess.
One good and lasting outcome of the PPSMI in 2003 is its implementation on Form Six and matriculation maths and science subjects. Form 6 and matriculation are university preparatory courses for hard degrees like Medicine, Engineering and Information Technology; it’s more than appropriate that it uses English. And it’s staying that way even if/when PPSMI is abolished. Yahoo!
I learnt the meaning of futility upon arriving at university, coming from a Malay education background. In retrospective, tightly cramming line after line of Malay terms into my brain from my trusty Buku Ulangkaji (revision book), has next to no consequence in my professional life today.
My perspective is from an industry insider’s point of view. I don’t think it’s wrong to learn science and maths in your choice of vernacular language, but if you’re taking up those hard degrees or if your interest lies deep within these fields, then not learning it in English would be disadvantageous.
If PAGE wins, and the English option is available at all schools, then good. But if not, at the very least, the Ministry of Education should really bring a little PPSMI to the Pure Science (Sains Tulen) streams in Forms 4 and 5.
I’m singling out Additional Mathematics (Matematik Tambahan), Chemistry (Kimia), Biology (Biologi) and Physics (Fizik). Students in science stream would obviously consider going to university for further education in science related fields, and having it in English would be a great launch pad for pre-U. For everyone else, it’s fine in Malay, Mandarin or Tamil.
If the government decides to make the right decision again to revive the PPSMI, they should do it right. Hopefully they start with a smaller number of schools, which will eventually grow as more teachers become comfortable with teaching in English. And yes, the English Language as a subject has to be stepped up a whole lot.
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