PUTRAJAYA, 16 Dec 2008: The findings from the series of roundtable discussions on the policy of teaching and learning Maths and Science in English will be handed over to Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to be tabled to the cabinet.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wee Ka Siong said the report contained seven options on the future of the policy, derived from the discussions, whereby the participants included academics and representatives of political parties and non-governmental organisations.
The options are:
(1) To continue teaching and learning of Maths and Science in English as it is now.
(2) To use Bahasa Malaysia or pupils’ mother tongue as the medium of instruction from the primary school level and English for Maths and Science at the secondary level.
(3) To start using English for Maths and Science from Standard Four right into the secondary level.
(4) To use Bahasa Malaysia or mother tongue at the primary level, and Bahasa Malaysia fully at the secondary level.
(5) Schools to determine the medium of instruction for Maths and Science.
(6) To use Bahasa Malaysia or mother tongue from Standard One to Three, implement bi-lingual use from Standard Four to Six and full use of English at the secondary level.
(7) To abolish the Science subject from Standard One to Three and incorporate teaching of Science in other subjects.
Wee said Hishammuddin was currently on a working trip abroad and expected to be back in a few days’ time to study the options.
“I wish to stress here that the roundtable discussions or the results of the 2008 Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) will not determine the decision on the use of English for Maths and Science, but the cabinet will make the final decision,” he said after chairing a roundtable discussion on the matter at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.
On preparations for the teaching of Maths and Science for the next school session, Wee said the policy would not change until the announcement on the cabinet’s decision.
He said the decision would not be made based on political considerations but professionally.
“Datuk Seri Hishammuddin had excluded himself from the series of roundtable discussions so that he could impartially look at all views.
“So, when the time comes, I do not want people to say that the government makes the decision without considering the views of various quarters,” he said. — Bernama
