Malaysian English yester- years,today and tomorrow.

May 10, 2002 marked a momentous turning point in the country`s education history--the announcement of the proposal that Mathematics and Science be taught in English.This was in the response to complaints over the decline in language and also aimed to enhance knowledge in Science and Mathematics.

RM 5 billion was allocated to implement the programme over the following 5 years. RM 400 million that would be spent on support materials and equipments went into laptops for teachers, LCD projectors and software for schools to begin teaching Mathematics and Science in English.Teachers were trained and given coursework and guides.

The teaching of Mathematics and Science in English for Year One, Form One and Lower Six students began in Jan 5,2003.At the early stages,the Ministry of Education reported that everything was smooth sailing.Six months down the line, it was reported that students`performance in Mathematics and Science had improved significantly.Teachers would be disciplined if they were to conduct Mathematics and Science in Bahasa Malaysia.

Yet despite this ,at the end of 2006,it was reported a 9% drop in the number of students who answered PMR Mathematics and Science papers fully in English. Questions continued to dog the new policy. Today, five years after the schools had begun teaching Mathematic and Science in English, a study done by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), revealed the policy had flawed. The tests and surveys had shown that the majority of students still found it hard to follow Mathematics and Science lessons in English.All in all the policy had failed in its aims of improving the students` command of English in spite of the fact that alongside,an average student is taught English in his/her 6 years of primary school education and another 5-7 years in secondary school education.

Let me quote you the words of some concerned parents

`...In the past we had children who were only 'bad' in English, now we have children who are bad in English AND hopeless in Maths and Science, cos they didn't understand anything in class, and so wrote rubbish in their exams - cos it was in English!...`

`..some fool thought that would make the English standard better ah? So read lah the thingy below. It is an unintelligeble list of gibberish, that almost makes me wanna laugh, BUT IS SO NOT FUNNY! I'll babble no longer lah. So, for those of you who do not buy the NST, and therefore, missed this gem, enjoy ....`

`..perhaps we have to salute those that can understand this gibberish or maybe give them some award for bringing this article to a higher English standard..`

ADVERTORIAL
New Straits Times
23 August 2008
page 43

HONORARY DEGREE AWARD 7TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY UNIVERSITY TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA TO YANG AMAT MULIA RAJA ZARITH SOFIAH BINTI ALMARHUMSULTAN IDRIS AL-MUTAWAKIL ALALLAHI SHAH D.K.II, S.P.M.J., S.P.C.M.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah has born on 14th of August 1959 in Hospital Batu Gajah, Perak. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith is a third son to Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzwan and Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Mazuwin binti almarhum Raja Arif Shah.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah get early education in Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Datin Khadijah Kuala Kangsar in the state his birthplace namely in Perak. After end of the education in primary school, Yang Amat Mulia continue the education to form one at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Raja Perempuan Kalsom Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

In the month of September 1972, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith
Sofiah have set forth to England for further education in Chaltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire to form six. Then, Yang Amat Mulia continue learning it in Davies College London in September 1977 and his following year in receive enter to Somerville College, London after having passed Oxford Entrance Examination.

After graduated at Oxford University with Bachelor of Art in June 1983 and follow the traditional University of Oxford, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith will receive Master of Art after three years in 1986. Yang Amat Mulia also is a linguist follow several courses including language Mandarin at the tertiary level, French and Italy language.

As his father, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah is a person that talented in picture arts. Refinement of soul, Yang Amat Mulia always watching natural beauty environment immortalize in the form photograph and painting to make look and reference. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith performance become guide to deliver the message education to general public. Yang Amat Mulia concern on women and natural world and it custody aspect in become deep theme in painting.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah comply have interest profoundest field documentation. Apart from producing book, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith doubled up guest writer in the The New Straits Times newspapers and in personal column it “Mind Matters” in The Star newspaper. Besides writing, Yang Amat Mulia comply active presenting a working paper at the conference national level and international.

Education from her father and mother over concern to the people, make Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah likes engaged in voluntary activities about as Deputy President of Majlis Wanita Johor (ROSE), Chief of Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia Johor branch, Chairman of Nationalistic Community Service Red Crescent Malaysia, Patron of Spastic Children School in Johor Bahru, Patron Rotary Club of Tebrau Foundation, Advisor of Traditional Arts School International in London and become Pro Chancellor University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and becomen Royal Felllow Faculty of Language and Linguistic University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

As the appreciation towards her contributions of ideas and efforts in the development of education in Malaysia, Chancellor of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku lbrahim lsmail lbni Sultan lskandar, Tunku Mahkota Johor, has approbation to presented the awards to Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at 7th Convocation Ceremony of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in this year. Congratulation from us, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia members.

Wow.. what great food for thoughts. As like in the words of many others concerned parents,let us bring forth their thoughts to ponder whether its merely their over-concerned worries or wisdom:-

`... this is a lone case
... not many undergrads write like that
... this is a lousy university lah, that's why
... this is just one person's fault
... this was not proof-read, that's why so many mistakes
... this was not edited, that's why so many grave grammar errors
... that simple editing would have 'cured' this
... that simple proof-reading (do you people KNOW what proof-reading

actually means, ah?)
... that this is just a draft, and that someone should have re-written it - OMG
the standard of English in Malaysia is surely better than this - it isn't
I'm tired lah, you think up more reasons!

The question is where had we flawed.It was a noble aim for the sake of our generation X and Y. In order to be heard, noticed , annoited and respected ,we need to be able to write,speak and express ourselves in good English at the international front line. Seriously can we take 5 years as a benchmark for any educational revolution? Are the teachers ready or committed to have a better command of English themselves-or is it the case of blind leading the blind ?

Seriuosly should we relook at content of the text or reference books- were they adequately translated/written in the right standards and manner for easier understanding? Take for instance the above `Universiti Tun Hussein Onn advertorial`-the soul is not there if any text is directly translated-it looses the essence and the rightful meaning.Maybe with a bit of more `English correctness `,the beauty of the article will be refined and appreciated.Wrong or weak English translated text will confuse the delivery/teaching system and the end -consumers which are the students and teachers .Therefore is reverting the teaching of Mathematics and Science back to Bahasa Malaysia and or other mother tongue the answer? We had lost almost 3 decades of young workforce who are weak or illiterate in English!!!!!

We are living in a globalised world where everything is at the click of IT and having a good command of English is a must thing.We need more committed policy and teachers, teaching methodoly got to be changed and syllabus more relevant to local setting.We can`t have teachers that look upon their profession as part-time passion. We must change our mindset that it is an advantage if one can master 3 languages in school..Bahasa Malaysia,English and or Mandarin/ Tamil / whatever so....and be proud that we are a multi-lingual Malaysians and are still relevant to the world`s progress.

If our parents can learn to read,write and speak good English in the post colonial days and uphold it while transiting into the Bahasa Malaysia aliran schooling system,why can`t the present and future generation do it too?

Come,come let us put our heads together as a force to think out of the box for positive thoughts as to how cross this educational block.

Let me leave you with a quote:-

`I will not say I failed 1000 times. I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that cause failure.`- Thomas Edison -