Media statement
by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP National Publicity Secretary and Education Bureau Chairman
on Monday, 21 October 2002
in Petaling Jaya.

The English switch: DAP hopes MCA would not back down on its decision  under pressure

We are happy to note that the MCA Central Committee has finally heeded the call of the Chinese community to also say no to the implementation of teaching Maths and Science in English from Standard One beginning from
next year. We hope the MCA's move is a sincere and honest response to the aspirations of all the communities, and to extend its objection to include the Malay and Tamil primary schools. We also hope the party could stand
firm on its decision and would not back down under pressure from UMNO and MIC.

The DAP says no to the switch for all primary schools not without good  reasons. We have presented numerous studies and evidence to show that the best way to master Maths and Science at the tender age is through mother
tongue or home language. On the other hand, the Prime Minister, the Education Minister and his deputies have failed to provide any solid argument or justification except for the usual rhetoric such as English is  important in the era of ICT technology, and the need to prepare our  students to face the challenge of Globalisation.

But no one, including the DAP, is saying English is not important. In  fact, the party and other NGOs that voiced their objection to the switch have been coming up with all kind of proposals to enhance the proficiency  of the English language among the school children, such as having more  English language classes, better quality of English teachers, better syllabus, making English a compulsory subject to pass, creating an English speaking environment both in the school and public life.

We urge the Prime Minister and his ministers to respect the aspiration of  the three major communities and to immediately drop its plan to use English as a medium of instruction not only for all primary schools, but  also spend more time to consult the teachers and the parents before going ahead with the secondary schools. More and more secondary school teachers and headmasters are expressing their concern on the issue, as many of them
feel that our children may not be able to catch up with the switch. They were now saying that not only the students are not ready, even the teachers are not ready. Plus the fact that there is an acute shortage of teachers capable of teaching the English language and Maths and Science subjects in English. The Parliamentary Secretary of the Education Ministry admitted recently that there is a shortage of more than 4,000 English  teachers. He however did not disclose the figure of shortage of teachers teaching Maths and Science subjects.

Do not gamble on the future of our school children. Let the teachers and  educationists to have more say on education. No one should force things down their throats.

We once again urge the people to let our votes speak our rights, in order  to prevent the BN government from pushing through the plan after the general elections.