After making the students their guinea pigs for 6 years, the government decided teach Science and Math in BM. Everything will be back into BM by 2012.
After 6 years e
xperimenting with PPSMI (Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Inggeris/Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English) the G-men decided to pull the plug and demand both subjects to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia. And I, along with a few other blog followers I reckon, were amongst the guinea pigs. I'm not sure about the rest, but I personally feel WTF? and disappointed with the move. Number 1, I felt like I've been abandoned by my own country after all the things they did to me and the things I had to do for them back in the old schooling days. Remember 1119, Band 5 Band 6, 2 hours English tuition etc? Haihz... Number 2, the move somewhat shows the government's lack of long-term view and planning. Sigh... I'll argue all the move's rationale from my perspective below:
1. Science and Math showed slow beneficiary percentage (increment of 3% throughout the term) [citations needed, read somewhere in Borneo Post]. Well, what did you expect from a 5-6 years program? I learned maths in Mandarin in kindergarten (1-2years), maths and science in BM in primary school (6 years), and was only introduced to English-versions of the subjects Form 4-5 (2 years).
And English is my third tongue, after BM at second and Melanau at first. It was obviously a language shock and but I made it and now happily blogging about this shit in English. The bottom line is not everyone can adapt to such drastic change in less than 10 years. If possible let the PPSMI start from Primary 1, not Form 1 or Form 4. Then and ONLY then can you see a higher percentage of passing rate in the subjects in English.
2. PPSMI caused the results in Math and Science to slip [citations needed, read somewhere in Borneo Post]. So you are saying the kids can't cope? Refer argument #1 above. PPSMI was in the introductory phase in that short 6 years, and was not 'mature'. Just like the first time you were introduce to a new subject e.g. accounting. For a non-accounting student like me I sucked in it but with little effort and practice I can do it, in ONE semester. If you keep feeding me with accounting for the next 2-3 years I won't be surprised to be a Certified Public Accounting even though I'm not loving it. Same goes to the PPSMI. People, do not break under pressure because you can't cope. Everyone has their own learning speed. That's what English tuition classes are for. Patronize them! Where's our kiasuness?
And English can not be the only factor causing the slip. Has the government consider that it may be a symptom, not the problem? For one the country's education system is not that solid, YET and can be the main cause leading to people sucking in English subjects. Remember the days when you get good grades in PMR (Form 3) you directly get the free seat in a science stream and get kicked into arts if you sucked? And you didn't realize you can swap stream that suits you best because the idea is if you are pro you're science student material? Yeah, that system. We'll criticize that another day.
3. The government could save RM40 mil [citations needed, Google] with the abolishment of PPSMI. Need I say more about this? Yeah that's awfully a lot of money from THE RAKYAT'S pockets... which should be sacrificed into this PPSMI for the benefit of the RAKYAT. Not on another Mercedez or the house on the collapsing hill...
xperimenting with PPSMI (Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Inggeris/Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English) the G-men decided to pull the plug and demand both subjects to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia. And I, along with a few other blog followers I reckon, were amongst the guinea pigs. I'm not sure about the rest, but I personally feel WTF? and disappointed with the move. Number 1, I felt like I've been abandoned by my own country after all the things they did to me and the things I had to do for them back in the old schooling days. Remember 1119, Band 5 Band 6, 2 hours English tuition etc? Haihz... Number 2, the move somewhat shows the government's lack of long-term view and planning. Sigh... I'll argue all the move's rationale from my perspective below:1. Science and Math showed slow beneficiary percentage (increment of 3% throughout the term) [citations needed, read somewhere in Borneo Post]. Well, what did you expect from a 5-6 years program? I learned maths in Mandarin in kindergarten (1-2years), maths and science in BM in primary school (6 years), and was only introduced to English-versions of the subjects Form 4-5 (2 years).
And English is my third tongue, after BM at second and Melanau at first. It was obviously a language shock and but I made it and now happily blogging about this shit in English. The bottom line is not everyone can adapt to such drastic change in less than 10 years. If possible let the PPSMI start from Primary 1, not Form 1 or Form 4. Then and ONLY then can you see a higher percentage of passing rate in the subjects in English.
2. PPSMI caused the results in Math and Science to slip [citations needed, read somewhere in Borneo Post]. So you are saying the kids can't cope? Refer argument #1 above. PPSMI was in the introductory phase in that short 6 years, and was not 'mature'. Just like the first time you were introduce to a new subject e.g. accounting. For a non-accounting student like me I sucked in it but with little effort and practice I can do it, in ONE semester. If you keep feeding me with accounting for the next 2-3 years I won't be surprised to be a Certified Public Accounting even though I'm not loving it. Same goes to the PPSMI. People, do not break under pressure because you can't cope. Everyone has their own learning speed. That's what English tuition classes are for. Patronize them! Where's our kiasuness?
And English can not be the only factor causing the slip. Has the government consider that it may be a symptom, not the problem? For one the country's education system is not that solid, YET and can be the main cause leading to people sucking in English subjects. Remember the days when you get good grades in PMR (Form 3) you directly get the free seat in a science stream and get kicked into arts if you sucked? And you didn't realize you can swap stream that suits you best because the idea is if you are pro you're science student material? Yeah, that system. We'll criticize that another day.
3. The government could save RM40 mil [citations needed, Google] with the abolishment of PPSMI. Need I say more about this? Yeah that's awfully a lot of money from THE RAKYAT'S pockets... which should be sacrificed into this PPSMI for the benefit of the RAKYAT. Not on another Mercedez or the house on the collapsing hill...
4. Malay language scholars conducted demonstrations to stop PPSMI as it will undermine BM as the national language.
*cough* Excuse me professors, Dr., Datuk et. al., as well as protesters of PPSMI. I understand the feeling of having something you own being threatened to extinction, but we must adapt to changes. Sure we can BM-ize maths and science term e.g. conduction-konduksi, contraceptive-kontraseptif etc. But when you try to BM-ize those terms, it won't be BM anymore wouldn't it? It's a wannabe words trying to sound like the English terms. In the end you become the very thing you don't want to be. Oh the irony...
Plus the fear of BM going extinct is baseless. We can learn the two subjects in English but still able to communicate and learn BM. That way we can understand them bilingually, which is an added bonus. Can you imagine this: We talk business to ang moh in English, but at the same time we scheme in BM with our colleagues so the ang moh won't know our devious plot .He won't know we are insulting him in BM too.
Plus the fear of BM going extinct is baseless. We can learn the two subjects in English but still able to communicate and learn BM. That way we can understand them bilingually, which is an added bonus. Can you imagine this: We talk business to ang moh in English, but at the same time we scheme in BM with our colleagues so the ang moh won't know our devious plot .He won't know we are insulting him in BM too.
5. No worries, all the English terms can be translated. But how many can translate English to BM if we abolish PPSMI? How can people translate properly if they do not have adequate access to English skills? Since all science and math reference books are now originally in English, it will cost more RMRMRM and time to translate them (maybe more than the RM40 mil).
Besides that even English borrowed some terms from Latin. Can these Latin words be translated into BM?: Ceteris paribus, bona fide, inter arma enim silent leges, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali, vigilantibus non dormientibus aequitas subvenit. Even English can't translate these so they directly borrow them and use them officially in economic and law. Can't we borrow directly the English terms instead of translating it and making it sound like something else? Hence this all goes back to argument #4 Paragraph 1. Are you going to pronounce it as the Latin ceteris paribus or BM version ceh-de-ris peh-rebus? The Latin scholars would laughed their asses off in a hot debate with non-PPSMI Malaysian scholars. Or worse.
6. "Mermertabatkan Bahasa Malaysia". Related to argument #4 Paragraph 2. Yes, I do respect the need to keep the national language alive as part to show what makes Malaysia, Malaysia. However this will refrain young Malaysians from interacting with the world. Zealously championing BM will obviously cause the future generations to huddle together amongst themselves because they can't interact with foreigners (both native and non-native English speakers). In the end we will lose in the rat race.
I've seen how some accounting graduates with 3.5 GPAs TOP ACCOUNTANTS coming over but don't understand what void cheques mean. Owh the pain and frustration telling them what to do when more English official documents come by... so you guys can imagine what will happen after PPSMI is completely abolished. MORE HEADACHE. MIGRAINE. DEATH.
7. The future. Related to argument #5. Kiss foreign direct investments goodbye. Business is the art of war and investors will feel more comfortable if the host country adapt to their culture. Being submissive to make them feel all high and mighty, pretend to be a pig in order to eat the tiger, be wise but play the fool. All these refer to how we should be humble and learn the ways of others. And when the time is right, refer to argument #4 Paragraph 2. We strike. Not being angry and go on demonstration for practicing un-Malaysian ways. Think of long-term my friend.
Plus, maybe 10 years from now readers our age then will not understand what Kampua 4 Life is all about. Sad.
The colonial days:
Native: "Keluar dari tanah aku!Celaka!"
Whites: "Oh look John! Friendly natives! Mmm... ceh-lay-kah to you too native!"
2020:
Whites: "You guys are idiots"
Native: "Apa tu?"
Links:
DPM's say on abolishment of PPSMI
Dr. M's stand on the abolishment
Are you with or against the move? Join Dr. M's polls
Besides that even English borrowed some terms from Latin. Can these Latin words be translated into BM?: Ceteris paribus, bona fide, inter arma enim silent leges, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali, vigilantibus non dormientibus aequitas subvenit. Even English can't translate these so they directly borrow them and use them officially in economic and law. Can't we borrow directly the English terms instead of translating it and making it sound like something else? Hence this all goes back to argument #4 Paragraph 1. Are you going to pronounce it as the Latin ceteris paribus or BM version ceh-de-ris peh-rebus? The Latin scholars would laughed their asses off in a hot debate with non-PPSMI Malaysian scholars. Or worse.
6. "Mermertabatkan Bahasa Malaysia". Related to argument #4 Paragraph 2. Yes, I do respect the need to keep the national language alive as part to show what makes Malaysia, Malaysia. However this will refrain young Malaysians from interacting with the world. Zealously championing BM will obviously cause the future generations to huddle together amongst themselves because they can't interact with foreigners (both native and non-native English speakers). In the end we will lose in the rat race.
I've seen how some accounting graduates with 3.5 GPAs TOP ACCOUNTANTS coming over but don't understand what void cheques mean. Owh the pain and frustration telling them what to do when more English official documents come by... so you guys can imagine what will happen after PPSMI is completely abolished. MORE HEADACHE. MIGRAINE. DEATH.
7. The future. Related to argument #5. Kiss foreign direct investments goodbye. Business is the art of war and investors will feel more comfortable if the host country adapt to their culture. Being submissive to make them feel all high and mighty, pretend to be a pig in order to eat the tiger, be wise but play the fool. All these refer to how we should be humble and learn the ways of others. And when the time is right, refer to argument #4 Paragraph 2. We strike. Not being angry and go on demonstration for practicing un-Malaysian ways. Think of long-term my friend.
Plus, maybe 10 years from now readers our age then will not understand what Kampua 4 Life is all about. Sad.
The colonial days:
Native: "Keluar dari tanah aku!Celaka!"
Whites: "Oh look John! Friendly natives! Mmm... ceh-lay-kah to you too native!"
2020:
Whites: "You guys are idiots"
Native: "Apa tu?"
Links:
DPM's say on abolishment of PPSMI
Dr. M's stand on the abolishment
Are you with or against the move? Join Dr. M's polls
No comments:
Post a Comment