Berita Daily
The 47 Tamil schools are not equipped to run the Dual Language Programme, they claim
KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition of 29 NGOs today announced that they would be submitting a memorandum to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to object the implementation of Dual Language Programme (DLP) in 47 Tamil schools.
The coalition called the Pro-Mother Tongue Education (ProMTE) claimed that the 47 schools were apparently not equipped to run the programme where students could opt to study Science and Mathematics in English instead of Tamil, but have gained MOE’s approval to proceed.
“How these 47 Tamil schools obtained the approval from the MOE is a mystery to us.
“How did the principals and Parent Teacher Associations (PIBG) convince the ministry to give them the approval to run the DLP programme when these schools have not fully filled the necessary requirements?,” questioned Child Information, Learning and Development centre (Child) trustee K Arumugam.
The DLP was introduced last year under the Upholding the Bahasa Malaysia and Enhancing English language policy (MBMMBI) in 300 schools.
It allows schools to opt to teach Mathematics, Science, Information Technology and Communication in English. Other subjects which are part of the DLP are Technology and Design, and Basics in Computer Science.
Schools implementing DLP would be required to have adequate resources, make due preparations to implement the programme, obtain written consent from parents and guardians, and have equal or better than national cumulative grade per average score for Bahasa Malaysia.
“We want to call upon the MOE to cancel all DLP programme in all 47 Tamil schools immediately, simply because they don’t qualify.
“We also want the MOE to investigate PIBGs and headmasters of these 47 schools and find out how far it is true that the parents are the ones who requested for the programme,” said Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) chairman A Rajaretinam.
Rajaretinam said that it was crucial for the MOE to look into the matter because if the schools do not qualify to run the programme in the first place but go ahead nevertheless, then it is bound to fail and the ministry will have to bear the consequences.
He further suggested that non-Tamil speaking Indian parents who want their children to learn Science and Mathematics in English to opt for national schools instead of trying to change the ‘characteristics’ of Tamil schools.
“Parents who are Indian but don’t speak Tamil can always send their children to national schools if they are interested in DLP.
“If they want Science and Maths to be taught in English, then go to SK schools and don’t come to Tamil schools because in Tamil schools we don’t want DLP,” said Rajaratinem.
The group claimed that all 47 Tamil medium schools that have been approved by MOE do not have the capacity to run the DLP but have somehow obtained approval.
According to Arumugam, none of the 47 schools have had PIBG meetings on DLP to gain consensus which was a requirement by MOE for approval.
Arumugam also revealed that not one out of the 47 schools fulfilled the requirement of having equal or better than national cumulative grade per average score for Bahasa Malaysia.
The group also claimed that the 47 schools do not have sufficient Science and Mathematic teachers who are able to teach the subjects in English.
“We established a consultation group a month ago to compile information on the approved schools and none of the schools have had the PIBG meetings on DLP. Also BM results equal to or better than national average not fulfilled by any. The schools also do not have enough Science, Maths teachers that can teach in English in these 47 schools,” said Arumugam.
The group also alleged that the parents in the 47 schools are divided in the DLP issue, with the battle being between ‘graduate’ parents who speak English at home with their children and Tamil-speaking parents from rural backgrounds.
ProTEM is concerned that lesser educated parents are being pressured to accept the programme without knowing all the details of it.
