Parents demand English medium of instruction

Yesterday, a group of 50 parents, led by education lobby group Concerned Parents of Selangor (CPS), rallied in front of the Ministry of Education. The group gathered to deliver a memorandum to the Ministry calling for the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) to be reinstated, the re-introduction of English-medium schools and for non-political appointee to hold the Ministry of Education post.

Besides CPS, the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education (MAGPIE), and Herald of Penang for Education (HOPE) were present to support the rally.

The parents were concerned with the performance of students based on international benchmarks such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and  Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)2011 survey published online showed Malaysia scoring 440 points in Form Two mathematics which is the equivalent to eighth grade worldwide, trailing global peers like Singapore who are among the world’s top scorers.

The recently launched Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) 2013-2025 aims to bring Malaysia in the top third of the PISA test within the next 13 years.

Despite MEB's good intentions, the group believes that it has scant reference to PPSMI. According to them, students already in PPSMI were promised a "soft landing" wherein they will continue to do so until they finish school. However, textbooks in English are not being distributed and some school heads have decided abolishing PPSMI.