DLP must be given the strongest support
THE Dual Language Programme (DLP) has enabled many children to learn Maths and Science in English since January 2016.
However, many parents are still waiting to know if the programme, which is optional and not a policy, would be continued and the outcomes of their application for their children to take up DLP since the beginning of the year.
DLP has had a good start as it uplifted students’ performance in English at the participating schools. The Education Ministry’s annual report in 2016 stated that between 19% and 95% of students in some 1,200 primary and secondary DLP schools had achieved better grades in English, “More schools to adopt DLP” ( The Star, Nov 14).
Better proficiency in English will facilitate the learning of the two subjects when some 40,000 Year 1, Year 2, Year 4, Year 5, Form 1 and Form 2 pupils proceed to the next level of studies. It will boost their English grade when they sit for the coming public exams such as UPSR, PT3 and SPM.
It is important to note that DLP does not jeopardise the performance of pupils in Bahasa Melayu (BM) and other subjects, “Better English in DLP schools” ( The Star, Nov 12).
Pupils in schools with DLP are at ease when learning the other subjects in BM since one of the prereq- uisites for doing DLP is an above national grade average in BM.
The success of DLP can also be attributed to the conducive learning environment in the selected high-performance schools where the majority of students speak good English and are self-motivated as well as the sufficient resources available, including teachers with experience in teaching Science and Maths in English and DLP.
There are prominent stakeholders who have been championing for our children to be competent in English. Do a Google search for TheStarOnline and you will find articles like “Revive English for Maths and Science” ( The Star, May 14); “Wish list for education” and “Dr Mahathir will bring back the glory days” ( The Star, May 18), and the list goes on.
Employers in the private sector will welcome English-proficient school-leavers and graduates. Many a time, local graduates lose out to overseas-educated job applicants because they are less competent in both written and spoken English. Many parents also prefer and value English as the medium instruction, as is evident in the fact that the number of schools participating in DLP leapt from 300 to 1,215 in just one year, “Success with DLP” ( The Star, Nov 12, 2017).
Other schools should have their applications for DLP approved if they meet the guidelines set by the Education Ministry because parents can choose the medium of instruction for their children as stated in the National language Act 1963/67.
Without DLP, the pupils will suffer the same fate as their seniors who have had to adapt, some with much difficulty, when the medium of instruction was switched from English to BM after the Teaching and Learning of Science and Maths in English policy (PPSMI) was abolished in 2013.
The readjustment this time around, from English to BM, will slow down the learning process and may diminish the pupils’ interest in the relevant subjects.
Many parents prefer English as the means for their children to be equipped with knowledge in Maths and Science as well as language competency that will boost their employability both locally and abroad.