Fret not over Queen’s English

Teachers tasked with teaching Science and Mathematics in Year 1 classes using English next year, were told yesterday not to overly worry about delivering their lessons using the Queen’s English.

Instead, Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin said the teachers could use ‘Sarawak English’ for a start, especially those who may not have the confidence in using the language to teach the two subjects.

“Don’t bother about the grammar or the Queen’s English, just speak with Sarawak English because that’s where we have to start.

“In the 1960s, we were taught pure grammar and today, how many times have we heard ‘He is taller than me’?

“If you use the Queen’s English, the teacher will definitely mark it as wrong because it should be ‘He is taller than I’. But for Sarawak English, it is correct, so just say it.

“Gasak ajak (just go for it),” said Manyin when launching the Sarawak English Language Education Symposium (Seles) here yesterday.

Starting January next year, Sarawak will be the first state in the country to use English as a medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics for all Year 1 pupils, except those in Chinese-medium schools.

The move will involve 1,265 primary schools and more than 2,800 teachers.

Manyin said with teachers having taught the two subjects using Bahasa Malaysia for so many years, it was understandable that some of them might not have the confidence in making the switch to English.

“Definitely many of them are not confident, shy and even scared to make mistakes because some of our students are very conversant in English especially those who come from the middle and upper class families,” he added.

He conceded that the state faces an uphill task in implementing the use of English to teach Science and Mathematics, but stressed that the Sarawak government will provide all necessary assistance and monitor the progress for the first three to six months.

He also said when it comes to promoting the use of English in school, his ministry through the Education Department had sent circulars to schools in the state requiring students to speak in English when they are in school, but the response to the initiative was ‘not very good’.

At the same time, he said teachers cannot use the same methods to teach students used in 1960s until the 1990s.

“Today things are different, so that is why we need to have a different way of teaching, so that teachers can become facilitators.

“Teach less so that the students can learn more,” he said, citing Singapore as an example where the idea is to make the students be more imaginative and creative in a bid to promote innovation.

On the symposium, Manyin pointed out that Seles was organised not to downgrade Bahasa Malaysia, which is the country’s national language used as a medium of instruction in all schools.

However, with English being the lingua franca of commerce, industry, technology, diplomacy, aviation and others, he said Malaysia needs to promote the use of English.

“Malaysia needs English and Sarawak needs English. That is why we organised this symposium for the third time,” he said.

The symposium, attended by some 600 teachers, was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah representing Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Also present at the event were Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee, Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang and Pelawan assemblyman David Wong.