PPSMI (Pt. 1)

Since I'm directly affected with this policy, what the Education Minister has to say about it would surely interest me. And after reading The Star today (14th Dec), it's interesting to note that he's apparently aware of the real situation - at least that's the impression I got from the interview.

It's a bit too long to put the whole thing here but here's something that interests me.

Even the late Tan Sri Abdul Rafie Mahat, who was then the director-general of education in charge of implementing the change in policy faced much opposition amidst the hasty implementation to the policy, describing the task as “seven months of hard work”.

I remember that it was just a short period between the time the policy was announced and the implementation of it. But seven months ??? It was definitely a rush job. The teachers weren't ready and the same goes for the students. I don't think the parents were ready for it either. So, who was really ready for it ?

The least the ministry could do was to train the teachers properly before implementing it. I 'understand' that certain quarters didn't believe in "wasting the time" but what good would it do if the majority of those affected with the policy were still in the dark about it ? They'd still be wasting their time teaching and learning lessons that they couldn't get a grasp at.

The interview also answered one burning question of mine - who were involved in the roundtable discussions ?

Professionals in education including researchers from our public universities were invited for the first roundtable.

The second roundtable was attended by representatives from associations and organisations, professional bodies, corporate, community leaders, parent-teacher associations and interested individuals. Students, teachers and lecturers from matriculation colleges and teacher training institutes attended the third session while politicians attended the fourth. We also held a special meeting with representatives from the teachers’ unions and associations.

Errm, did anyone think about asking the primary and secondary school students too ? After all, they are the ones whose future is going to be affected by the policy.

But here's something that perplexed me.

Q : Will it be in your new year address?

A : It depends on when we can table it to Cabinet and whether they are happy about it. Then we have to bring it up to the Barisan Nasional meeting.

When the policy was first raised previously, it was at the political level (Dr Mahathir announced the proposal made by the party’s supreme council in 2002).

Why must it (I assume 'it' here refers to "the new year address") be brought up to the BN meeting ? To get the party's approval ?