Goats Unspared For No English

Ever the person who chooses not to be judgmental or one who may appear to take on the opinion of any side, I have decided to give my own view about the matter of why the people in high places have come up with a hundred and one reasons (exaggerating actually!) on why Mathematics and Science should not be taught in English.

When I was in primary school, Mathematics and Science were taught in English.  And for so many years, even until I sat for my MCE (now SPM), these two subjects were still taught in English (I didn't keep abreast about the situations after that!)  I must confess that many of those pupils (and parents) from that generation just went head on with it.  As a result of that many of them including some of my old schoolmates during primary school have become lawyers, engineers, headmistresses and teachers; and especially English teachers!

What was it that made rural pupils of that time, able to grasp the language and eventually excel in it?  Other people may have their own plausible ways to succeed, but as I have mentioned earlier, I am just here to share my personal experience.

I remember when I first started kindergarten, my late mother, who stopped school at standard three (Malay medium in a very rural village in Selangor) courageously spoke to me and my siblings in her broken English.  Of course, being at a young age at that time, we were in awe listening to her 'fluent' English.  But as I progressed in my school, I also seemed to progress in my English so much so I was able to 'correct' my mother's English.  

The point I am trying to say here is that, even though school may be the place where children learn about English, it is at home that they are given the opportunity to use the language.  I realize now that these two entities are equally important, working hand in hand; where the home provides the practice and opportunity to use the language, the school provides the means to make the language correct!  And with that said, there is hope yet (hopefully!) for Mathematics and Science to be taught in  English.