DONG Jiao Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) is unhappy with Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein’s remark over the medium to be used for Science and Mathematics in next year’s UPSR examinations.

Hishammuddin said recently that the ministry need not decide on the medium of instruction for the two subjects in next year’s UPSR examinations.

Sin Chew Daily reported that it was unfair to Chinese schools if the medium directly affected the teaching and studies of the pupils.

“Any policy must have a comprehensive plan that fulfils the people’s will and interest before it is implemented,” Dong Jiao Zong said.

Dong Jiao Zong also stressed that Chinese must be the medium for the Science and Mathematics examinations in next year’s UPSR.

“Either using English or both English and Chinese in the examinations is not acceptable,” it said.

Quoted from The Star Online

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the mentality towards improvement, huh? I seriously have no idea what Dong Jiao Zong is trying to prove here, but to reject even bilingual exam papers is too much. Why, is it wrong for the government to introduce the medium of English indirectly in examinations as an avenue to learning? Besides, the government isn't imposing the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English straightaway, but rather through phases.

What is so hard for students and teachers to adapt to the new medium of instruction? Given the amount of time needed for students to catch up, it is not a problem at all right? Even students who were taught Science and Mathematics in the Malay medium could get used to the switch. What would set those learning the same subjects in Chinese apart from those who learn in the Malay medium?

I think Dong Jiao Zong, in a way, is being quite narrow-minded. They look at short-term results, and always in the now. We must look ahead! So many university students now would testify how lessons are carried out in English, and how many would resent not being able to learn up their subjects in the English medium. Would that not have made their higher education learning much easier?

English, though not the most widely spoken language, is still the INTERNATIONAL LINGUA FRANCA. Face it, you still have to pick up your English well no matter how much you love your mother tongue. What is the harm learning up a new language properly? Does learning Science and Mathematics in English degrade the Chinese language as how many people have argued that it would degrade the integrity of Bahasa Malaysia? Nonsense! This is all absurd, asinine!

Dong Jiao Zong also stated that it rejects the use of English as the medium for Science and Mathematics because thorough planning must be made that fulfils the interest of the people before the teaching of the two subjects are to be done in English. Again, nonsense! Is the government so foolish as to implement something new which is not for the benefit of the people? Does Dong Jiao Zong not know how much money has been spent by the government to train teachers and on other expenditures for the implementation of English as the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics? If it is not for the good of the people, why would the government have spent so much?

People might argue that education in Chinese will apparently make it be the international lingua franca of the future. It could be possible. But on what basis would Chinese be the international lingua franca? If it is based on the number of people speaking the language, then Chinese should have been the international language long ago. But no, English still is the language used in business, trading and even education. So, if Dong Jiao Zong wants to focus on the now, English is the now.

Personally, I find that I can accept English as the medium of instruction. If we, the people can accept it, why can't Dong Jiao Zong?

If anybody thinks on the line of Dong Jiao Zong, please, do speak forth your ideas! I want to be impressed.