Teaching Science and Maths in English (PPSMI)

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Assalamualaikum wbt., good evening to our lecturer En. Zainal and my fellow friends. Today I have been responsibility to give public speaking for the title Teaching Science and Maths in English (PPSMI).

PPSMI was organized by Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohammad in year 2003. After six years and spending RM4.5 billion, Prime Minister Najib Razak finally drew the curtains on the controversial PPSMI. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the PPSMI would be scrapped from 2012 at 8 july 2009 after has been researched. Why implemented PPSMI could not success?, Why many of NGO, parents and other politician such as Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Nasional (Gapena) not agree the PPSMI implemented? Why many challenger for an idea to implement PPSMI?.

The issues are children not easy to follow the subject and teachers also take time to adept the background changes this language kids faster to teach Malay language rather than English language. Therefore PPSMI couldn’t success to implemented,

Academic research have been researched by 53 expert language involve seven universities in Malaysia. The research outcome for PPSMI is 75 percent kids getting medium and weak accomplishment especially three subject such as English, Science and Mathematics, and kill them to desire, spirit to learn Science and Maths. Therefore, PPSMI must to abolished and return before PPSMI established.

Besides, international research Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2007) outcome for score average subject Science and Maths accomplishment decrease obvious. Maths score 2007 decrease 474 proportionate 508 score 2003 and 519 by 1999 that is average decrease 34 score. Science score 2007 decrease 471 from 510 at 2003 and 492 score decrease 1999 that is average decrease 40 score. Slump average score Science and Maths are biggest and only two percent Malaysian kids categories classified in Advanced Benchmark Matematik TIMSS 2007 proportionate six percent 2003.

UNESCO research also touch about mother tongue from 11 memorandum that is sound: “On educational grounds we recommend that the use of the mother tongue be extended to as late a stage in education as possible. In particular, pupils should begin their schooling through the medium of the mother tongue, because they understand it best and because to begin their school life in the mother tongue will make the break between home and school as small as possible”.

“Berkenaan kepentingan pendidikan, kami menggesa supaya bahasa ibunda digunakan selama yang boleh dalam semua peringkat pendidikan. Ini lebih-lebih lagi penting supaya kanak-kanak memulakan pendidikan mereka dalam bahasa ibunda sebagai bahasa penghantar, kerana itulah bahasa yang sangat mereka fahami, dan penggunaan bahasa ibunda akan menghapuskan kelainan antara bahasa di rumah dan bahasa di sekolah.”


The conclusion for PPSMI is there are many researches that PPSMI impacts are negatively. That is because academic results, TIMMS score average very weak. As for many, the kids first learn their mother tongue. When they enter Standard 1, they are still learning hard their mother tongue. So, should PPSMI started at the 'kids' age, they will find difficulty in learning to many languages. Science & Maths are not easy to learn and thus by using the mother tongue or BM, it will certainly improve their understanding.Therefore PPSMI must to abolished and solve the problem before become seriously. That all for today,Goodness from ALLAH and weaknesses from myself. Thank you