PUTRAJAYA: The teaching of Science and Mathematics in English has gone down better with rural students and teachers than those in urban schools.

These were among findings at the Education Ministry's first roundtable session earlier this week to review the programme.

Sixteen research papers were tabled during the three-day review.

Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said this showed that the implementation of the programme in rural and remote schools needed improvement.

"We need to address teachers' competency, besides better facilities and upgrading of other areas of support for the programme," he told reporters after attending the ministry's post-cabinet meeting yesterday.
More roundtable sessions are scheduled before the end of the year when the ministry will announce its decision on whether the programme will continue in its present state.

The second session, to be held at the end of next month, will be attended by officials of parent-teacher associations, teachers' associations and non-governmental organisations and school supervisors.

A third session will be held in September to hear the views of political parties.

Alimuddin said the ministry wanted a variety of views on the programme and welcomed members of the public to apply to participate in the sessions.