WHEN the decision was made in 2002 for Science and Mathematics to be taught in English in schools, response came in mixed.

Some felt that the move would mean putting Bahasa Malaysia on the backburner. Others felt that it would help enhance students’ proficiency in the English language; they contended that the language is at the forefront of globalisation, and the decline of its usage among students would not augur well for the country’s aspiration of becoming a competitive nation on all fronts.

The local information and communications technology (ICT) fraternity gave their thumbs-up on

the landmark decision. They reckoned that it was in tandem with the Government’s plan to boost ICT usage

in schools and that English was already the more widespread medium of instruction. The view was that a good command of English was necessary to effectively master new technology, particularly ICT.

Now, five years after the implementation, there are suggestions that the move to use English to teach Science and Mathematics in schools has not achieved the desired results. Many students in primary schools have not performed well in these subjects.

The Government has not decided on whether to continue with the emphasis on English, or to revert to the use of Bahasa Malaysia. Whatever the decision, it is hoped that it would not be at the expense of making English usage in schools less prominent. As cliche as it may sound, English is firmly entrenched as the international language of business, finance and technology.

And as Malaysia strives to become

a premier ICT hub, a strong pool of talent with a good command of the English language will be an invaluable asset.