Science and Mathematics in English

UPSR results were released recently (2008). The Tamil schools had done extremely well. An increase of 22 per cent in straight As.

Credit to the increase goes to the teachers and the parents. There was one school were extra classes were conducted in the afternoon and at night. All week ends and public holidays there were extra classes. The teachers received no extra monies from parent. There were no rests to the students. Parents have no time to teach their own children not because they were busy but all the time was taken by teachers. The students straight go to bed once they were at home due to their tiredness.

Malaysian government had done a good job by allowing science and mathematics to be taught in English. English language gives a world view. Knowledge can be accumulated by reading in English before it can be translated to students' mother tongue language as no discoveries have ever pineored in any of Malaysian languages. By learning in English we are not any way becoming less Malaysian or less of our own ethnicity.

USA,whether we like her or not, she is still the cradle of many discoveries. Their discoveries are written in English. If our students in Malaysia able to understand the discoveries at early stage then we will have an advantage over others.

There was several science v scholars. By the time we learn the discoveries several other inventions taking place. The lag time can be reduced by we learning the both subjects in English without waiting for translations.

As for Tamil schools there were not many exercise books available for both the subjects in Tamil because of the smaller market. This problem has been overcome by the change of language. Now they have more exercise books. Better command of English. There was one school I went; I noticed all students in the class were communicating in English Language without jeopardizing their command of the Tamil Language. Their commands of Malay Language were excellent. The students' command of English were better then their teachers.

Science and Mathematics if continuously used to teach in English, Tamil schools will be the most to benefit and more middle class Indians will send their children to Tamil schools.