The initiative to teach Science and Math in English language was initially conceived to improve

Malaysian students’ English proficiency and employability in order to compete globally. Our
country implemented the teaching of science and math in English from 2003 – 2012.
Nevertheless, the Government had found that academic grades in Maths and Science
subjects had fallen since English was introduced. This is partly because the students in rural
districts suffered the most because their English proficiency was low. However, many parents
and employers had called for English to be retained as the language of instruction. Of late,
concerns have risen in recent years that students’ English skills have declined, with employers
citing this as a major weakness among fresh graduates in Malaysia.

As suggestion to overcome the issues above, a change should be made in the current
curriculum. The changes should cater the needs of exposing and using more of the English
language in school. The suggestion would be to re-visit PPSMI and introduce it in schools
once again. This means that the English language would be used as the instructional language
in teaching Mathematics and Science in school. By doing so, the pupils would be exposed
more to the English language as well as having more reasons and more time to master and
practice the language. The important of English language is because it is the second language
in Malaysia and as a global language used all over the world. For the rural area, it might be
disaster all over again but by applying good strategies, it could be overcome effectively.
Malhoit (2005), in his research entitled “Providing rural students with a high quality education”,
highlights some strategies that can be put in place in order to make a rural school become a
quality school. The strategies are; (1) by having the high quality teachers in the rural school,
(2) teachers working in this school must be provided with adequate pay or salary, (3) a rural
school should be led by effective school leaders and (4) have quality school facilities, (5) have
adequate internet and ICT infrastructures and finally, this school should also be supported
with (6) adequate instructional supplies such as well-equipped libraries, media centres, and
laboratories. With all these facilities it is expected that students can “learn to think critically,
and enhance their readiness for higher education opportunities” (Malhoit, 2005). Thus, by
making the above change and applying the above strategies, I believe that the issues could
be solve effectively. However, the process of developing a curriculum should be an on-going
process as to cater the needs of facing the current issues and challenges occurred.
References

Malhoit, G. C. (2005). Providing Rural Students with a HighQuality Education: The Rural
Perspective on the Concept of Educational Adequacy. Arlington: The Rural School
and Community Trust.