Only 10% use English to teach Maths, Science

Thursday September 18, 2008

A RANDOM survey by the Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies showed that only 10% of Science and Maths teachers used English to teach the two subjects, reported Sin Chew Daily.
The daily quoted the centre director, Voon Phin Keong, as saying that the remaining 90% of teachers used Malay and Mandarin when conducting their classes.
"These teachers found that the teaching of Science and Maths in English is not very practical," he said.
The survey showed that 20% of the teachers admitted that they lacked confidence and faced difficulties in using English.
"A Maths teacher and two Science teachers don't use English at all to teach," Voon said.
He also revealed that 8.4% of Mathematics teachers and 13.5% of Science teachers admitted that more than 80% of the classes were not conducted in English.
The respondents of the survey were 443 Mathematics and Science teachers and 787 Year Five students in 20 primary schools in three states.
It also sought the consultation of 13 principals and seven deputy principals.
He said the centre's stand is that the two subjects should be taught in the mother tongue in primary schools while secondary schools could continue using English to teach Maths and Science.

TS