Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Denying success to kampong kids?



The government is strategically denying success to the poor of all races, with this language policy reversal. We are creating a nation at risk; incompetent in the language that will give them the chance to pursue their studies in good universities in the English-speaking world. There is a specific process one needs to follow in order to gain access to Western education; especially in the fields of Science and Mathematics.

From being able to show evidence that many of the critical subjects are taught in English to the multitude of English proficiency tests one need to take to the evidence that one can understand English for specific purposes (especially in the Mathematics and Sciences) right up to being able to write Bachelors, Masters, or even Doctoral and Post-doctoral dissertations in the English language – all these are stages one has to go through. Especially for entry into American colleges where English proficiency is given through tests ranging from as l as the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) to as challenging as the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), these require consistent polishing of skills not only in English as a language but English taught in the content areas.

The government has blundered big time, succumbing to irrational voices disguised as those who care about the rural poor who are slow to master Mathematics and Science concepts in English.

Who said kampong kids can’t learn? There are enough success stories of children of the poor of all races coming from the rural areas slogging and struggling hard to master any language and any subject matter and triumph to become world-class surgeons, engineers, lawyers, academicians, diplomats, musicians, and even culinary experts.

Who said kampong kids cannot be challenged academically? There is enough evidence that if you provide them with dedicated teachers, a nurturing learning environment, a supporting home, and a challenging curriculum, and constant reminder of “yes you can” and “when to going gets tough, the tough gets going” – kids will excel.
Down with those who are out to underestimate the ability of our children to succeed. We must ignore bad advice and demand for success for all – urban and rural, Bumiputra or non-Bumiputra. We must demand a radical restructuring of our schools so that the same standard and support is given to all schools and the commitment to a philosophy that however we want our own children to succeed, we want the children of others to achieve similarly as well.

Start early in teaching English. Put an end to any effort to make the myth of the lazy native a reality. We must remove our glass coconut shell.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The govt in reversing the policy have only succeeded in alienating further the english speaking population and Tun M's sole right legacy.

The govt should adopt the role of caring parents by nurturing the young rakyat to grow "wings" and eventually fly to wherever their wings take them. The wings are proficiency and competency in the English language.

we must cater for the average Malaysian kid and not the smart, elite or financially enabled malaysian kid for they or their parents can always take care of themselves. We should aim for the average kids and equip them properly and competency and ability to use, read and speak the english language is a skill and attribute which is a neccesity if we want to upgrade and improve ourself and venture beyond our boundaries both physical and perhaps mental.

Anonymous said...

Irrational?

NOONE has spoken Against the Teaching of PROPER English!

EVERYONE on both sides of the Divide wants to see ALL KIDS - ESPECIALLY THOSE STILL TRAPPED IN POVERTY - GET A FAIR CHANCE TO PROGRESS IN LIFE, NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE WORLD OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY!!

I know for a FACT that 10% of our schools are still WITHOUT Water & Electricity Supplies after more than 50years of Self Rule Without The British Tuans.

That's about 800 Nos of schools Nationwide for the Blinkered.

*** & ONLY 10% OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE PROFICIENT IN ENGLISH, meaning if anyone still don't get it > 90% can't speak fluent English, much like teach. ***

Hei, but don't blame them 90% Malay Schooled Trained Teachers -- they are still much much better than those Eksyen Manglish Speakers with Fake Outback Aussie Slang

THANKS TO THE CRRRAPPY PAY THE MOE ACCORD TO EDUCATORS SINCE WAY BACK THEN -- WHAT HARVARD PROFS CUD U EXPECT TO ENTICE?

ITU PANGKAL BATANG POKOK NYA KALU RAMEI MASEH TAK TAU TAU

So what do u do -- supply them with RM 8 billion Language Labs to twiddle dee & dumb?

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

WHAT EDGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE?

The bottom line is not language but knowledge
But most politicians are not ready to acknowledge
When there are known political agendas to hedge
They don't bother too much who's really at the edge

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 160709
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Thur. 16th July 2009.

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