Sultan of Johor Wants English Implemented in Malaysian Schools

(photo courtesy: freemalaysiatoday.com)

In an interview with The Star, the Sultan made an attempt to reason out his thoughts in the support of an English language medium at schools, explaining that the youth of Malaysia is largely lacking in mastering English, leading to a hindrance in overall advancement of the new generation within the country. He compares Malaysian public schools to those in Singapore, stating that, “Singapore has done well as a country. Their students fared very well in Mathematics and Science. The prominent use of English has set them ahead of us.”

Sultan Ibrahim added that instead of completely switching to an English stream, a compromise should be reached, wherein the English language is the medium in which teaching is commenced, but subjects such as Malay, Chinese and Mandarin should remain a compulsory pass in all schools, lest students forget their own heritage, etc.

He further goes on to add that it is unfortunate, that while in the 1950s and 1960s the medium for education was English, but was changed to Bahasa Melayu during the 1970s. 2003 brought about the Policy of Teaching Science and Mathematics in English; but not more than seven years later, it was scrapped.

He urges the politicians of the country to put in some serious thought into the significance of English throughout the world, and hence as a medium of instruction in Malaysian public schools, vehemently stating the hypocrisy of politicians where they enrol their own children into international, English-medium schools but refuse to allow the same for the rest of the Malaysian population.

What is your take on the medium of instruction in Malaysian public schools? Would you agree with the Sultan of Johor or believe in the continuing implementation of Bahasa Melayu in schools?