KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Kadazandusun Murut Welfare and Education Association (Pekadin) has urged the Sabah government to emulate Sarawak in using the English Language as a medium of instruction for the teaching of Mathematics and Science.
Its vice-president Simon Malubi said the move was important to empower the development of human resource in order to achieve the developed nation status and be competitive in the era of globalisation.
He said it could not be denied that science and mathematics played an important role in national development and progress.
He added that English was also an international language of communication and proficiency in it would facilitate knowledge-gathering.
“As such, for the good of all, Pekadin feels the Sabah government should consider using English Language in the teaching of mathematics and science,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Simon said Sarawak’s decision to use English in the two subjects was timely and should be supported by the public, including in Sabah, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
On May 5, Sarawak Education, Science and Technology Research Minister Dato Seri Michael Manyin Jawong said as of January 1 next year, Sarawak would implement the use of the English Language as the medium of instruction in the teaching of Mathematics and Science.
He said the move would start with pupils in Standard One, before going on to the secondary level.
Simon said he was confident the Sabah state leadership which was forward-thinking, especially the Ministry of Education and Innovation, would take action to realise reformation in education in the state.
He added that although Sabah might be late in implementing the move, it was not a problem as what was important was that there was initiative by the Sabah Ministry of Education and Innovation to do the best for the state. – Bernama