Sunday, July 12, 2009

中学数理教学语文 – 国语Vs英语

可能是不小心,可能是一向来没有很坚决的向教育部表达立场,中学数理用会国语教学就在大家防不胜防的情况下回来了。或者应该说,国阵成员党早就应该知道必须付出一些代价才能换回以母语教学,他们应该一早就被知会有关这个政治决定,如果没有,那么再次体现了除巫统以外其他成员党当家不当权的事实。

话说回来,这个除了是一个政治决定,站在马来民粹分子的角度来看,其实一点都不过分。如果我们能接受中国用汉语教导中学甚至大学的数理,那么我们没有理由不能谅解部分马来同胞坚持要求以马来文教导中学数理的立场。马来文是马来西亚的国语,这也是不久的将来不能改变的事实。就算今天教育部大开方便之门,让中学以英语教导数理,那么未来也会有一天这个政策会随着马来文学团体或选票的需要而又再改变。争执会无穷无尽的继续下去。

1960年代新加坡在李光耀主导下为了使各族拥有共同的语言,而引进英语为主要教育媒介语。如果我国现在要实行以上的政策,那被选择的语言肯定是马来语,而不是英文。除了国家官方语言的因素,国民学校在教育硬体设施中占绝大多数和师资结构也让英文共同教学不可能实行,加上马来同胞在我国人口结构中占压倒性多数,所以除国语形式外任何语言的教学在开始施行后就犹如强弩之末,矢不能穿鲁镐,最后只会落得草草收场。

和新加坡不同的是,我国在开拓和发展国语的同时,对其他教育源流带有极大的排斥性,以诸多手段如限制拨款、拒绝增建等来遏制其他源流学校的发展。当年李光耀在推广英文教学的同时,也同时推出“特选中学计划”,保留当时新加坡最为优秀的九所华文中学做双语教学。如果我国教育部可以进一步摆脱狭隘的思想,在不侵蚀马来语教学的前提下,让华校、淡米尔校和英文教学获得和国民学校一样的发展空间,那么相信这比教学语文的争执和不断更换来得更有意思。

我们无力扭转马来语作为国语和官方中学教育主导语言的事实,但是我们可以在这个事实上尝试走出另外一条康庄大道,也就是三语并重,在不牺牲马来语教学之下,让英语、华语(母语)和马来语在中学并驾齐驱。在这个全球化的时代,能掌握多一种语言,就等于掌握胜利的先机。在未来华团和华基政党与其争取数理以英文教学,不如尝试从这个角度切入,并要求政府在中小学教育中更公平对待各源流学校 不对其他语言教育带有色眼镜加以排斥、公平拨款于各源流学、依照社区要求公平增建各源流学校。

三语并重的好处是既可以保留华文(母语)教育优良的道德和社会价值观,也可以符合政府以马来语促进团结的哲理,并且可以通过英语和国际接轨。这样一来,数理以什么教学,应该不再成为一个争执。要知道英文本身为“体”,以英文学数理为“用”,只要英文之“体”在小学和中学建构好,那么上了先修班或者学院,“用”自然水到渠成。

所以说,与其争执不下,不如开拓新路,杀出重围,这才算大英雄、能本色!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr Ooi,

I agree with you in most of the things / issues you mentioned in the two articles here avout the teaching of Mathematics and Sciences in English. I strongly believe that you were fropm a conforming school in Penang? SMJK Chung Lin or?

Singapore is different from Malaysia as Mr Lee Kwang Yew ruled the country with iron hands. He didn't want to let any of the vernacular school to outshine the English schools which he used as the basis of nationality unity. Do you know that he closed down Nanyang University?

I agree with what you said here about the issue of teaching using English. I had given my comments in: http://keykok.blogspot.com/2009/07/2012.html . If you have time, just link to it and let me know your response.
Thank you.
In Dhamma

Tze Howe, 9W2THO said...

Yup i know, one of the excuses he used is communist already conquer Nanyang University ...

我可以理解李光耀的做法,

但是

我未必能接受。。。。

Anonymous said...

Yes, you had your opinion, the use of an excuse (but was it true excuse?) of the great influence of communism in the late 60s and early 70s. For that matter, we try to put ourselves in the shoes of Mr lee, maybe more drastic actions might have been taken as during that time, Singapore had just declared independence to form a small city country WITHOUT any resources. How to build up a nation starting from almost zero? please tell me what would you do if you were to be in Mr Lee's position?

How to unite a nation? But as time pass by, things have changed. Don't you feel surprised that Singapore Government allows 2 casinos to be built in the country? Is the government not scared that people would against it? There will be endless problems faced by the families and peopel of Singapore? I am sure you are aware that new rules had been passed in the Singapore Cabinet to restrict and protect their citizens before the casinos are completed?

Tze Howe, 9W2THO said...

yup ... need agreeement of the family, letter ...something like that

Anonymous said...

Sorry not exactly, but singaporeans will be taxed in advance before they enter the casinos in future. Furhtermore, nuclear family members (spouse or children) or parents can file a case against a person indulged in gambling but fail to give the family sufficient monetary support.