20 June 2009

Prediction, estimation or pure random "guesstimate"?

The Deputy Minister of Education was reported by the media saying that 80% of Malaysians are in favour of making English as a make-pass subject in SPM. In view that this policy has vital implication to the education, the economy and even the Malaysian society, how could a politician made such a irresponsible "guesstimate".

How could "prediction" be made based on emails and text messages received? "Prediction" or "estimation" such as these are misleading and the effect is certainly detrimental, purely without statistical principles to be called an estimation. Frankly, such prediction looks more like a pure random "guesstimate", or rather, like the old Chinese supersitious tradition of interpreting their dreams and turned them into numbers to buy lottery.

However, to have such a high-profile person in the Ministry of Education to make such an un-intellectual guess, I wonder, what is the advantage of making English as a must-pass subject?

From the standpoint of the society, does it make any good to have less people with a SPM certificate? Failing the English language subject in SPM, in many ways, is already a bad result to have. By making English as a must-pass subject, it will only make those who are already bad to look even worse. To deprive them of a SPM certificate because of the English language, to many weak students, this is practically killing the "dying lifeline" for them to pursue further education and training. What's the point?

Frankly, I do not see much advantages of making English as a must-pass subject, both from society and educational viewpoints. Perhaps, as a politician, the Minister or Deputy Minister has other agendas for Malaysian education system.

P/S: Just a point to ponder, what is the Deputy Minister's viewpoint of teaching Science and Mathematics in English?

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