KUALA LUMPUR – Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has denied that certain schools are exempted from the directive over the dual language programme (DLP) despite allegations by an education group and DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng.
“That is incorrect. We have instructed all schools to adhere to the DLP guidelines. No issue so far.
“For schools facing implementation problems, we will help them,” she was quoted as saying by Bernama today.
She was met after the launch of a Upholding Malay Language and Strengthening Command of English (MBMMBI) programme in her parliamentary constituency of Nibong Tebal.
Fadhlina’s response came after a letter by Parent Action Group for Education (Page) Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim questioning why Malay College Kuala Kangsar (the alma mater of the prime minister) and Tunku Kurshiah College (the alma mater of the prime minister’s wife) were exempt from the new DLP rule.
Lim also questioned why government schools could not follow in the footsteps of two elite schools’ decision to ignore the Education Ministry’s directive to have one mandatory non-DLP class in the syllabus.
The guidelines require that Primary One and Form One classes have one non-DLP class teaching maths and science in Bahasa Melayu, regardless of parental preference.
Previously, school boards and parent-teacher associations from 11 SMJK and Chinese secondary schools in Penang urged the ministry to honour parents’ preferences and retain the original intent of DLP for science and maths. – June 20, 2024