The Malaysian Insight

PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants to raise the standard of English in schools by using new methods enabled by new communication technology such as 5G.

At the same time, the acting education minister wants science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to be taught in English for students to expand their knowledge in those fields.

The subjects are currently being taught in English in more than 1,200 selected schools through the dual language programme (DLP) introduced in 2016.

Dr Mahathir said the teaching of English will be streamlined with current technological developments.

“The learning of English will be programmed, not the way they are learning English (now), like a teacher trying to teach English. No way. We have to programme the way English is taught.

“So expect in the future graduates who are fluent in English, understand science, mathematics, and engineering, and they can go into new industries. That is what is being planned,” he told a selected group of journalists in Langkawi.

Dr Mahathir, however, acknowledged that ideas like these are sometimes hard to accept by some, including teachers.

“But to sell this idea, even to teachers, is very difficult sometimes. They like to see the old ways. Of course it is a burden on them but the teaching method that we use now is useless. You don’t learn anything.”

Dr Mahathir also hopes that 5G technology will improve the quality of teaching in schools as well as standardise the quality of teachers.

“The quality of teaching is very poor. If you get a good teacher, you do well. If you get a bad teacher, you won’t do well. We have to standardise. We have to have the best teachers teaching.”

He said programmed teaching can guarantee a good set of qualified teachers.

“You use this programmed teaching. The best teacher prepares the best lessons and they can actually interact with the class, with 5G and all that.

“If you are stuck, you can ask. They can appear on the screen and pronounce it properly also.”

Dr Mahathir first spoke about programmed teaching after a visit to Japan in September last year.

After visiting a school in Kyoto, Dr Mahathir said the government will look into the possibility of using recorded learning methods.

On Sunday, Dr Mahathir launched the 5G demonstration project and visited the control centre in Langkawi.

He said the demonstration project has identified 100 uses of 5G in Kuala Lumpur and Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu and Penang.

The 5G technology is expected to be commercially available in Malaysia in the third quarter of this year. – January 21, 2020.