Dual Language Programme continues uninterrupted
While the prime minister continues to assure education stakeholders that proficiency in the English language in schools will be enhanced, parents are still unclear as to what it really means. In spite of the numerous initiatives put in place over many years, students still hesitate to speak the language for fear of being laughed at or ridiculed, or are merely afraid of making mistakes. For any language, not just English, it is a steep learning curve unless one begins early enough.
The Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) had been unsuccessful in meeting the minister of education ever since Fadhlina Sidek stepped into office in December 2022. We had never had such a cold reception with all the other education ministers for the last 18 years. I was, after all, part of the National Education Advisory Council (Majlis Penasihat Pendidikan Kebangsaan) during the leadership of former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik, who was at the time with Bersatu. He has since switched to PKR, the same political party as Fadhlina.
But when Datuk Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad was appointed as the director-general of education in July 2025, there appeared to be some relaxation, as he advocates active engagement with stakeholders. Interestingly, he remarked that much more effort needs to be put into science in English and for there to be enough teachers in classrooms.
Rather surprisingly, I was invited to sit on the Safety Reforms Committee, which was set up in August 2025 after the Zara Qairina Mahathir case and has since officially announced its recommendations, which are now fully implemented in schools.
Days later, I was again invited by the Minister’s Office to the Budget Dialogue, which gave me the opportunity to speak about the importance of the Dual Language Programme (DLP) in the presence of the minister. She may have warmed up after all. If the prime minister, with the support of the minister and her ministry, is so gung-ho about artificial intelligence (AI) and uplifting the economy through AI globally, then the DLP is a no-brainer.
While ownership of DLP is with the Educational Planning and Policy Research Department (EPRD), it is the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Department that ensure DLP continues to grow in terms of numbers of teachers, students, classes and schools. All three departments fall under the purview of the education ministry.
I think it was this perceived relaxation that enabled PAGE to secure a meeting with the ELTC director. Although it took six weeks to arrange, the meeting helped iron out several DLP details and allay parents’ anxieties.
Most importantly, there has never been any restriction preventing non-DLP students from transferring to a DLP class in Year Four. The condition is that there must be a vacancy in the DLP class the following year and that the student must show an improvement in his or her Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik at the end of the year. I urge parents to discuss this matter with the principal or the science and mathematics teacher committee (guru panitia) and seek an indication as to the Bahasa Melayu tahap penguasaan (proficiency level) that is acceptable to facilitate the move.
Principals and teachers had earlier indicated to parents that non-DLP students can move into DLP only in Form 1, which explains why no attempts were made by parents prior to this. Worse, with the regressive compulsory non-DLP class imposed on schools in 2024, the situation became even more restrictive.
In the meantime, the ELTC director will urge Institut Aminuddin Baki, the ministry’s national institute for developing and strengthening educational leadership, to remind principals that this flexibility is available to parents and students, subject to the prescribed conditions. Principals should be reminded that decisions made must be in the best interest of the student and not to fear tindakan tatatertib (disciplinary action) if their decision is justifiable.
Ideally, PAGE would like to see the abolition of the compulsory non-DLP class in Year One and Form One.
If the minister intends to retain this restriction, then the reverse should also apply to non-DLP schools by requiring them to offer at least one compulsory DLP class. Only then would the policy be equitable.
DLP teachers are tagged, which means they will teach Science and Mathematics in English. If they are transferred, they are posted only to schools offering DLP. With more DLP schools, their deployment would also become more flexible. Better still, assign DLP teachers to new schools.
The ELTC director has assured us that there is a deliberate and focused plan to continue expanding DLP. So far, nearly 3,000 schools (an EPRD well-kept secret) offer DLP, while Sarawak is charting its own course, with 1,050 fully DLP schools operating without any restrictions.
As parents prepare for the new curriculum in 2027, ELTC has further assured us that DLP will continue as planned, with Mathematics to be taught in English from Year One and Science also to be taught in English from Year Three. DLP thrives.
DLP is worth pursuing, or else we will be faced with a U-turn back to Malay-medium schools, which will not augur well for an AI-enhanced economy.
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