Dong Zong, Chinese educationist groups hand over DLP objection memorandum
PUTRAJAYA: The United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) and several other major Chinese groups have submitted a memorandum to the Education Ministry to protest against the implementation of the ongoing Dual Language Programme (DLP).
Stating that the decision was to safeguard the characteristics of Chinese primary schools, Dong Zong president Datuk Vincent Lau said that the ministry can seek other alternatives in aiming to enhance English proficiency within these schools.
"There are 1,298 Chinese schools in the country and we have gathered signatures from 1,004 of these schools objecting to the DLP.
"While we are aware that the government is serious in attempts to improve the students' command of Bahasa Malaysia and English, I urge the ministry to review the programme.
"This is because the feedback that we receive indicate that the programme is too difficult for the students to cope with without affecting their mother tongue," he said after handing over the memorandum to Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon at the ministry, here.
Meanwhile, Chong reiterated that schools irrespective of medium are not forced to adopt the Dual Language Programme (DLP) which is only carried out in schools that fulfilled the criteria
He said that the ministry-initiated programme to enhance Bahasa Malaysia and the English language will only be implemented in schools that applied for it.
"DLP will only be offered to schools that meet three main criteria – proper resources, teachers who can teach in English and Bahasa Malaysia, and parents who are supportive of the programme.
"For the implementation of English, these schools' respective scores for their Bahasa Malaysia examinations must be above the national average as the fourth criteria.
"No school will not be forced to adopt the programme as it is not compulsory," he said.