KAJANG: The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (Mestecc) will meet with its counterparts in the Education Ministry soon to discuss the proposed policy to end the streaming of subjects for secondary four students.
Mestecc Minister Yeo Bee Yin said the discussion would include determining a date on the implementation, and whether there would be certain restrictions that would be imposed.
“I don’t think it will be implemented next year. What’s important is that we discuss with the Education Ministry on the way forward,” she told reporters after attending the Science, Technology and Innovation Appreciation Ceremony, in Serdang, near here, today.
Education Minister Maszlee Malik had last month said his ministry was pushing for a streamless school system beginning next year and that students would be able to pick whatever subjects interest them, claiming the current stream system was absurd.
However, the minister later clarified that his statement, which was made during a working visit in Germany, was not a policy announcement but merely his intention, and that the ministry was not rushing to end streaming in schools.
“We are reviewing all aspects of the matter. We will only make the necessary announcement when the time is right,” he later said.
On whether students would still be restricted to pick their subjects based on their results, should the proposed policy be implemented, Yeo said it was the parents and teachers’ responsibility to advise the students on what suited them best.
“It is important that parents and teachers give the right advice. But I think if students have interest in a particular topic, regardless of their results, they will do well,” she said.
Yeo added that her ministry would continue to spark interest among students on science and technology through the annual National Science Week, as well as to increase engagement with them.
At today’s appreciation ceremony, Prof Madya Dr Show Pau Loke was awarded the National Young Scientist Award (Life Sciences), Dr Lain Chin Wei the National Young Scientist Award (Physical Science) and Mohd Nor Mohd Rosmi the National (Science) Technician Award.
Each award comes with a trophy, certificate of their achievements and RM10,000 cash.
