The protest against the teaching of Science and Mathematics in the English language continues. On Saturday, thousands are expected to attend a Dong Jiao Zong (DJZ) conference in Kajang.

Dr Yap Sin Tian, chairperson of influential Chinese education group Dong Zong, said resolutions against the policy will be submitted to the government.

The conference, expected to attract delegates from around the country, will begin at 3pm at the DJZ Education Centre in Kajang.

Yap said invitations have also been sent to education groups representing non-Chinese groups and that anyone concerned about the issue is welcome to attend.

However, this does not extend to political parties, whether from the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) or the opposition front.

The much-disputed language switch was implemented in Year One in all primary schools in 2003. In Chinese schools, however, a 2-4-3 formula was applied - two periods for English, four for Mathematics and three for Science each week.

To date, there has been no decision on the number of periods for the two subjects when pupils enter Year 4 next year.

'Political compromise'

Yap reiterated DJZ's demand that the government should abolish the use of English to teach the two subjects and revert to the use of Bahasa Malaysia or the pupil's mother tongue.

"The 2-4-3 formula has violated education theory and the people's will. It is a political compromise which has jeopardised the status of Chinese primary schools as the cornerstone of the mother tongue education system," he told a press conference in Kajang today.

"The policy also violates the global education trend of multi-culturalism, democratisation and universalisation."

DJZ, however, supports the government's efforts to improve fluency in English through methods if these comply with education theory, he said.

Yap also claimed that Malaysians from the Malay and Indian ethnic groups are against the policy.

"The Second Malay Education Congress held in March urged the government to review the policy. This clearly shows that reviewing the policy is a collective demand of all races," he said.

He denied that the DJZ conference is a radical approach to pressure the government on the issue.

"This is a peaceful conference for the people to express their views, a basic civil right in a democratic country," he said.

Different routes

Yap further denied that the conference is a mark of failure of negotiations with the two Chinese-based BN parties, MCA and Gerakan, over sticking points.

He said that these parties have their ways of raising the issues with the cabinet and channels of leadership within the BN.

"We, as a Chinese education group, have our own ways to unite the civil society to express our views," Yap added.

DJZ has engaged both parties in negotiations without being able to arrive at a solution. Both parties have stated that they support the DJZ's stand in principle.

According to a Bernama report, MCA vice-president Ong Tee Keat yesterday said the party maintains its stance and that it is discussing the issue with government departments including the education ministry.

DJZ comprises the Federation of Malaysian Chinese School Boards Associations (Dong Zong) and the Federation of Malaysian Chinese School Teachers Associations (Jiao Zong). It has consistently opposed the language switch.