Policies, developments,

and challenges in mother tongue

education in Malaysian public schools
By: James Martin Ili
Regyl Grace S. Jaen
Savela Phyne Lagunday
Chenie Mahinay
Presentation Outline
Discussion of:

➔ The national setting

➔ Constitutional provisions
➔ Influence of policies on the education system
➔ Introduction of non-dominant languages to schools
➔ Teaching and learning materials
➔ Recent developments in language use
 The National setting
➢ Malaysia is a federation of states
comprising two main regions, namely
Peninsular Malaysia, sharing borders
with Thailand and Singapore. East
Malaysia, sharing borders with Brunei in
the north and Indonesia in the south.
➢ Malaysia has a population of 26.2 million, and is
made up of three major ethnic groups. The Malays
comprise 50.8 percent of the population, the Chinese
23.3 percent, and the Indians 6.9 percent.
➢ There are 141 spoken languages in Malaysia: forty
languages in Peninsular Malaysia, forty-seven in
Sarawak, and thirty-two in Sabah. Bahasa Malaysia
is the main language of instruction in national
schools, although under a recent policy change
English is used for the teaching of mathematics and
science. Most Malaysians are bilingual, and many
speak more than two languages.
➢ Many different languages are spoken in Malaysia.
Bahasa Malaysia (the Malay or Malaysian language)
is the predominant language, but English, Chinese,
and Tamil are also widely spoken. Ethnolinguistic
groups in East Malaysia speak several other
languages. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language,
used in government departments and the business
sector.
 Constitutional provisions
➢ Article 152 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution of 1957 states that the official/ national
language is Malay.

➢ Malaysian Federal Constitution, 1957: Article 15 states: The national language shall be
the Malay language…provided that (a) no person shall be prohibited from using
(otherwise than for official purposes) or from teaching or learning any other language…
and (b) nothing in this Clause shall prejudice the right of the Federal Government or any
State Government to preserve and sustain the use and study of the language of another
community in the Federation.

➢ However, the Constitution guarantees the freedom to learn and use other languages,
except for official purposes. Official purposes here mean any business of the
Government, whether Federal or State, and includes any transaction of a public authority.
All court proceedings and parliamentary sessions and formal meetings are conducted in
Malay, and all related documents are in Malay likewise.
 The Education Act of 1996 guarantees that:

❖ (i) The Chinese or Tamil language shall be made

available if the parents of at least fifteen pupils in the
school so request; and

❖ (ii) indigenous languages shall be made available if it is

reasonable and practical to do so and if the parents of
at least fifteen pupils in the school so request.
 Rukunegara and the national philosophy of education
Rukunegara (the National Ideology) and the National Philosophy of Education, which
were formulated in 1969 and 1990, respectively, have provided the guidelines for the
present Malaysian education system. Rukunegara sets the stage for a united nation
with a plural society, democratic institutions with a constitutionally elected
Parliament, a just society with equal opportunities for all, a liberal society of diverse
cultural traditions, and a progressive society oriented towards science and
technology.
The Malaysian education system
The national education system in Malaysia comprises:
a) preschool education
b) primary education
c) secondary education
d) post-secondary education
e) tertiary education
➢ The languages presently used as media of instruction in
Malaysian schools are Malay, Chinese, and Tamil. Bahasa
Malaysia serves as the national language and medium of
instruction in national schools (sekolah kebangsaan) both
primary and secondary. It is also a compulsory subject taught
in Chinese national-type primary schools (sekolah jenis
kebangsaan Cina) and Tamil national-type primary schools
(sekolah jenis kebangsaan Tamil).

➢ English as a second language is taught as a compulsory

subject in all primary and secondary schools. Chinese is used
as a medium of instruction in Chinese national-type primary
schools, while Tamil is used as a medium of instruction in
Tamil national-type primary schools. Chinese and Tamil are
taught as subjects in national primary and secondary schools.
 Introduction of non-dominant languages to schools
➢ The aims of introducing ethnolinguistic minority languages into the education system are to enable the
speakers of these languages to communicate among themselves and, most important of all, to ensure
the maintenance of minority cultures.
➢ The Iban language was introduced as a subject of study in primary schools and lower secondary
schools in 1987.
➢ The Kadazandusun language and the Semai language were introduced in primary schools in 1995 and
1997, respectively.
➢ National Education policy requires that all schools use common syllabi and teaching-learning materials.
In regard to content, priority should be given to the Malaysian aspects of each subject.
Malaysian Dialects
 Teaching and learning materials
❖ Teaching and learning materials for mother tongue languages
are prepared by the Ministry of Education.

❖ Textbooks are provided free of charge to teachers and students.

❖ The Ministry of Education, through its Textbook Division, has

been devising policies and guidelines for the development of
textbooks for minority languages and encouraging writers to
produce high-quality textbooks and teachers’ guides.

❖ In cases where teaching and learning a minority language is

hampered by lack of materials, the Curriculum Development
Centre and the Education Technology Division under the
Ministry of Education have played leading roles in producing
teaching modules and supporting materials, such as self-access
learning materials, classroom activity modules, resource
materials, and materials for ICT-based learning.
 Teacher training
❖ Training for Malay, Chinese, and Tamil teachers is based on tests and interviews. These
help identify the attributes and professional qualities relevant to the teaching profession.
Currently the Ministry of Education only allows graduates to join its Teacher Training
Colleges and be trained as classroom teachers.
❖ Qualification for Teacher Training College lecturers is being upgraded to the Master’s and
PhD levels.
❖ On the other hand, teachers for mother tongue languages such as Kadazandusun, Iban,
and Semai are selected from candidates who have acquired a minimum level of proficiency
in those languages.
❖ Professional information is also disseminated through in-service courses for practising
teachers.
Recent developments in language use
English in teaching of math and science
Chinese and Tamil in National Schools
In 2003, the government adopted a measure to
At a Cabinet Meeting on 27 April 2005, a decision introduce English as a medium of instruction for the
was made to improve the teaching of Chinese and teaching of mathematics and science in primary and
Tamil in National Schools by increasing the number secondary schools. This is to ensure that Malaysia will
of teaching periods. The main objective is to foster not be left behind in this age of information technology,
and promote unity in the nation, as education is an in which the role of English in a global context continues
important tool for promoting understanding and to grow. However, allowed to use English and Chinese
goodwill among ethnic groups. as the media of instruction in the teaching of
mathematics and science.
Concerns about national unity and nation-building
The government has adopted the positive step of a phased Common syllabi and content
introduction of Chinese and Tamil as languages of literacy in Can be advantageous in ensuring students’
National Schools, this project will also promote mother tongue (i) acquisition of essential intellectual, affective,
literacy among Chinese and Indian students in National Schools. and psychomotor skills, and
The government has also set up ‘Vision Schools’, which are (ii) inculcation of patriotism and nationalistic
National Schools built in the same area as Chinese and Tamil pride.
schools. At these schools, the pupils share common co-curricular
amenities and activities. They also have common weekly
assemblies.
Conclusion
❏ The Malays have a saying, Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa, which literally means, “Language is the
soul of a race.” The Malaysian government has been willing and open with regard to
discussing issues of mother tongue teaching and learning. The government is in constant
dialogue with leaders of various ethnic groups to arrive at the most amicable formula for
addressing the needs of the nation while taking the feelings and requests of the various
ethnic groups into account.

❏ The establishment of Malay-medium national schools and national-type Chinese and Tamil
schools is an effort to enhance literacy in these languages. Over time, the efforts of the
government have brought about effective changes in transforming these schools into
knowledge-based institutions.

❏ Malay has been successful and effective as a national language in leading the
transformation of a rural agrarian community into a dynamic, industrial, and commercial
urban community.