Success of DLP depends on political will

I REFER to the report on the concerns of parents of Primary 6 pupils taking the Dual Language Programme (DLP) with regards to their children’s enrolment in DLP in secondary schools next year, “DLP concerns” (Sunday Star, June 19).

The initial success of the DLP after its implementation in 2016 should be the benchmark for Primary 6 students to continue doing the programme at secondary level. A survey conducted back then showed that most, if not all, students who opted for the programme were found to have achieved better grades in English at both the primary and secondary schools where they studied.

The exposure and contact hours that Form 1 DLP students have had since 2016 complemented the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) for English standards that was also started in the same year.

Based on the earlier success of the DLP, the students should have performed at least on par, if not better, in English competency than those who did not do the programme for the 2021 SPM exam.

Unfortunately, a comparison of achievements in SPM English in 2021 between cohort and non-cohort secondary students was not provided when the results were announced on June 16.

It is in the best interest of stakeholders to conduct a transparent analysis to gauge the effectiveness of the DLP in uplifting students’ English proficiency.

This will provide the strongest justification for students to continue pursuing it in secondary schools that fulfil the requirements gazetted by the Education Ministry.

Among these requirements are the attainment of above-the-national-average-grade for Bahasa Melayu in SPM and having an adequate number of teachers.

The shortage of teachers needed to deliver Mathematics and Science lessons in English, which has long plagued the programme, could be overcome by providing graduate teachers the same critical allowance that’s being given to their colleagues teaching TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) subjects.

Giving some form of monetary benefit would motivate them to be involved in DLP.

The weekly Peer’s Learning Meeting for subject teachers that complement and supplement each other with teaching techniques and materials will be useful.

Meetings-cum-in-house training programmes will also help to improve the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English.

The DLP’s success depends very much on the political will of the decision makers. Indeed, where there is political will, there will be a way to provide our children the opportunity to improve their English proficiency while learning Mathematics and Science.

TING LIAN LEE

Johor Baru