PAGE urges Education Ministry to expand DLP at schools

KUALA LUMPUR: The Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) has urged the Ministry of Education (MOE) to expand the Dual Language Programme (DLP) to more schools across the country.

PAGE with the support of 36 other groups said it has submitted a memorandum to 31 ministers including MOE asking for their support to expand the programme.

Its chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim (pix) said the memorandum also asked the Education Ministry to reverse a previous directive issued to participating schools to establish at least one non-DLP class, saying it is against the guidelines.

“Adding non-DLP class is not in the guidelines...we are fine with the guidelines, we are merely seeking for the existing guidelines on DLP to be adhered to and not add further restrictions to undermine the success of DLP.

“The government wants student proficiency in English improved while mastering Bahasa Melayu...The DLP is exactly that and more,” she told reporters today.

The lack of proficiency in Bahasa Melayu said Noor Azimah, should not be used as an excuse to deprive students from attending DLP classes, instead, immerse them in Bahasa Melayu programmes without taking away their choice of DLP.

The memorandum, according to her, had also wanted the number of existing full DLP schools to remain, while at the same time encourage and support partial DLP schools to become full-fledged ones by expanding DLP schools, classes, and pupils.

She said, there were 1,600 DLP schools in Malaysia with 1,200 in Sarawak alone.

Previously, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the MOE has no issue with schools that have fully implemented the DLP, with guidelines on the DLP remained unchanged until today.

However, Fadhlina said MOE will start with one non-DLP class starting the 2024/25 session. -Bernama