The Parent Action Group for Education (Page) has expressed disappointment with the new education blueprint, claiming it is "nothing new".

"There is no oomph or wow factor. Basically they are rebranding or re-labelling things that are already the responsibility of the ministry," she said.
Met after the launch of the blueprint in Kuala Lumpur today, Noor Azimah expressed disappointment that "hot topics" like the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English have been avoided.
She also expressed surprise that the international experts consulted did not advise that English be the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science.
She said this is even more surprising considering that experts consulted included a former education minister of South Korea.

"(The blueprint) is to ensure our kids are global players and I don't see that happening.
"We talk about science and innovation but all of this is in English so why don't we acknowledge that?"
Noor Azimah added that Page members had raised this matter in dialogue sessions by the ministry in preparation for the blueprint nationwide, and will provide feedback sought now.

According to the preliminary blueprint, Mathematics and Science performance will be improved by benchmarking school examinations against the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
It aims to bring Malaysia, which currently sits at the bottom third of the PISA rankings to the top third among the countries ranked.
'Quality over quantity'
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Koh Tsu Koon said that the blueprint is timely as its focus on improving quality can push Malaysia to compete against the world's best.

He also lauded the attention given to teaching staff, as well as the push to make school principals the main leaders of a school.
Koh, who is also Gerakan president, added that the party will be sending a memorandum to the government on the blueprint, after it seeks views from stakeholders including parents and teachers.
Hmm, please check. As far as I know - South Korea does not teach Math and Science In English. In fact, Korean language is the medium of instruction for all subjects in schools in south Korea.
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