The issue arose following the decision by the States of Sarawak and Sabah to promote the use of that language in secondary schools. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim believes that it is necessary to strengthen the skills of students, but according to critics this is a politicization of identity elements to obtain electoral advantages.
Kuala Lumpur () – School teaching in a foreign language is once again one of the most debated topics in Malaysia, following the decision of the island states of Sarawak and Sabah to promote the use of English alongside Malay. Critics consider that the use of a foreign language hinders integration and complicates daily life, and also discourages the production of textbooks in Malay.
In many schools Malay (Malay) is the main linguistic vehicle for some subjects such as history and civics, while the others are taught in English, which facilitates access to universities, where teaching is mainly in English.
Opposing sensitivities are once again in the spotlight with the introduction, starting in 2026, of teaching mathematics and science in English in public secondary schools, a change that has already been in effect in primary schools since 2020.
This measure, which is possible thanks to the autonomy guaranteed to the two States by the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, further accentuates the gap with the peninsular part of the nation, with a Malay and Muslim majority.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also recently addressed the problem of using a language other than the local one without offending the sensibilities of Malaysian voters. This recalled the need to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the school system, and greater familiarity with English, which many people still perceive as a colonial language.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022, which assessed the level of language proficiency in mathematics, science and reading of secondary school students, revealed a low level of English proficiency among young Malaysians.
After the disappointing results compared to other Southeast Asian countries, Anwar Ibrahim himself affirmed the importance of recognizing “the real situation of our problems, without denying them.” However, many consider that changes in the education sector are still affected by past political interference that exploited these and other identity aspects to obtain electoral advantages.
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