Teaching Science and Technology in English: Language-in-Education Policy in Malaysia

摘要

The reemergence of English as a language for science and technology education in Malaysia began after the announcement by Mahathir Mohamed, the Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003. This policy implementation began in 1993 at the tertiary level, and extended to the primary and secondary levels in 2003. However at the primary and secondary levels, it was phased out, beginning in 2010. We discuss the global dominance of English in science and technology, the current state of English language in Malaysia and the global knowledge economy. And we review the literature dating from the colonial period to the present. This enables us to elucidate factors behind the reemergence of English language. Findings so far show that domestic and international factors affected the policy decision.