马来西亚数理英化政策（2003-2011）的语言政治解析
Teaching Science and Mathematics in English in Malaysian Schools (2003-2011): A Policy Analysis from the Perspective of Language Politics

王国璋 ONG Kok Chung
香港中文大学未来城市研究所副研究员。
E-mail: [email protected]

马来西亚华人研究学刊，第16期，2013年，页129-160
Journal of Malaysian Chinese Studies, Volume 16, 2013: 129-160

摘要

马来西亚自1970年代确立独尊马来语的语文政策后，教育体制内的教学语即以马来语为主。惟2002年时任首相的马哈迪却在未获社会普遍共识下，倡议将大专至中、小学校的数理科目都转为英语教学，并自2003年起就在全国仓促执行。不过该政策推行期间争议不断，民间教育团体也多有抗议、顽拒者。2009年政府终决定自2012年起，逐步恢复政策前的原状。本文即试图梳理数理英化政策背后的语言政治运作，并以Bernard Spolsky对“语言政策”的广义界定，作为解析本案的基本框架。分析的重点不在于评估其教育成效，而是探讨该政策为何发动得如此仓促？争议何在？政治角力如何运作？又为何以失败告终？

马来西亚当前的国家语言意识形态、语言管理和社会上的语言实践之间，显然都存在落差，张力难免。这种不一致也逼使执政菁英不得不正视现实，重新调整官方思维，数理英化政策正是这方面的一项重大变革。惟政策受挫，说明的恐怕不是民间社会拒绝调整，而是政策本身并不得法，各族群间及族群内部也远未就此达成共识。然而结构性的落差既然犹在，该政策落幕后国家的其他迂回调整方案，应仍会一再涌现。

关键词：马来西亚教育、语言政策、语言政治、数理英化政策

Abstract

Malay language has long been the main medium of instruction in the Malaysian education system since the 1970s. However, its supremacy over other local languages was challenged in 2002 when the then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad proposed to adopt English as the teaching medium of science and mathematics in all levels of education. The policy (Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris, PPSMI) was hastily implemented in 2003 amid controversy, yet in 2009, the government decided to phase it out from 2012 onwards. This paper aims to analyze language politics concerned with an analytical framework based on Bernard Spolsky’s definition of ‘language policy’. The focus is on political debates and interactions behind the scenes rather than the pedagogical effectiveness of PPSMI.

Tensions arise as discrepancies among the state language ideology, language management and societal language practices in Malaysia persist. PPSMI might reflect efforts of the ruling elites in re-defining state language ideology; its failure nevertheless implies an erroneous approach of implementation as well as the lack of consensus both within and among the major ethnic groups. As long as the structural discrepancies persist, it is expected that the state may keep resorting to other re-adjustment attempts in order to address the ‘crisis’.

Keywords: Malaysian education, language policy, language politics, PPSMI

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