English medium in elite schools BUT not in National Government Schools ????

I do not understand the rationale either. Good quality education is for the children of ALL citizens, not for a select few.

The Star Online reported as follows:

New MARA college in Parit is first in Perak to offer GCSE certificate

THE newly opened MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) in Parit is the first in Perak to offer the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said it was also the third in the country to offer the certificate.

The RM80mil school, which was the seventh MRSM in the state, was officially opened by Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah last Saturday.

Built on a 21.85ha land, the school began operations in May last year and has about 800 students.

Mohd Shafie said the model and philosophy behind MARA’s education system was to focus on human capital development and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills that are at par with international standards.

“MRSM has taken another step forward to ensure value-added education be given to students so that they can get a place in the world’s best universities,” he said in his speech.

“We hope to continue producing excellent graduates who will become successful wherever they are,” he said, adding that among the successful people to have graduated from MRSM are Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Air Asia chief executive officer Datuk Kamaruddin Meranum and Malaysia’s first astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.

Mohd Shafie said the setting up of MRSM was to ensure that young children could get the opportunity to study under a secondary education system that focused on Science and Mathematics.

He also said that several students from MRSM has achieved success at science and technology exhibitions at international level.

“Two MRSM Betong (Sarawak) students have won gold medals at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2013 and International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad 2013 in Houston, Texas for their science project.

“Another two from MRSM Kota Kinabalu also won gold with their robotics project at the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition 2013 here and during the 14th International Robot Olympiad in Gwanju, South Korea in 2012,” he added.

In his speech, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said with the latest MRSM branch here in the state, it will further enhance the development of the education system and benefit students.

“We hope that MRSM would continue to churn out more people with calibre. The country needs more human capital with integrity and possess high knowledge and skills.

“The state is fortunate to have MRSMs here that can help realise the country’s vision to be a high-income nation, thus we are aware about the needs to equip our children with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete nationally and internationally,” he said.

“That being said, I also hope more sons and daughters of fishermen, farmers and labourers could benefit from studying here and to be successful,” he added.

Syed Akbar argues convincingly that if English medium is good for MRSM schools then why is it not good for National Government Schools. Read his take here - English Medium For Elites Only?.

Peace !