SMK Teacher Slams Chinese Students’ Poor Malay Skills, Claims It Disrupts Learning Process

A teacher from a national secondary school (SMK) in rural Johor has sparked controversy online by openly criticising the poor Bahasa Melayu (BM) proficiency among Chinese students, claiming it significantly disrupts the teaching and learning process. The teacher, known by the username fifthreid on Reddit, expressed disappointment over the language barrier issue, revealing that around 80 percent of the Chinese students in their school struggle with basic Malay, making communication and classroom management challenging.

In the Reddit post that quickly drew attention, the teacher highlighted how severe the situation had become, stating that it is common for Malay-speaking prefects fluent in Mandarin to be called in as translators whenever communication issues arise. According to the teacher, even students in Form 4 and Form 5 were barely able to understand or speak basic BM, a shocking revelation considering their educational level. The teacher attributed this problem to the students’ primary education background in vernacular Chinese schools (SJKC), where BM was allegedly taught using Mandarin as a medium. The teacher further emphasised that the students’ poor command of Malay greatly impacts their ability to grasp crucial subjects like Sejarah, Moral, Bahasa Melayu, and even Mathematics, where understanding key terminologies is essential.

The post has since triggered heated discussions online, with netizens sharing various opinions about the effectiveness of language education in Malaysia, the integration of students from different educational backgrounds, and the overall standard of Bahasa Melayu proficiency among younger generations.

Source : reddit.com