PAGE chairperson Noor Azimah Rahim said one way to ensure that the Malay language was not neglected was to insist that students who enrol in English-medium schools first attain the national average score for Bahasa Malaysia.
“We have to accept the fact that Malay-medium schools do not produce the best English-language teachers.
“Our past expenditure on native speaker programmes has been expensive and, although effective, is unsustainable,” she told FMT.
Azimah’s comments followed a survey published by Singapore’s Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute titled “Johor Survey 2017: Views on Identity, Education and the Johor Royal Family”.
In the survey, 82% of respondents supported the move to bring back English-medium schools.
The study suggested that the support for public English-medium schools was due to Singapore’s national system, which produced graduates who were competent in English and were internationally employable.
Azimah said the political will to pilot English-medium schools already existed, as proven by the desire for a radical approach towards proficiency in English, as stated in Phase Two of the transformational Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025).
“For a start, the teachers, as well as English language teachers in Johor, are of a high calibre.
“If the Johor state education department focuses on delivering an English-medium school in every district, this is quite feasible,” she said.
Azimah also suggested that students who graduated from these schools be advised to further their education in the UK.
She said arrangements should be made to allow these undergraduate students to live among native speakers or with Muslim families to accommodate cultural requirements.
“Return to complete a diploma in education and be contracted to be an English teacher for an agreed time.
“The option to remain longer should be open. The world is your oyster beyond that,” she said.
Azimah said Sabah and Sarawak should support English-medium schools as well and employ their own local teachers.
“Focus on the states with zero resistance while other states that have been silent, indifferent or even downright hostile can turn green with envy,” she said.
‘Let Sabah set up own state-funded English medium schools’
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2015/06/12/sultans-comments-on-english-medium-schools-spot-on/
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