Education Minister backs Sarawak Chief Minister over lack of English proficiency

Malaysians need to improve their English proficiency, especially the younger generation, so that they can compete at the global stage, says Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Mahdzir said the ministry would carry on with efforts aimed at improving English proficiency in the nation.

“We will introduce a Dual Language Programme, where schools have an option to teach Mathematics, Science and other skills-related subjects in English,” said Mahdzir after launching SK Matu Baru’s new building at Kampung Bintawa here.

Mahdzir said 300 schools nationwide were ready to take up the programme in the coming school term next year.

Schools are welcome to adopt the programme provided the move is supported by their respective Parents and Teachers Association, the community and also the school.

“I have to agree with Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s stand on developing both English and Bahasa Malaysia at the same time as this would certainly make more Malaysians multilingual and better prepared for the world.

“English is the international language of commerce and technology, so we must prepare our young for the future so that we would not be left behind,” said Mahdzir.

Two weeks ago, Adenan announced that the state will use English in inter-government correspondence and to adopt English as the state’s second language.

The move was strongly supported by all Sarawakians, regardless of their political beliefs, but condemned by leaders from the peninsula, who claimed the move could sow seeds of discord among the people.

Despite all the negative remarks over the move, leaders, including Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia president Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir and federal government Social and Cultural Affairs Adviser Tan Sri Rais Yatim, failed to see that English has always been used in the State Legislative Assembly and the courts here even before the announcement.

Meanwhile, Mahdzir said the ministry has approved the construction of 42 new schools for the state starting next year, with an estimated worth of RM1.3 billion, and also has set aside RM86 million for school maintenance for those in need.

In the recent Auditor-General report, 388 schools out of 1,452 in the state were deemed to have inferior building quality or poor maintenance.

The report also stated that 124 schools in the state had serious defects that required immediate and urgent repair.

“We are aware about this and will address this problem in stages,” said Mahdzir.

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Dennis Wong

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