Empowering students with multilingualism main focus of MOE

KUALA LUMPUR: Empowering students with multiple languages including Arabic is one of the main focus of the Malaysian Education Development Plan 2013-2025.

Head of Professional Development and Research Division of Islamic Education Division, Ministry of Education ( MOE), Shamsul Shah Tarja said schools under the MOE have a Virtual Learning Environment ( VLE) to assist in the teaching of information and communication technology ( ICT).

“Teachers can use the Virtual Learning Environment ( VLE) to make the learning of Arabic language more fun,” he told Bernama at the 21st Century Arabic Language Pedagogy organised by the Islamic Education Division of MOE in collaboration with ISESCO Malaysia in Pasir Pekan, Kelantan, recently.

Shamsul Shah said the community sees the need for Arabic learning in terms of its commercial value and is no longer limited to the purpose of understanding the Quran and religious books.

“For example, students who know Arabic can become tourist guides or work in Arab countries in oil production. We want them to master more than two languages, namely Malay, English and Arabic” he added.

Meanwhile, ISESCO Malaysia director Dr Razif Zaini said it was a good programme and stressed that ISESCO fully supports the development and enhancement of Arabic language through education.

“We will continue our cooperation with the MOE. ISESCO is committed to empower the Arabic language and urge all parties to elevate the status of Arabic in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.” — Bernama