Some students can now learn international languages

KUALA LUMPUR: International languages have been introduced as an elective subject in certain schools, with plans to get more institutions to do the same in future, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon.

The languages offered are Chinese, Korean, Japanese, French, German and Arabic.

This is currently being taught in eight boarding schools and two day schools, he said.

“We are going to expand to more schools from primary to secondary schools up to SPM level. We are implementing it in stages.

“This is the third language that students can choose to master. It is an elective subject,” Chong said at a press conference during the Korea Enrichment Seminar for Malaysian teachers yesterday.

On another matter, he said more technical and vocational courses had been introduced to youths.

He added that the Education Ministry was trying to change the mindset of Malaysians to consider skills training.

“The academic field is just one of the options. Not everyone should choose the academic pathway as some are better off with skills and vocational training,” he said.

Chong was asked if Malaysian youths should consider going into vocational courses instead of tradi- tional tertiary courses due to the high unemployment rate.

On Thursday, Bank Negara released its Annual Report 2016 revealing that youth unemployment has been on the rise in the country, estimated to have reached 10.7% in 2015, over three times the national unemployment rate of 3.1%.

Among jobless youths, young graduates make up a relatively larger 23% share, it said.

Chong said this year, the ministry had introduced the Upper Secondary School Industry Apprenticeship (PIMA) programme to identify “high-risk” students (students who are not academically inclined and may drop out of school) and get them to work with the local industry.

He said students would be engaged in a two-year programme from Form 4 to Form 5 where they attend school for two days and go for industrial training for three days.

They will then receive a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia certificate.

The ministry is targeting 10% of its 2,000-odd secondary schools to offer such a programme.

This is the third language that students can choose to master. It is an elective subject.

Datuk Chong Sin Woon