Students must overcome fear of speaking English, says Mahdzir

JOHOR BARU: Many students are still having problems conversing in English, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said the majority of Malaysian students had no problem writing in English but had issues when it came to speaking the language.

The problem is more prevalent in schools in rural areas where folks tend to speak in their mother tongue, he added.

“The schools have done enough to teach students the language.

“It is up to the students to put in more effort to master English,” Mahdzir told reporters after opening the Johor Baru District Education building in Jalan Abdul Rahman Andak here yesterday.

He added that there were enough competent English language teachers in the country.

Teachers who teach English have undergone training at the English Language Training Centre, with most of them achieving the C1 level to teach the language, the minister said.

C1 is the highest benchmark set by the ministry on English language teachers.

In a separate matter, Mahdzir said the ministry would extend the Upper Secondary School Industry Apprenticeship (Pima) programme nationwide beginning from next year.

He said 300 schools would be selected for the programme to provide industrial-related training modules to Form Four and Four Five students who did not do well academically.

Mahdzir said the Pima pioneer project, launched early this month at SMK Bukit Rahman Putra in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, had produced positive results.

On Saturday, Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah had called for serious intervention to improve English among younger Malaysians due to the “dramatic and drastic” decline in proficiency of the language.

Speaking in her capacity as Royal Patron of the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association, she urged all concerned parties to motivate and inspire students to speak and write in English.

“My dream is to see young Malaysians pursue education at world-class universities like Harvard or Oxford and go on to become CEOs of global companies,” Raja Zarith had said at the Royal Press Office at Istana Bukit Serene here.