Language day plan hailed
It will help boost BM and English skills, say teachers and students
PETALING JAYA: A move by the Education Ministry to implement English and Bahasa Malaysia days in schools has been welcomed, although there are some disagreements over the plan.
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (Page) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the move could help boost proficiency levels in both languages, but the ministry needed to ensure that the programme was sustainable.
“Many programmes are not effective because the leadership strays from the objective,” she said when contacted yesterday.
She added that both teachers and students would need to support the programme to make it effective, which in turn could ensure continuity.
She was responding to Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s proposal for schools to have two days every week where only Bahasa Malaysia or English is used to help students improve their language skills.
However, a senior English teacher from Selangor was doubtful about the plan, especially for English day.
She said it could fail because many schools heads were not wellversed in the language.
“English is not spoken among
them as well as many teachers. Daily announcements are also made in Bahasa Malaysia because they can’t speak English well.
“Therefore, students are not encouraged to speak English since the school authorities themselves do not want to speak it,” said the teacher, who has three decades of teaching experience.
In contrast, SJK (C) Kepong 1 teacher Choong Chee Wah believes the move would help boost pupils’ proficiency levels starting from a young age.
He said children could pick up language skills at a quicker pace than adults.
“This helps them master both languages before entering second ary school,” he added.
Student Nojuel J.C. Soluku, 16, from SM St Michael in Penampang, Sabah, said the ministry’s implementation of language days in school could help students strengthen their command of both languages.
“We would be able to improve our command of Bahasa Malaysia as we would be able to practise it more often,” he said, noting that his school, which is proficient in English, already has an English day in place.
SMK Bandar Utama Damansara (4) head prefect Evelyn Rebekah Wee, 17, said having language days would increase the mastery level of both languages among students and help them when they entered the job market later.
On another issue, Dr Maszlee said recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) would not jeopardise the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the country’s national language.
Dismissing fears on the matter, Dr Maszlee said the ministry would conduct a “holistic” study before a decision was reached.
“We need to take into account the importance of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language and whether the impact of recognising the UEC would affect unity and harmony among Malaysians.
“The views of various parties areimportant in this decisionmaking process, and interaction of these relevant parties with the ministry remains my priority,” he said in a statement.
However, Dr Maszlee also said Pakatan Harapan would stick to its manifesto and recognise the UEC as a legitimate entry requirement for tertiary education.
“It is one of our promises,” he added.
UEC is issued to graduates of Chinese independent high schools and the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia has been pushing for it to be recognised for years.
MCA Youth has also urged the new Government to recognise the UEC to fulfil its election manifesto.