The Long and Crooked Road to Where?

Posted by Unknown On Saturday, May 14, 2011 8 comments
Dear readers,

Tell me honestly. What do you think of the education system in our country? Is it a tool for nation building or a mockery of all times?

I have collated the following news articles for your consideration. Is the journey to the improvement of the level of English in our backyard a clever one or what?

When most parents appealed for English to be the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics, they were accused of being unpatriotic. However, when certain ministers visit a foreign country and returns, he proudly announces that:

  • English is important 
  • Maybe we can revisit the Kirby College concept, sending teachers to learn English in an English-speaking environment
  • Hire 10 000 teachers to raise the level of English.
  • Get Peace Corps teachers
  • Hire 600 retired teachers 
  • The latest as announced today is holding extra classes or tuition during weekends if necessary.
DO YOU SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE STANDARD OF ENGLISH/EDUCATION IN THE LAST THREE YEARS?

In the past, we were all trained and taught by Malaysian teachers who trained us minus all the extra costs and frills. And we had the best standards of English then!

WHAT HAPPENED FROM THEN TILL NOW?

What is the problem now?

Is our Education Ministry identifying and meeting the education needs of our country?

Are our students being taught to be intelligent or are is there a slow murder of the thinking mind?

I do not know when they will realize that the education system holds the key to our country's future. Falling standards and a drop in language proficiency not forgetting thinking skills means a dismal future.

Take a look at the long and crooked road to how some hope to improve English standards in our country.


Do leave a comment to share your thoughts. Thanks!

A Selection of Newspaper Articles:

1st August 2008 New Straits Times: Education the key to unity, says Muhyiddin

June 8th 2009 The Malaysian Insider Should English be made compulsory in SPM?:

He said to improve English language proficiency among students, qualified teachers must be involved in teaching English.

"Maybe, it is a good idea to revisit the Kirby College concept, sending teachers to learn English in an English-speaking environment," noted Muhyiddin.

10th July 2009  New Straits Times We acknowledge importance of English, says Muhyiddin

9th December 2010 Bernama Muhyiddin: Govt Stepping Up Efforts to Strengthen BM, English In Schools  

The government is currently stepping up efforts to strengthen teaching and learning of Bahasa Malaysia and English in schools, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said this was in line with the government's policy of elevating Bahasa Malaysia and strengthening the English language once the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English is abolished in 2012 in national schools.

13th January 2011 The Star Muhyiddin: Revival of US Peace Corps programme among issues to discuss with Clinton
 

25th April 2011 Malay Mail: Be proud of national language, says Muhyiddin

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants Malaysians to be proud of its national language and not be ashamed of using it in official functions and their daily work.

Muhyiddin who is also the Education Minister, said there is a mindset among some Malaysians that it is not “glamour” to use the Malay language as opposed to English.

25th April 2011 The Star 10,000 more English-language teachers to be trained

The Education Ministry will train some 10,000 English-language teachers this year in addition to 12,000 other teachers who have undergone similar training in 2010.


The ministry also aimed to hire 600 retired English-language teachers between 2011 and 2013 to serve nationwide on contract.

7th May 2011 Malaysian Mirror: English Language Teachers To Be Brought In Next Year

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will bring in about 300 teachers from the United States (US) to guide students in the English language beginning next year.

14th May 2011 Bernama  Education Ministry Mulls Extra English Classes

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said more English classes will be created if students' command of the language remains unsatisfactory.

"We are monitoring the proficiency of English by national and secondary school students and will have more classes or tuition during weekends if necessary," he told reporters after meeting teachers here today.

The ministry had also made efforts including creating curriculum, trained teachers and laboratories to gauge their command of English.

Muhyiddin who is also education minister said 10,000 English teachers had also been placed in schools to ensure effective delivery.

On the status of Untrained Attachment Teachers (GSTT), he said the ministry has yet to get reply from the Public Service Department (PSD) and Finance Ministry.

For the time being, the void left will be filled by teachers from the Malaysian Teaching Institute (IPGM) serving under the Education Ministry.
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8 comments to The Long and Crooked Road to Where?

  1. says:
    May 15, 2011 at 4:04 AM

    PJN A few years ago, one training provider in Penang saw this weekness and provided skills training in English and IT to unemployed graduates. He made it. Quite interesting to note that 95% of the graduates are Malays form local Universities.

  1. says:
    May 15, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    frags The so called suggestions to improve English by Muhyidin is also damning evidence of how outdated and clueless our administrators are. All suggestion are short terms plugging the gap measures. What we need is a complete reform of the education system.

    Outdated system for a different time. We need a new outlook for a new millennium. The education and people like Muhyidin should stay as relics of the past.

  1. says:
    May 15, 2011 at 10:24 PM

    Unknown Dear PJN

    Ahhh that is no surprise at all! That person must have made tons of money!!! Thanks for sharing! Have a great week ahead!

    Cheers

  1. says:
    May 15, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    Unknown Dear frags

    Thanks so much for such a fantastic comment. You know, you are really a good writer! Hope you will write on sopo issues. I enjoy your posts on gaming so much and really love this comment!!!

    You are so right!!! If only more and more can see through their hogwash.

    Take care and thanks for sharing.

    Keep in touch, ya?

    Best wishes

  1. says:
    May 16, 2011 at 4:51 PM

    frags Thank you. You are too kind. The issue of education is very close to my heart. I've always felt out of place in this education system. When I went to University, they tried to kill my creativity with boring and dry academic assignments. It's quite shocking, when I started writing for Malaysian Gamer, I noticed how my writing has changed over time. When I was in High School, I was very good at creative writing(I was very imaginative). But University has killed that. I'm trying to rediscover that old talent I had.

    And when I was in University, I always did the subjects, the assignments, the question that no one else did. I wanted to learn something new, not choose the familiar question and score well. And when I told my supervisors I wanted to do something completely different for my final year project, I was told 'why don't you do what others are doing'.

    How do politicians and Malaysians expect this nation to become a nation filled with creative and innovative people if this is the culture we nurture from school? The culture of being comfortable.

    Which is why I say... We need a paradigm shift. We need people with new and fresh ideas even in administration if we are to make any meaningful improvements to our education system.

  1. says:
    May 17, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    ahoo Very simple solution actually. Firstly, politician must get the hell out of education, leave it to those who are truly qualified to teach and with passion. Not any tamby, dicky or harry.

    Secondly, those choosen ones (professors) must set their mind right and start it right. Queen English or American English ?

    Last but not least, the entire program MUST begin with standard one with a long terms outlook. Not wishy washy and flip-flop that causes unrepairable damage. It takes a NEW generation of around 18 years of solid learning to be able to produce quality graduates.

    Learning is from cradle to grave and it is never too late to arrest the ever declining standards of education in Malaysia. Start it right by first getting those politicians thrown out of the education sectors and the true blood educators will arise slowly but surely.

  1. says:
    May 18, 2011 at 8:04 AM

    Unknown Dear ahoo

    Thanks for your practical suggestions which in reality, are truly needed to revamp our ailing education system. Sadly, it is doubtful whether these will ever see the light of day because some prefer education of a different kind to match their agenda. And that is to our own detriment.

    Sighs...so what will happen to our children?

    We will have to give them the best of what we can at home in terms of literature, learning environment etc through home schooling or teaching them extra when they come back from school.

    Thanks for sharing, ahoo. Your input is always sharp and pragmatic.

    Take care and have a nice day!

    Cheers

  1. says:
    May 18, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    Unknown Dear frags

    Thanks so much for swinging by to share again. I fully empathize with you and can assure you that you escaped the net because you emerged a better person from the system, undaunted by the cold water that was splashed on you.

    Continue to write. You have it in you. For a young man, you have the wisdom of a much older person and your sentence structure and perspective shows the depth of your maturity! What a refreshing change from the mediocrity that is being churned out from the system.

    As for the paradigm shift, I doubt it would ever happen because it goes against their agenda.

    Sighs.Pardon the pessimist in me speaking.

    Still, have a great day and please keep in touch!! Blog more!!! We need the voices of young people like you.

    Have a great day!

    Cheers

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