MUAR, Feb 8 — The government will not sideline the English language but instead continue to strengthen its proficiency among students,” Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today. 

“Mastering the English Language is critical if we want to compete at the global level and carry out the national Education Blueprint. Therefore, we are making the effort to raise its proficiency among students,” said the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Education Minister. 

He was speaking at a gathering of educationists at the Pekembar Complex in Pagoh here, which was also attended by Education deputy director-general Sufaat Tumin.   

He added that the Education Ministry would also enhance the skills of English teachers by sending more of them for relevant courses.

He noted that last year, 5,000 English teachers had undergone such courses and the number would be increased this year.  

“This year the Ministry targets about 20,000 English teachers for upskilling courses,” he said. 

Commenting on his trip to the United Kingdom recently, Muhyiddin said he met University of Cambridge experts who had praised the level of teaching and learning of English language in Malaysian schools.   

A study by the university stated that 37 percent of local English teachers had the proficiency and level of skills on par with that of their peers in the UK, where English is the mother tongue, he said.   

The University of Cambridge study would be presented to the Education Ministry in March, he said. — Bernama