KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Something must be wrong with the education system if students are still struggling to communicate in English, despite nearly two decades of learning the subject, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
Puzzled by the poor grasp of the language among graduates, Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, said upon graduating from universities, students “should not have a problem” with the basics.
“I am baffled on why our children after completing pre-school, primary school, secondary school and tertiary education still cannot converse in English,” he said at a dialogue on the Malaysia Education Blueprint on higher education today.
“They start learning English at pre-schools, and then they move on to primary and secondary schools... they should have the basic knowledge and they continue learning the language in universities... that is another four to five years... there should not be a problem," said Muhyiddin.
When students move on to higher learning institutions, the focus should be on "upscaling, polishing and improving" the command of the language, he said.
"I don't think the number of hours is insufficient if you take into account the 18 to 19 years of learning process," he said.
"Something is not right," added the deputy prime minister.
A survey by employment website Jobstreet.com in July last year found that employers are more likely to hire based on a fresh graduate’s positive personality and command of English.
Language mastery contributed to 55 per cent of the reason for why fresh graduates’ are not hired.
Last year, Putrajaya made it mandatory for students to pass English in the middle secondary SPM examinations beginning 2016, as part of its Education Development Master Plan 2013-2025.
Unable to pinpoint the root of the problem, Muhyiddin said today proficiency in the English language could be due to a myriad of causes, including teachers and students — who are uninterested in the subject.
The prevalent usage of Bahasa Melayu in learning all other subjects could also be a reason, he said.
"But I don't think we should blame Bahasa Melayu as the factor that has affected the standard of English in this country," he said, calling for a more concerted effort to inculcate the habit of using the English language as a second medium of communication.
Muhyiddin also said one option would be to emulate Australia by introducing an "immersion programme" designed to assist native and non-native English speakers become bilingual and bi-literate.
But the minister noted that such exercise would require a sizeable budget allocation and longer schooling hours, which is hampered by the shortage of schools and the two-session system.
