Articles

English-medium education coming back to curriculum

Published by SchoolAdvisor | May 28, 2013

According to executive director of Methodist Council of Education Malaysia, Khor Hong Yin, English-medium education in mission schools was proposed in 2012 by Malaysian Christian Schools Council (MCSC).  He stated that mission schools had a history of teaching in English and “are able to cope”. He said teachers in Methodist private schools had the Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers, which provides proper training for them to teach in English. Many calls were received by Government pertaining to using English as an instructional medium in schools as an additional option to other primary schools such as Tamil and Chinese besides national schools.

Currently, English-medium instructions are available by private and international schools and this issue gives a small portion of chance to whom can’t afford. According to Khor, more parents are opting to send their children to vernacular schools therefore many mission schools in various urban areas are experiencing low enrolment.

Anthony Rogers, director of De La Salle Brothers Schools Malaysia said they were in the process of setting up English language centres in all their 44 schools with the main emphasis of improving the standard of English.

Datuk Mary Yap who is now Deputy Education Minister stated “transformation takes time” and adding that the ministry had made the effort to address concerns about the English language she said “There is a substantial chapter on how to improve the teaching and learning of English in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 20132025 (MEB)”.