The governments dual language programme has been caught in a

feud between opposing sides. Its a strange argument between those

who feel we should learn more and those who say we must learn
less.
TAN Sri Adenan Satem had just been appointed the Chief Minister of
Sarawak for two years when we visited him. When he walked into the
room, he looked every inch a Western gentleman.
He was dressed the part, walked with confidence and when he talked, he
spoke impeccable English.
With just over a week to go before his second anniversary in office he
took his oath of office on Feb 28, 2014 he is showing that he does not
only know how to speak, he also knows what he is talking about.
The Chief Minister has already recognised English as an official language
in the state.
And he thinks that those who want our children to be denied an English
education are ignorant.
Let us not be narrow-minded. English is well and truly an international
language and to ignore it is to be impractical.
If you dont learn it, you will be left behind and end up stupid, he
announced.
There is nothing worse in life than being stupid.
Stupidity comes because you are ignorant.
Ignorance comes because you never read any books in your life, Adenan
said.
Even his fellow Chief Minister of Sabah Tan Sri Musa Aman agrees.
The number of people using English in the world is at least two billion, he
says.

Thats a third of the worlds population.

His state has started English Day, with students and teachers speaking the
language every Tuesday.
Theres hope yet for that part of the country.
Over in the peninsula, though, there are many who still refuse to accept
that English is the international language.
There is even a coalition thats going to protest against the new voluntary
English programme for schools. And its led by a professor.
Prof Shahrir Md Zain said that this was because the DLP, or dual-language
programme, was an attempt to anglicise the education system.
I dont quite see how a system that has been deeply entrenched for
decades can be anglicised just by promoting the teaching of English to
students.
In Germany, Japan, South Korea and even China, the teaching of English
has taken new importance, with the governments actively promoting the
language.
Its even a key language in Bangladesh. And a whole 1.5 million of their
citizens are on their way here.
Another don, Prof Wan Ramli Wan Daud, also says that students learning
science and mathematics in English would just get more proficient in the
language, nothing else.
This, he said, was wrong, as students should be taught science and
mathematics in their mother tongue.
Of course, he also said that researchers needed to rewrite their papers in
English in order to get them published, so that they could get their studies
recognised.
That has me confused that part about getting it translated.

Imagine if our students and researchers have no grasp of English.

Will they then have to seek out someone who knows both Bahasa
Malaysia and English to translate their work from one language to the
other?
Wouldnt it make sense for the researchers to understand both languages
in the first place?
Thus, the dual language programme.
They say the language of STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics is English.
And even our Prime Minister is actively promoting STEM, now that he is in
the United States.
Learning English will not do any harm to the national language.
It will mean mastering two languages. That can only make one richer
intellectually.
And maybe even teach some people the difference between signs that say
pork-free, halal and non-halal. Or between a warehouse and wherehouse.
Adenan has more to say.
He declared that everyone should be proud to know as many languages as
possible.
He pointed out that in Singapore, the government recognises English,
Tamil, Malay and Chinese as official languages because it was practical
to do so.
Maybe Prof Wan Ramli would agree.
He did say that science and mathematics should be taught in the students
mother tongue.
Now would be a good time to promote such a move.

After all, the day after tomorrow Sunday, Feb 21 is International Mother
Language Day.
The Sabah Education Department has launched an English Day Programme and announced
Tuesdays will be observed as 'English Day' for the education community, including those
working in education offices.
Its director, Datuk Jame Alip said it was highly recommended for school management to
create an environment to provide more opportunities for students to communicate in English.
"At the same time, English-language teachers should improve their teaching methods to
arouse interest among students and encourage the use of English outside the classroom, via
core curricular activities, and have continuous campaigns to promote reading extensively in
English.
"We are going to strengthen the existing programmes in school and at the same time, we are
encouraging those who are in the Sabah Education Department and district education offices
to use English, especially on Tuesdays," he said at the launch of the programme here today.
He said the programme was in line with upholding the Malay Language and Strengthen the
English Language policy.
"We need to ensure the usage of the Malay Language as a medium of communication in all
national and secondary schools and ensure that each child can master both Malay and
English languages."
Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the state government was
committed in ensuring improvement in the proficiency of English among students and would
work hand-in-hand, especially with the state education department.
"We hope this will reduce the gap between rural and urban areas and improve achievement
among students," he said in a speech read by state tourism, culture and environment
minister Datuk Masidi Manjun at the launch of the programme.
Improving English language proficiency in the country will prove pivotal in improving
employment opportunities for our next generation.
Education Ministry secretary general Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad said the future generations
need to be equal or better in their English proficiency to compete in the rapidly changing
globalised world.
She also added that prowess in the English language does not make one less patriotic, but
that it would gain respect for Malaysians when they go abroad because they will be able to
communicate and represent the country to the best of their abilities.
It is relevant because this will give our students a vital push in competing on the global
market, she said.

Madinah added that one of the main goals of the Malaysian Education Blueprint is to
rejuvenate and reform the education system in helping Malaysia achieve its developed
nation status by the year 2020.
One of the main shifts is making sure every child is proficient in both Bahasa Malaysia and
English, she said, adding that this includes "upskilling" of English language teachers and
expanding the opportunities for more exposure to English.
She said that to do this, it is imperative that a compulsory English Literature component
should be taught at the secondary level.
This will expand the imaginations and passion for reading among students, she said in her
speech at the Sentul Raya launch of the English@CLiC programme to boost English
language proficiency in schools around the Sentul area.
The English@CLiC programme encourages teachers and students to improve their
command of the language via Information Communication Technology and a Visual Learning
Environments (VLE).
Also at the event was Top 50 Global teacher nominee, Yasmin Noorul Amin, who said that
the level of the language in the country is average.
When I went overseas for the Global Teachers prize ceremony, I found that I would not have
been able to communicate had it not been for English, its the language all over the world.
You need a good command of English and not the colloquial Manglish, she said.
She also added that the Education Ministry needs to put more emphasis on instilling a
reading habit among students instead of forcing them to read.