[lg policy] Malaysia: Sarawak’s English policy: Time to take bull by the horns

[Harold Schiffman]

Sarawak’s English policy: Time to take bull by the horns
September 16, 2016

Putrajaya has plans to fortify the command of English but unfortunately too
much time and effort have been wasted on data collection and discussions.
COMMENT

[image: adenan_english_new_600]

*By Sin Chew Daily*

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has reiterated the importance of the
English language.

Following his earlier call for English to be listed alongside Bahasa
Malaysia as the state’s official language, so that the English competency
of the state’s civil servants and students can be enhanced, he now says the
state government will seek the approval of the Federal Government to set up
more English-medium schools in Sarawak.

This marks an important milestone in Sarawak’s quest for greater education
autonomy.

The importance of the English language is well beyond argument, and it is
equally true that the standard of English among Malaysians is fast
declining.

It is therefore imperative that the authorities look into this seriously so
as to readjust the national education policy to improve the overall
standard of English in the country.

Nevertheless, owing to disruptions from some nationalistic politicians and
a host of other factors, the effort to strengthen the country’s English
education has come under tremendous pressure.

Adenan says the education policy that rejects English is very unwise, and
it is believed that many other Malaysians feel the same way.

Adenan is of the opinion that without rectifying the current flawed
education policy, there is no way we can lift the country’s standard of
English to meet the needs of the international community, sacrificing the
country’s development in the long run.

As such, Sarawak aspires to move ahead of the rest of the country by
pushing through an education policy that will benefit the nation and her
people.

On the federal level, indeed the government has plans to fortify
Malaysians’ command of English but unfortunately too much time and effort
have been wasted on data collection and discussions.

As a matter of fact, educationists and government education officials are
well aware of such a problem, and the key now lies with the government’s
political resolution to implement the much-needed reforms.

Compared with many other politicians in the country, Adenan is without the
slightest doubt a more pragmatic leader.

The problem Adenan will have to encounter on matters of education autonomy
is that education policies and decisions are still very much in the hands
of the Federal Government, and the re-establishment of English-medium
schools cannot go ahead without the green light from the Education Ministry.

The key question however, is if the national education policy will allow
“one country, two systems” in education.

Notably, 10 years after joining Malaysia, Sarawak chose to abandon English
as the state’s official language of its own accord. The political and
social factors that need to be taken into consideration today are very
different from then, and things could get really tacky now.

Sarawakians have proposed to the Adenan administration to permit the
establishment of more English-medium private schools in the state by
exercising the limited autonomous rights it has without contravening the
status of BM as the country’s official language, instead of waiting for a
nod from the Education Ministry.

Currently, there is already a St Joseph’s Private School run by the
Catholic Church in Kuching, and it is the state government’s prerogative to
allow more of such schools in the state. With the blessings from the state
government, setting up more private schools is not an issue at all.

Instead of passively waiting for the federal directive, Sarawak should
perhaps take positive initiatives, as many want to see some substantial
progress in the state’s pursuit of greater autonomy.

Putting aside factors such as the hindrance to national unity and the
development of the national language, the focus of boosting English should
be to enhance the country’s connectivity with the outside world.

If this initiative succeeds in Sarawak, it should serve as a powerful
catalyst for the Federal Government’s English language reform.

*Sin Chew Daily <http://www.mysinchew.com/> is a local vernacular
publication.*

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/09/16/sarawaks-english-policy-time-to-take-bull-by-the-horns/

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