[lg policy] Malaysia: Rope in ex-teachers to bolster Sarawak’s policy on English, Adenan told

[Harold Schiffman]

Rope in ex-teachers to bolster Sarawak’s policy on English, Adenan told

[image: Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian urged the state’s chief minister to
allocate funds for hiring retired English language teachers to raise the
proficiency of the language. — File pic]

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian urged the state’s chief minister to allocate
funds for hiring retired English language teachers to raise the proficiency
of the language. — File picKUCHING, Nov 25 — Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri
Adenan Satem should allocate funds to hire retired English language
teachers to raise the proficiency of the language and reinforce his
administration’s commitment towards the language, said Sarawak PKR chief
Baru Bian.

He said this was the practical approach to help the students master the
language, in line with the state government’s endorsement of English as one
of Sarawak’s official tongues.

“These teachers have years of experiences specialising in teaching English,
so, I call on the chief minister to re-engage them with their salaries and
allowances to be borne by the State government,” the Ba’kelalan state
lawmaker told reporters today.

“We have to start somewhere; otherwise, the English language policy
announced by the chief minister last week is just a mere talk only,” he
said, in reference to Adenan’s announcement on the adoption of English as
an official language, apart from Bahasa Malaysia, in the State government
administration.

Baru also asked the state government to hire English language teachers from
the United Kingdom, United States and other English-speaking countries to
meet the shortage of English teachers in the State.

“Perhaps, the state government should also make it compulsory for
kindergartens to teach English as a subject,” he said, adding these
kindergartens should receive funds from the State government.

Baru said English has always been Sarawak’s official language as the
National Language Act 1963/1967 has not been approved by an enactment by
the Sarawak State Assembly and hence its provisions do not apply here.

“Therefore it is not mandatory that Bahasa Malaysia should be the only
language used in our government departments and ministries, even for
purposes of the Federal Government,” he said, clarifying that he is not
against the adoption of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.

At the state civil service day gathering on November 18, Adenan announced
the adoption of English as one of the official languages in the state
government administration.

He has come in for criticism over the move, but insisted his decision was
based on practical reasons and that shunning English would cause the state
to be at a disadvantage.
- See more at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/rope-in-ex-teachers-to-bolster-sarawaks-policy-on-english-adenan-told#sthash.hcQSI8gu.dpuf



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