Kota Kinabalu: Quarters in Sabah unhappy with the Government decision to revert the teaching of Mathematics and Science from English to Bahasa Malaysia are urged to understand the reality of a shortage of English teachers especially in rural areas.
"I have visited some rural schools in Sabah where local English teachers are not adequate in the schools. There are some schools where the subject is taught by non-option teachers like Islamic religious teachers such as in SK Kg Abai, Kota Belud," Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, said.
"How can our students improve their proficiency in English when there are no skilled English teachers to teach them?" he told a press conference after launching the 31st Conference of School Coordinators Professionalism, Tuesday.
Also present were President of the Malaysian School Coordinators Association, Haji Hussin Mustaffa, Sabah Education Director Datuk Normah Gagoh and other officials.
He said a university study showed there was only a three per cent improvement in English proficiency among Malaysian students during the implementation of teaching Science and Mathematics in English.
Dr Puad said there would be 51,966 English Language teachers in the country once an additional 13,933 are recruited as part of the efforts to make young Malaysians more proficient in English.
Presently, there are 38,000 English teachers in the country. The Government has allocated RM5 billion to emphasise the teaching of English in schools.
He said the money would be used soon to recruit the additional teachers for next year's school session. "Of 13,933, about 12,033 new English teachers would be recruited locally, while 1,000 teachers from Australia and New Zealand and 600 retired English teachers would also be employed.
"There is also a proposal that we look into creating the post of assistant English teacher especially for classes that have more than 35 students," he said.
He said the Ministry would also introduce the teaching of English using information communication technology (ICT). Dr Puad said the Ministry would introduce contemporary English literature to be taught in all schools that will be more fun learning and entertaining for the students to master the language.
In addition, he said the Ministry was also considering including elective subjects like Spanish, Japanese, French and German that are becoming popular.
On incomplete construction of schools, he said these projects would be brought forward to the 10th Malaysia Plan and given priority.
Dr Puad also said the construction of two schools in Sukau and in Kinabatangan had yet to be carried out due to land related problems.
On the plan to build a school in Kanibongan, Kudat, as announced by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi few years ago, he said the Government had the funding but channeled it to meet urgent education needs elsewhere.
On school coordinators' plea for a special allowance, Dr Puad said he will forward the request to Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He said these school coordinators or middle managers have important roles to play as mediators who could help the government in terms of the delivery system particularly on the recent government decision to switch back to Bahasa Malaysia.
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