New English curriculum in schools by 2012

THE STAR ONLINE

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will draw up a new English curriculum that will be implemented in schools by 2012.

“We’re calling experts from the universities, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and various bodies to discuss how we can establish a good English curriculum,” ministry director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said when officiating a National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) seminar Friday.

“This will be done in a span of four to five months from now.”

Alimuddin urged the public not to worry about a perceived decline in the standard of English when Mathematics and Science are taught in Bahasa Malaysia.

“I’m sure with the new strategy of Memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia, Memperkukuhkan Bahasa Inggeris (Upholding Bahasa Malaysia, Strengthening English) and new approaches to teaching English, standards will improve,” he said.

Alimuddin said there had also been some negative feedback over his previous comment to siphon time away from other subjects for English, adding that the ministry would consider restructuring the entire timetable.

Alimuddin also announced that five teacher training colleges would be training teachers solely for English Language in three years’ time.

They are Institut Pendidikan Bahasa-Bahasa Antarabangsa, Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia Kampus Dato’ Razali Ismail, English Language Teaching Centre and two others in Sabah and Sarawak.