A recent report from Morgan Stanley showed that Malaysia’s tertiary enrolment and completion ratios were six and seven percentage points behind the average countries with a similar level of income per capita. That leaves it at a disadvantage as it seeks to tap into foreign investment which is increasingly using countries like China and Vietnam which have larger domestic markets and bigger reservoirs of cheap labour.
Neighbouring Singapore split from becoming part of Malaysia and retained English as the primary language of education. The city state has emerged as one of the richest nations on earth with a per capita income of US$51,649 (S$75,498) in 2008 while Malaysia’s is $14,225, based on 2008 data.
Critics said that the changes to use Bahasa Malaysia would not achieve the desired effect of enfranchising the rural poor or of boosting English language skills and said the move was largely political, aimed at appeasing the Malay majority.
‘What has not occurred to the authorities is that the education system requires very competent teachers,’ said Khoo Kay Kim, emeritus professor at the University of Malaya’s history department, adding that politicians were driving the change due to their personal agenda.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was educated in an English-medium school in Kuala Lumpur and later in a private school in England, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was educated at the elite English-speaking Malay College.
Mr Khoo also warned that the move could increase divisions along racial lines in this country of 27 million people where 55 per cent are ethnic Malays and there are sizeable ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. There is an emphasis on separation, not integration, today,’ he said. – REUTERS (Picture above: The government would boost the teaching of English in schools, with more time given to the subject and the recruitment of nearly 14,000 extra teachers nationwide to teach the subject.
MP
09/07/09
Neighbouring Singapore split from becoming part of Malaysia and retained English as the primary language of education. The city state has emerged as one of the richest nations on earth with a per capita income of US$51,649 (S$75,498) in 2008 while Malaysia’s is $14,225, based on 2008 data.
Critics said that the changes to use Bahasa Malaysia would not achieve the desired effect of enfranchising the rural poor or of boosting English language skills and said the move was largely political, aimed at appeasing the Malay majority.
‘What has not occurred to the authorities is that the education system requires very competent teachers,’ said Khoo Kay Kim, emeritus professor at the University of Malaya’s history department, adding that politicians were driving the change due to their personal agenda.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was educated in an English-medium school in Kuala Lumpur and later in a private school in England, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was educated at the elite English-speaking Malay College.
Mr Khoo also warned that the move could increase divisions along racial lines in this country of 27 million people where 55 per cent are ethnic Malays and there are sizeable ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. There is an emphasis on separation, not integration, today,’ he said. – REUTERS (Picture above: The government would boost the teaching of English in schools, with more time given to the subject and the recruitment of nearly 14,000 extra teachers nationwide to teach the subject.
MP
09/07/09
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