KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) has called on the Education Ministry to conduct a comprehensive study into the decline in English proficiency among students.
Its president Aminuddin Awang said rather than pointing fingers at teachers’ English proficiency level, the study would allow the ministry to identify the main issues and subsequently address the deteriorating standard of English among students.
“We must be professional. Right now we do not have a study that explains the problem we are facing.
“In our opinion, it could be due to the shortage of English language option teachers. There could be other reasons as well, such as learning environment, motivation among students and also the fact that English is a non-compulsory pass for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
“All these could be factors, hence the ministry should conduct a comprehensive study on the matter to find the ‘right medicine’.
“Currently, the situation is ‘one medicine’ fits all. However, this will not solve anything.
"This matter has been a perennial problem and has been going on for long,” he told a press conference after an English language seminar for teachers held at its headquarters here.
The seminar was attended by 40 English option and non-option teachers.
Present were NUTP secretary-general Harry Tan and representatives from Sabah Teachers’ Union, Sarawak Teachers’ Union and Sabah Government Teachers Union.
Meanwhile, during the press conference, Tan reiterated NUTP’s stand that English language teachers should not be made to sit for Malaysian University English Test (MUET).
“Like what we had said before, the ministry should instead be focusing on the main issue — the shortage of English language teachers,” he said.
Tan said NUTP hopes to meet Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik to solve the matter pertaining to MUET directive.
“Most of our teachers were trained as English teachers at teacher training institutes and universities where they took the English Language as their major.
“With such directive, it seems like the teachers are being humiliated. The teachers are trying their best to carry out the tasks given to them, so please do not undermine them.”
He said there was no need for the teachers to sit for MUET just to gauge language competency among them.
Tan said he hoped the matter would be resolved, as stressed by Maszlee himself.
The directive to have English language teachers sit for MUET was issued in a circular dated April 14 by Education director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin.
It is aimed at reviewing teachers’ English proficiency level in line with the requirements set out in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.
Based on the same circular, all English language teachers should be at the minimum proficiency level of C1 according to CEFR.
Meanwhile, a seminar participant who refused to be named, said the lack of interest among students and a non-conducive environment had caused a decline in English proficiency among them.
“We need to strengthen the use of English daily as it will help them a lot in mastering the language,” she said.
She also opined that it was time to make it compulsory for students to pass English in SPM.
“I believe that the move will change the attitude towards the subject.”