LETTERS: Are our universities accepting students with poor English proficiency?
It is said that people who got an A1 in English in the 1970 or 1980s have a far better command of English than those who obtained an A1 or A2 today.
As a product of the late 1970s myself and being in academia, I can attest to this disparity.
Despite this, grades are the main criteria for entrance into university. Many educationists lament the declining English standard among teachers, and many also say it is because Malay is the medium of education.
The teaching of Mathematics and Science in English in the early 2000s was a sign of language and education policies shifting for pragmatic reasons.
I appreciate the rationale for the policy since it provides a gateway to new frontiers in technology and digital transformation.
Our efforts to be on a par with those who are ahead of us will someday be achieved.
The role and status of Malay is unquestionable. But in a competitive world, being monolingual is a disadvantage.
Some people I know have been offered positions with local and international companies because of their ability in Malay and English.
We need to give this policy our support.
A case in point is a request made by a student: "Doctor, I will come to your office at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. Wait for me if I am late. Make sure you are in by nine, okay?"
Many would think the tone was inappropriate between a 20-year-old undergraduate and a baby boomer lecturer in a formal setting.
But I calmly guided her and stated that I was pleased that she was concerned about her performance. I agreed to see her and was there waiting at 9am. I was even prepared to wait if she was late.
Why? Because I knew she did not mean to be rude.
Like many students, she has what is commonly referred to as grammatical competence (sentence is in good English overall), but lacks pragmatic competence (the ability to use English in a socially and culturally appropriate manner).
In many universities, the battle to win the war with grammatical competence can sometimes take precedence due to a lack of basic proficiency.
But with time and commitment by teachers and students, both can be achieved.
I am optimistic about knowledge transfer through English, if need be as well as from other languages, but in the quest to improve communication skills in English, I am rather pessimistic that only learning English through Mathematics and Science can bring about pragmatic competence.
This only comes from a healthy diet of reading in English, and not simply newspapers or magazines, but literary works that can teach how language can convey ideas, emotions and attitudes.
I end this article with another example from a student requesting a time out during a two-hour tutorial: "We are feeling mentally tired. Give us a break."
And so, I did, quietly reminding myself to correct the student after the interlude.
DR HAFRIZA BURHANUDEEN
Academic associate
School of Education and Humanities, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times