THE Malaysian Education Ministry will introduce a new curriculum to improve English education at the primary and secondary level by January next year, the Malaysian National News Agency has reported.
According to the ministry, the new curriculum will combine various existing teaching methods with additional ones like music, literature and choral speaking. Local and international experts of the English language will be invited soon to give their input in shaping the new curriculum. The ministry estimates that it will take four to five months to complete the new curriculum. “The ministry will discuss the matter in detail after we have sat down with the non-governmental organizations, teachers’ unions and English language experts so that we can map out the concept,” education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said.
The decision to introduce the new curriculum was made following the abandonment of the English-medium education policy. In early July, the Malaysian government decided to revert to Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysian language) in the teaching of mathematics and science in national schools from 2012.
Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said parents need not worry that the change will erode their children’s capacity to master English. According to the ministry’s plan, up to 14,000 English language teachers will be recruited by 2012, as well as special teaching assistants. In addition, English language teaching time will be increased by up to 30 percent a week.
