Implementation of compulsory pass in SPM English on track for 2016

Second Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan said the programme was implemented to raise the level of command of English among students following the policy of Empowering Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening English Usage to prepare students for the initiative.

"The ministry is working hard to ensure all parties, especially students, have a good command of English and ensure the initiative would benefit students and the country in general.

"I believe the initiative was made to raise the level of learning and knowledge among students and the community," he said at a press conference after observing the implementation of the 'English Peer-Assisted Learning' programme on Tuesday.

Also present were Melaka Education director Md Rashid Hussin and Brighton Education executive chairman Mohd Arif Bell at the programme held at Sekolah Kebangsaan Tun Syed Ahmad Shahabudin, Ayer Keroh, here.

The programme conducted by Brighton Education in Melaka, Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu is aimed at raising the level of English teaching among teachers apart from making the subject more interesting to learn. In September last year, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who is also Education Minister in launching the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, announced the initiative of making a pass in English compulsory in SPM by 2016.

Kamalanathan said in improving English proficiency among students, teachers could not solely depend on the old approach but needed to be bold to try out-of-the-box methods.

"In the past, we read together in English classes but now we cannot depend on this method. We still need books but will improvise the method such as through singing and story-telling to interest students in learning the language."

He said the 2013-2025 blueprint had outlined out-of-the-box approaches to learning not only for English but for other subjects as well.