PAGE: LOCAL GROUP SHOULD MONITOR TEACHING OF ENGLISH

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- PAGE, the Parent Action Group For
Education, says locals well-versed in English should monitor the teaching of the
language by foreigners.

The monitoring group can comprise pensioners and jobless graduates
proficient in English, PAGE President Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said, commenting on
plans announced by Muhyiddin Yassin to bring in 370 foreign experts to teach the
language in Malaysian schools next year.

Azimah said she supported the initiative of the Deputy Prime Minister, who is
also Education Minister, but was worried that "the foreign experts might come
here not to teach but to have a holiday."

GPMS, the Federation of Peninsular Mlaysia Malay Students,also supports the
move, regaring it as "consistent with the government aim of transforming the
education sector."

Its president, Jais Abdul Karim, said the foreign experts could also pass on
tested techniques for teaching English to their local counterparts.

Historian Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Khim disagrees, saying that they would be
speaking with an accent unfamiliar to Malaysians.

"Also, they would be facing pupils of various races like Malays and Chinese and
might not understand the local culture -- all of which would make the teaching
and learning of English difficult," he added.

Khoo said the government should instead recruit pensioners and other senior
citizens with mastery of English who as Malaysians are in tune with local
culture.
-- BERNAMA