ENGLISH SUBJECT PERIOD TO INCREASE BY 70 PER CENT - DPM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- The time allotted to the teaching and
learning of English in schools will be increased by 70 per cent starting 2012 in
the efforts to strengthen the command of the language among students, Deputy
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.


He said that at the moment, the time allotted to the subject could only be
increased by a maximum of 14 per cent.

Muhyiddin, who is Education Minister, said the increase in the number of
hours would allow for the introduction of new elements in the teaching and
learning of English such as English literature and more emphasis on grammar.

The ministry would also appoint more skilled teachers, review the types of
textbooks used and set up English laboratories, he told a news conference after
launching the ministry's 1Malaysia programme at the Titiwangsa Lake Garden,
here Saturday.

"We want to make English as a main subject along with the Malay language,"
he said.

He also said that the government would task the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and
the Malaysian National Institute of Translation to translate science, technology
and mathematics terminologies into the Malay language.

Asked on an online poll which saw some 80 per cent pollsters voting against
the government's decision to revert the teaching and learning of English to the
Malay language, Muhyiddin said the decision was final and that it was done after
a nationwide survey.

The online poll is published on a blog run by former Prime Minister Dr
Mahathir Mohamad at http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/.

"We respect their views but we have made our decision," he said.

Earlier in his speech, Muhyiddin said the 1Malaysia programme was aimed
strengthening the spirit of unity among students.

"I want them not only to understand the concept but also appreciate the
spirit of unity among the various races," he said.
-- BERNAMA