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The Education Ministry has decided to set up an English Language Council next year to set the standard for English proficiency among students.

Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin the government did not want to assume that the English proficiency level of the students were of international standards.

"When we say that a student's English is good, what does that mean? What's the yardstick?

"So, for this purpose, we are thinking of forming the English Language Council to set the benchmark for the standard of English used in Malaysia," said Muhyiddin, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister.

He said currently, there was no such body established, except for a special task force in the Education Ministry that gauged the level of English language proficiency achieved by school students and which also referred to outside experts when setting examination papers.

"The government does not want to be blissfully thinking that our English proficiency at the school level has reached international standard as some people say that Malaysians' standard of English is still low."

Muhyiddin said this after making a surprise visit to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail, here, yesterday to look at its preparations for the 2012 school session which begins next week.

He said the council which would be set up after getting government approval, would be using local and foreign experts, and might even obtain the cooperation of Cambridge University.

He added that the council which would be an independent body, could also be referred by parties from outside the country.

No hitches

Muhyiddin yesterday also announced that the MBMMBI (Upholding Bahasa Malaysia, Strengthening English Language Proficiency) Special Committee under his ministry stated that 164,324 primary school pupils would fully use Bahasa Malaysia for the Science subject and 161,123 for Mathematics in the next school session.

Only 56,025 pupils will learn Science in English and 56,248 opting to learn Mathematics in the same language.

The rest will be using dual language for the subjects, comprising 258,622 for the Science subject and 261,600 for Mathematics. Muhyiddin disclosed that 449,475 pupils would begin Year One nationwide in January while 437,475 would enter secondary school.

He said the government would ensure that the new school session would begin without any hitches.

The government had already ordered 122,846 chairs, 122,675 desks and 24.4 million textbooks for use by school students through the additional allocation of RM20 million, he said - FMT

Pic: a funny English sign at a bar in Thailand