Umno Youth all for English as a must-pass subject in SPM

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth supports the idea of making English a must-pass subject for the SPM, its chief Khairy Jamaluddin said.

However, he said the movement’s backing was on condition that the Government implemented several measures first.

He said retired teachers who were proficient in teaching English should be recruited, adding that language teachers from Britain, Australia and New Zealand should also be engaged to help in the effort.

Khairy also urged the Education Ministry to increase the time allotted for teaching English in schools, and wanted students to pass the Malaysian University English Test before they could enter local universities.

“Our recommendations will give the authorities more urgency in the issue of improving the teaching of English in schools,” he told reporters after chairing the movement’s meeting here yesterday.

Khairy said Umno Youth did not want a repeat of the confusion and disagreement from various quarters following the government’s earlier move to introduce the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English at primary level.

On another matter, he said he would hold a dialogue session with eight Universiti Malaya Chinese students associations next week to expand knowledge on the 1Malaysia concept. He said
MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong would also hold similar sessions with Malay NGOs such as 4B Youth and Malay student groups.

On PAS’ call for Sisters in Islam (SIS) to be banned, Khairy said the party was contradicting its own so-called democratic principles.

In Muar, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the state government supported the call for English to be made a compulsory pass subject for the SPM.

He said although the state had protested against the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English, the subject was important for Malaysians to master.

“We support the plan but students should first be given proper lessons.”