THE teaching of English in schools – either as a subject in itself or through the use of the language in other subjects – is an issue that strikes a chord with many.

Thus, when the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Education Minister, broached the subject of making English a compulsory pass subject in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination by year 2016, the feedback was immediate and positive.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin acknowledged that many parties had responded positively to the idea, as can be seen from the many letters published in the newspapers, with some parents asking for an even earlier implementation date.

But the reality is that the teachers have to be properly trained first. Starting this year, 61,000 teachers are being trained to be more proficient in the language under the first wave of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025).

It is also heartening to note that the Government is committed to promoting the use of English in schools.

“Our target is for them to be bilingual in both Bahasa Malaysia and English,” Muhyiddin said.

There is no denying the importance of English as a global language where, once upon a time, Malaysia stood tall as a nation where its citizens had an excellent command of the language.

English is not only the lingua franca for knowledge but also for business, global communication, IT and diplomacy, among others.

Many countries have put in place policies that encourage the study of English and it is estimated that English will soon be the second language of all the people in the world.

Interestingly enough, speakers of English as a second language already outnumber those who speak it as a first language.

Over two-thirds of the world’s scientists read in English while three quarters of the world’s mail is written in English. And with the Internet being such an integral part of our lives, it is worth noting that 80% of the world’s electronically-stored information is in English.

This is the reality check on why we must promote English proficiency among our future generations so that they can be truly connected to the world.

Current statistics show that about 20% of SPM candidates fail English every year, but even among those who pass, there is no guarantee that they are proficient in the language.The fact that many graduates are unable to find work due to their lack of proficiency in English is reflective of the wider issue we have to tackle.

Warning a child that failing English is no longer an option for the SPM is a good start. But the real journey is helping this child see the value of the language and fire up his passion to embrace it for his own sake.

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