About two weeks ago, I was at a local university to discuss a project with them. Our conversation turned to the proficiency of the English language among the new student intakes.
The lecturers I was in discussion with said that every student that enters the public universities is required to sit for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET).
MUET tests the students for the Listening, Speaking, Reading, Comprehension and Writing skills. While sitting for MUET is compulsory for every student, a pass is not necessary to gain entry into the courses. Huh? Students who failed badly are encouraged to attend intensive intervention courses but not many do. Huh, again?
While I kept a diplomatic silence when this was explained to me, I was appalled by the attitude of those students who fail miserably. It is a complete waste of taxpayer’s money on them if these students think that we owe them an education. I am equally appalled to think that these are the students that will be complaining in the future of the difficulty to land a job because their comprehension of the English language is poor.
Well, our newspapers are today full with a report that this year’s MUET results are out. It doesn’t look too good, to say the very least. The New Straits Times was polite: English proficiency still low at local varsities. The Star was blunt: Varsity students do badly in MUET.
Whatever. The results gave about 29% of 132,000 university students at Band One and Band Two combined, the lowest levels in the MUET. About 43% is at Band Three (average), 21% at Band Four (satisfactory), 5% at Band Five (good) and 2% at Band Six (excellent).
But I was heartened to read that the Higher Education Minister has at least recognised that the low proficiency cannot be ignored and more must be done to improve it.
One way is to teach all professional courses in English (like what Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Mara are doing); another way is to introduce a Soft Skills module to students at all public universities (as mentioned by the Minister himself).
But I really think more can be done. For instance, have we seriously looked into the language proficiency of the lecturers themselves? Are they able to converse in English, let alone teach in this language? Maybe, the Ministry should carry out a once-off, nation-wide test of English language proficiency among the public university lecturers to find out.
Unless we know from deep within us that the lecturers themselves are able to carry out a decent conversation in English, I would be hard put to totally believe any claim by public universities of the extensive use of English in their courses.
UPDATE:
Students, especially STPM holders, who enter the Universiti Sains Malaysia generally have a good command of English, said the USM vice-chancellor, Prof Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.
According to him, science and mathematic subjects are being taught in English and there are also foreign professors teaching at its School of Medical Sciences for short tenures. Moreover, most of the university’s academicians had completed their doctorates abroad.
“I will not kick up a fuss on this issue. Let someone else do the fussing,” he told the Star Online (24 Jan 2007).