English teachers from Singapore won’t impact local recruitment, says ministry

 

The education ministry said by bringing in teachers from Singapore it would improve the English proficiency of students in poor urban, suburban and rural areas, including Sabah and Sarawak. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: 

The education ministry said the proposed import of volunteer English teachers from Singapore will not impact the recruitment and placement of local graduates and teachers.

The ministry said in a written reply in the Dewan Negara the recruitment of these volunteer teachers resulted from discussions between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his counterpart, Lawrence Wong, in June and would be funded by the Singaporean government.

It said the proposal is being scrutinised, especially concerning its implementation in educational institutions, to ensure it aligns with existing policies and regulations, while qualified volunteers are being identified to guarantee the quality of teaching and learning.

“This scheme aims to help improve the English proficiency of students in poor urban, suburban and rural areas, including Sabah and Sarawak.

Good command of English can help increase the country’s competitiveness, facilitate international trade, and enable access to the latest knowledge, specifically in science and technology,

 it said in response to a question from Ti Lian Ker, who inquired about the impact of the volunteer initiative on local graduates and teachers. - FMT