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Malaysian State to Get British Retirees to Teach English
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Selangor is Malaysia's
most populated and prosperous state
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KUALA
LUMPUR, May 19 (News Agencies) - A Malaysian state plans to invite
British pensioners to teach English to rural folks amid a nationwide
move to boost the use of the language, reports said Sunday, May 19.
Selangor
chief minister Mohamad Khir Toyo was quoted as saying in the Sunday
Star that the state government had conveyed the idea to British
representatives here who gave the thumbs-up to the proposal, Agence
France-Presse (AFP) reported.
"Pensioners
can enjoy their vacation here while doing something meaningful by
teaching others to speak in their mother tongue," Mohamad Khir
said.
"I
feel they will be interested to stay in our villages. Their
accommodation will be paid for. If everything goes well, we hope the
program will take off early next year."
The
proposal followed Malaysia's move to boost the use of the language in
schools by teaching science and mathematics in English from primary
school level from next year. These subjects are now taught in Malay.
Language
is a sensitive issue in multiracial Malaysia.
Before
independence, all subjects were taught in English but schools now use
Malay, Mandarin or Tamil as the medium of instruction, with English as
a separate compulsory course.
Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad has initially suggested that English medium
schools be reintroduced to enable Malaysians to be more competitive.
But this faced protests from various groups amid fears it would
threaten the position of the Malay language as the national language.
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