(Seated from second left) Chong and STU president Macky Joseph join Education Department Sarawak director Dr Azhar Ahmad and deputy director Abang Mat Ali Abang Masagus in a photo-call during a break-of-fast event hosted by STU in Kuching.
KUCHING: The Ministry of Education (MoE) needs to be more ‘teacher-friendly’ when carrying out professional upgrading initiatives for English Language teachers.
Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) secretary-general Chong Fui San believes that this can be achieved by incorporating a comprehensive and ongoing training mechanism that is sustainable in the long run.
“With our local expertise from the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) being tasked with the responsibility of enhancing the teaching competencies of English Language teachers, STU is confident that a comprehensive and sustainable training mechanism, which is Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)-aligned, can be developed and tailor-made to match the professional development needs of English Language teachers in Malaysia
“Competent lecturers from our local teachers training institutes (IPGs), as well as public and private universities can also be roped in for the training,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Chong was responding to MoE’s decision to have all English Language teachers in Malaysia sit for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) as part of the ministry’s efforts to review their English proficiency level, in line with requirements set under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.
A directive was issued, via a circular dated April 14 this year, by MoE director-general Datuk Dr Amin Senin.
On that note, Chong said STU recently conducted a survey on teachers in Sarawak following complaints over the directive, which instructed English Language teachers to sit for MUET by this December.
The survey was completed, on a voluntary basis, by 589 respondents, of whom 18.4 per cent are non-option teachers teaching English.
“Based on the data collected, 68.8 per cent of the 589 respondents perceived the directive as a problem, and 73.5 per cent would not want to sit for any English proficiency test.
“As an alternative, more than a third of the respondents recommended upskilling courses and training in various modes such as online, short-term and self-learning modes,” she revealed, adding that a detailed report based on the survey data is in the pipeline and the report would be shared with MoE.
She pointed out that as the largest teachers’ union in Sarawak and Sabah, STU hoped that the voice of English Language teachers in Sarawak could be taken into consideration.
“STU will continuously negotiate, maintain and upgrade the professional and social status of English Language teachers in the state, in line with our motto ‘Social Justice and Peace’,” she added.