MALAYSIA’S over dependency on migrant workers has now taken to newfound heights.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s discussions with his Singaporean counterpart exploring the possibility of having Singapore citizens to come teach English in our schools would have woken up any slow loris.
Firstly, have we finally reached the pit’s bottom where a 34 million population cannot source for its own English teachers but has to reach out to a 6 million sized neighbour for resources?
Secondly, did our PM not recently state that government officials should not attend to any correspondence in the English language in his attempt to drum up passion for our national language?
Thirdly, did netizens not cry out in vain all these past decades, warning of an erosion of our mastery of the English language and plead fruitlessly to our policy makers to correct the plunging ratings?
Fourthly, pray tell me, would Singaporean teachers want to sacrifice their good paying jobs to come hole themselves in some sleepy hollow rural school or take a boat to get to work or spend days and months on end struggling in non air conditioned, wooden schools to help our young master a language that continues to be under the claws of political masters?
Let us get honest at least on this quagmire issue that continues to haunt us.
Have we considered re-deploying English teachers here who quit out of sheer frustration with the education system?
Have we considered re-hiring English teachers who retired but out of necessity have to settle for lesser paying, mundane jobs just to keep going in this climate of runaway inflation?
Can we not headhunt citizens who may not be in the teaching profession but are capable of teaching the language given their interest and involvement, especially in the media or corporate corridors and in professional engagements?
Do we have the courage and conviction to reset (let alone re-align) our dual language (Malay – English) medium of teaching without yo-yoing till this day on whether to teach maths and science in English or not?
Do our politicians, above all, have the humility to admit how they politicised education merely to serve their narrow political advancements and Machiavellian agendas which explains our dire sitz-im-laben today?
Indeed are we racing to be the world’s best court jester, I wonder? – June 13, 2024
JD Lovrenciear, an Aliran member, is a KL-based writer, trainer and consultant, who also offers his time to support initiatives to build a progressive society