AS education is a key area and often a major contributing factor to the state’s economy, the Penang government is ready to form a tie-up with the Malaysian – American Commission on Educational Exchange (MACEE) to further emphasise the importance of the English language among students.
They want to prepare the students to enter a highly competitive environment with various technology-based developments.
State Human Resources, Education, Science and Technology Committee chairman Prof Dr P. Ramasamy said while multiple efforts by the state government and other related agencies had been put in to spur the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programmes in the state, equal importance should also be given on polishing English among students.
“The state government is planning a joint venture with MACEE through the United States of America embassy, and the programme is called the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) programme.
“The initiative is one of MACEE’s largest Fulbright programmes, which will see qualified US graduates handpicked by the officials to teach English in underperforming schools in Malaysia.
“Our target is to implement this programme in secondary schools across the state as we aim to educate the students on how important it is to have a good command of English in order to survive in this competitive world,” Ramasamy (PH-Perai) said during his speech at the state Engagement Session between the state executive councillors and the assemblymen at St Giles The Wembley Hotel today.
He also thanked all teachers and lecturers from pre-schools, primary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities for doing a great job amid the Covid-19 pandemic by making sure learning, be it through online or face-to-face, goes on.
“Education is key and it plays a huge role in deciding your children’s future. For those in the B40 group, the state government will continue to do its part by making sure education is shared equally among all,” Ramasamy said.
In a related development, Ramasamy stated that from 2009 until 2020, the state government has distributed a total of RM146.77 million to various schools in Penang, including Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK), Chinese and Tamil medium schools as well missionary and Islamic schools.
“The aid is for maintenance works, installing various facilities to meet the schools’ needs, new buildings and so on. These efforts are taken by the Penang government to ensure the students are given the best service when studying,” he added.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud