THE government should look into bringing back retired teachers with English language teaching experience rather than getting Singaporean teachers, said former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
The former trade and industry minister and Wanita Umno chief said if Malaysia were to employ teachers from Singapore, they would need to be paid in Singapore dollars, three-and-a-half times more due to the currency exchange rate.
She was reacting to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's discussion with his Singaporean counterpart on the possibility of sending Singaporean teachers to Malaysia.
"If Singaporean teachers were employed, they need to be paid in Singapore dollars.
"Why not get retired teachers in Malaysia with English teaching experience and proficiency? “There are many around and pay them the Singapore rates," she said.
She also suggested that the teachers' training and school syllabus be revised to include English language proficiency.
"To make it painless, no need to make English a subject as part of overall examinations but just one subject by itself as a language," said Rafidah in a statement.
Yesterday, Anwar said Malaysia had discussed with Singapore the possibility of the island republic sending teachers to teach English and other subjects in various parts of the country.
This was raised by Anwar during his four-eyed meeting with the republic’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya. – The Vibes, June 13, 2024.
