500 US teachers to help students master English

"The government's target to make Malaysia a high-income nation can only be achieved
through better education, and English is the key to open global opportunities for our younger
generation." -- Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis, Malaysian ambassador to the United States
SETIU: Up to 500 American teachers will teach English to secondary school students
throughout the country when an education cooperation programme, currently being drafted, is
implemented.

Malaysian ambassador to the United States Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said the
programme was part of the agreement between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and
President Barack Obama when they met in Washington last year.

"The government's target to make Malaysia a high-income nation can only be achieved
through better education, and English is the key to open global opportunities for our younger
generation."
Jamaludin said the programme would most probably be a cross between the Peace Corps
initiated by the American government to help developing nations in the 1960s and the
Fulbright scholars English Teaching Assistant (ETA) programme currently being
implemented in Terengganu.

"The concept of having American scholars coming here is not new and the Peace Corps has
proven to be beneficial to us.

"We will make the necessary adjustments so that the proposed programme can help more
students.

"The proposal will be submitted to the Education Ministry which will help our students to
prepare for the knowledge-based innovative global economy."

Jamaludin accompanied American ambassador to Malaysia, Paul W. Jones, during a visit to

the Sekolah Menengah Lembah Bidong here yesterday.

They had a first-hand look at how the Fulbright scholars helped students at the school master
English.

Jamaludin said apart from teaching English, the American teachers could also help nurture the
students' creativity, innovation and an inquisitive mind.

"The American education system is different from ours as it encourages students to be bold
and active in class.

"Maybe the American teachers can also help our teachers in the teaching techniques during
their stint here."

Jones said the programme could also help nurture better ties between the people of the two
countries.
He said both nations would benefit if the ETA programme was extended to all secondary
schools in Malaysia.