KUALA LUMPUR: The involvement of teachers from Singapore in the Malaysia-Singapore English Volunteer Programme (MSEVP) can generate additional value through the exchange of ideas and best practices.
However, Universiti Teknologi Mara academic development director Associate Professor Dr Suriyani Ariffin said the initiative must be complemented by a long-term strategic plan to empower local English teachers.
She said such an approach would ensure more sustainable progress, aligning with the goal of cultivating a generation of students who are not only confident in communicating in English but also proud of Malaysia's national identity and culture.
Yesterday, it was reported that the MSEVP, aimed at improving English proficiency among Malaysians, is set to begin in the middle of this year.
The programme will commence with a pilot project following the exchange of a letter of intent between the Singapore International Foundation and Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn.
The document exchange between Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and her Singaporean counterpart Chan Chun Sing was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Singaporean prime minister Lawrence Wong, at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya.
Suriyani said she fully supports the MSEVP to strengthen English proficiency among students in Malaysia through collaboration with volunteer teachers from Singapore.
However, she noted that there were several aspects the education minister needs to consider.
She said that efforts to enhance the teaching and learning of English in Malaysia should begin by focusing on local English teachers.
"This is because the involvement of foreign teachers through the Training the Trainer (TOT) programme will bring benefits in terms of exposure to different teaching methods.
"However, this approach must be balanced with efforts to build capacity among local teachers," she said.
Suriyani added that Singaporean teachers might have different approaches to teaching English, tailored to their educational context.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's education system has unique challenges that need to be addressed by local teachers who understand the cultural and socio-economic backgrounds of Malaysian students.
"Therefore, empowering local teachers provides an opportunity to ensure that the pedagogy used is more suited to the actual needs of students in Malaysia," she said.
The primary aim of the programme is to improve English proficiency among Malaysian students, focusing on schools in rural and remote areas.
However, she said that international volunteer programs might not be as effective in rural contexts due to issues of cultural adaptation and logistics.
"In this regard, trained local teachers need to play a larger role because they can more easily build relationships with the local community," she said.