23/01/2014
Cambridge Assessment English is working with the Ministry of Education in Malaysia to carry out an in-depth study of the learning, teaching and assessment of English in Malaysian schools.
The large-scale project will focus on children and teachers in schools from pre-school to pre-university.
Hanan Khalifa, Head of Research and International Development and Martin Robinson, Assistant Director Assessment from Cambridge recently met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in London to brief him on the progress to date of the project, entitled "The Cambridge Baseline Project: measuring English language standards and establishing an evidence-based baseline for Malaysian schools."
The study is part of a programme which aims to ensure every child is proficient in Bahasa Malaysia and English and is endorsed by the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013–2025.
Deputy Director-General of Education (Policy and Development, MOE), Datuk Amin Senin, said Cambridge English was commissioned to undertake the study in May last year. Amin said the study will measure the English language proficiency of students and the teaching abilities and practices in schools.
The study will review the current national curricula, learning materials, examinations and teaching practices, as well as testing the language levels of students and teachers at the end of pre-school, end of primary school (Year 6), end of lower secondary (Form 3), end of upper secondary (Form 5) and end of Form 6.
The findings from the study will provide the Ministry of Education with baseline data that can be used to set realistic and achievable targets for future learning. Recommendations are expected to be submitted to the government in March 2014.
Martin Robinson commented “Malaysia is embarking upon a visionary education reform programme to ensure that every child will be proficient in Bahasa Malaysia as the national language of unity and in English as the international language of communication. We are very impressed by the rigorous approach the Ministry of Education is taking and it is especially commendable that the Ministry is employing such a ground-breaking, evidence-based approach to providing solutions to the challenges it faces. By undertaking such a comprehensive review of the whole English language education system, Cambridge Assessment English is helping Malaysia turn the visions and aspirations of the Education Blueprint into realistic and achievable targets. The Cambridge Baseline Project is the first step in helping Malaysia deliver lasting, genuine educational reform”.