Compulsory pass in English for SPM postponed

KUALA LUMPUR: The government postponed plans of a compulsory pass in English for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination in 2016 because both teachers and students were not prepared
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzhir Khalid said the conclusion was based on data and a special simulation study based on the SPM results from 2011 to 2014.
"The study indicated that teachers and pupils were not prepared with the implementation of a compulsory pass for the said subject.
"In relation to that, the postponement was made to provide space for teachers, pupils and related parties to better prepare themselves," he said in a parliamentary written reply.
He was responding to a query from Teresa Kok (DAP - Seputeh) who had wanted the ministry to state the measures taken to improve the quality of English among pupils.
Mahdzir said the ministry had taken several initiatives to prepare primary and secondary schools for a planned compulsory pass in the English subject.
He said this includes providing courses for English teachers and introducing improvements to the English curriculum in schools.