NATIONAL LANGUAGE EVENING CLASSES RUN BY GOVERNMENT

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi asked the Minister for Education to state, with reference to the National Language Evening Classes run by the Government, the total number of classes, teachers and students (a) when such classes were originally started and (b) as at 31st August, 1960; the number of examinations held since these classes were started and the number of passes and failures in each of these examinations.

The Minister for Education (Mr Yong Nyuk Lin): Mr Speaker, Sir, when the National Language Night Classes were first instituted by the Ministry of Education in September 1959, there were 339 classes, 220 teachers and an enrolment of about 12,750 students.

By the time the Lembaga Gerakan Pelajaran Dewasa was established in May 1960, which then took over the responsibility of running all literacy night classes from the Ministry of Education, the student enrolment for the National Language classes had unfortunately gone down to 7.900, although both the number of classes and teachers had increased to 372 and 297 respectively.

As at 31st August. 1960, there were 401 classes and 331 teachers with a student enrolment of 6,500.

Two examinations or tests have been conducted so far. In December 1959 by the Ministry of Education, 5,750 sat for the examination and 5,280 passed. In July 1960 by the teachers themselves, when 3,860 sat for the examination and 3,140 were successful.

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, concerning the figures of students learning the national language, could the Minister for Education explain to this House the reasons for the reduction in the number of students? Or was it through a major fault that the teachers did not receive proper training in the national language? Or are there any other reasons?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, in reply to the Member for Kampong Kembangan, there are a number of reasons for the regrettable decline in the number of students attending the national language classes. The main reason is, of course, the lack of sustained interest of the students. Like every other enterprise of a voluntary nature, there are many who join in the first flush of enthusiasm, but who abandon the course when they find that the going is not so easy. The present numbers probably represent the hard core of persons genuinely interested in gaining proficiency in the national language. There is scope for a further increase in enrolment for the national language night classes, but the efforts of the Lembaga Gerakan Pelajaran Dewasa in this field are necessarily circumscribed by the availability of suitable and qualified instructors in the national language, of which fact I am sure the Member for Kampong Kembangan is aware. But the Lembaga Gerakan Pelajaran Dewasa is sparing no effort in its endeavour to spread knowledge of the national language, and once its teething troubles are over, a rise in the number of students may be expected. The hon. Member for Kampong Kembangan is probably aware that the Lembaga Gerakan Pelajaran Dewasa is presently conducting special courses for teachers to teach the students. It takes some time to produce a good teacher.

4.42 p.m.