The idea of using volunteers from the US Peace Corps programme to help bolster Malaysia’s teaching of English was first mooted by Najib on his previous trip to the US.
“They will start with 30 ... but I have also asked them to send more, if possible, 100 or 200 volunteers, especially to rural areas,” Najib was quoted by state news agency Bernama while in New York yesterday.
Earlier this month, Najib’s deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had announced that the Education Ministry will be spending RM18 million to bring in the Peace Corp volunteers to teach English in schools here.
The American tutors are in addition to the 10,000 English-language teachers the ministry plans to train in preparation for the “Upholding Bahasa Malaysia and Strengthening English” policy next year where Science and Mathematics will be taught in both languages.
The Peace Corp is a US government programme to promote cross-cultural understanding between the US and other nations.
