English
English
I couldn't help being overwhelmed with grief on reading the article by Prof. Andi Hakim Nasution of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture on the problem of mastering English in the universities, published in Kompas on Dec. 18, 1996. The reason for my apprehension was that the article unmistakably revealed that no satisfactory improvement has yet been achieved, generally speaking, in the matter of mastering English by university students.
Although in a different branch of education, I introduced a Technical Law-English course in the fourth grade of the International Law department at the law faculty of Padjadjaran University, Bandung in 1964. My proposal to install the course in the curriculum was accepted by the then deputy dean, Paul Mudikdo, who is now teaching in Utrecht University in Holland. At the same time, the course was also adopted by the Constitutional Law department, under the chairmanship of (now Prof. Dr.) Sri Sumantri.
The motivation behind my proposal was the vision that law students in the future, if good fortune allows them the opportunity as officials, would then be able to give speeches and converse in English at international conferences.
Now, after three decades have passed, it appears that the teaching and study of English in the universities, as witnessed by Prof. Nasution's writing, is still a problem. I wonder what the leadership of the faculties responsible have to offer in terms of a response and explanation of the problem raised by Prof. Nasution in his article.
The TOEFL scores brought up in the analysis should be seen as serving only as a yardstick to indicate a particular degree of proficiency in the pursuit of a higher stage of academic learning. But it must be borne in mind that the dire need for international communication in business, tourism, cultural and diplomatic societies nowadays is more than just complacency, or perhaps indulgence in pride, resulting from the possession of TOEFL certificates.
By way of conference, just listen to the superb discussion in English for a half hour by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas on the question of East Timor on the prestigious question and answer program hosted by Riz Khan on CNN at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 20, 1996. Questions that sounded critical and rather cynical poured in by phone from Israel, Sweden, Switzerland and Portugal. Admirably, Alatas answered and explained tactfully and eloquently in flawless English.
While listening, I felt a hope creeping up within myself that the younger generation would be able to follow suit in the proficiency of English discussions like the one demonstrated by Alatas, who was in New York, on CNN.
Meanwhile, we should look at the examples of proficiency in English teaching and learning at elementary schools in Malaysia and the Philippines as if we want to make improvements. It is necessary in mastering English to visualize a change of status and development of the country in the international economic and cultural fields in the 21st century.
Our youngsters must not be left too far behind from their Malaysian and Filipino brethren in the matter of English skills. In view of this ideal, we must start learning English in the elementary schools, like the elder generation learned Dutch during the colonial period. As a foreign language, Dutch is surely far more difficult than English.
SAM SUHAEDI
Jakarta