I

was dumbstruck last week, reading several national newspapers about the Deputy Education and Culture Minister Musliar Kasim’s statement that “it is haram [forbidden] to force kindergarten students to take English courses.”

I was further annoyed by the reason that English would be scrapped from public elementary schools because students haven’t learned to understand the Indonesian language yet. It is a setback and rather imprudent. It means the government has denied those in the lower-class access to the international language which play significant role in the globalized world.

It’s like pointing a finger at foreign languages for the degradation of the Indonesian language. Playing a blame game will never produce positive outcomes. Instead of blaming English, why doesn’t the ministry first conduct a thorough, systematic and comprehensive study on what has gone wrong with the national curriculum? Hence, a favorable solution can be formulated that will be beneficial nationwide.

Children will find a love of learning languages if they get the chance to learn them at younger ages. My six-year-old nephew always enjoys English in his new elementary school. In fact, he takes a greater interest in the subject. His Indonesian is also improving. Now, he can speak better Indonesian with increased vocabulary and verbs.

It’s not that he is taught complicated English sentences. He has learnt only basic nouns and verbs so far. He always tells me how his teacher sometimes uses English to mention certain objects found in school such as “Zaki, please open the door!” So, lately when he asks a favor or says something, he will put into practice the simple vocabulary he learns at school.

He doesn’t feel that it’s burdensome either. On the contrary, he loves English as much as Indonesian or science because his teachers are creative and adopt a fun approach in teaching him. He adores his teachers. For this reason, I envy him. I wish English was a compulsory subject when I was at elementary school so I didn’t have to struggle hard mastering it when I was already in the next stage of child development.

Also nowadays, when I go to the malls or Dufan, there are many children age 6-10 years old conversing in English fluently. They enjoy the language. It’s hard to find any trace of fear of terror in their faces or any sign whatsoever of them being forced to learn the language.

Sure, they come from the middle to upper class families. They have access and resources to speed up their English because they have money and brains. So, if the government omits English from public elementary schools, how will children from less fortunate circumstances cope in the future? They have the brain. What they lack is the access and the money.

For this reason, incorporating English in public elementary schools is a prudent move to facilitate these children. They deserve access to a better future, just as any child can get.

In my view, it’s how a subject is taught that makes children creative and enjoying lessons.

Teachers as well as parents should be able to stimulate a love for reading and curiosity in their children. It is the quality of the teachers, methods of study and curriculum that should be developed and improved rather than pointing a finger at another subject. Our children do not speak Indonesian poorly because they study English.

Whether we like it or not, English is crucial for these children if they want to be able to compete in the globalized world.

Herlina
Jakarta