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t is undeniable that English, which has become the international language of choice, has also become an important part of our local dialect in today’s world. Human activities in several fields including technology, economics, social sciences, and others generally have something to do with English as a tool for communication.

These circumstances stimulate most Indonesian people to strive for mastery of English language nowadays. Many have been successful. However, there are many who still have to study really hard as well.

Now, how can we measure a person’s skills in English? TOEFL is the answer. Yes, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) has been really well-known as a tool to measure someone’s English proficiency.

The plan issued by Trade Ministry to require its civil servants to have a minimum TOEFL score of 600 is very interesting. I think it can be seen as either a great breakthrough or disaster, especially for those who are already too old to learn English.

There are also some questions that we need to answer regarding the use of TOEFL, such as whether a good TOEFL score really translates into good English skills. This is in line with an article by Setiono Sugiharto in The Jakarta Post titled “Do TOEFL scores reflect English proficiency?”

I absolutely agree with the writer that one’s proficiency in English is too complex to be measured by a TOEFL score alone. This is especially true in the TOEFL ITP, in which section two (structure and written expression) just requires someone to fill in the blank and find something wrong in a sample sentence. I think that a passive English speaker could also pass this section because it is just a matter of understanding language theory and grammar.

I agree with the author that it is unrealistic to require a minimum score of 600 for Trade Ministry civil servants. Such a score is really high and not many people can obtain it. Even for those who want to study in most American universities only need to have a minimum score of 550, not 600.

Therefore, the idea to require civil servants to have a minimum TOEFL score of 600 is really hard. 500 would be much better.

Gheby Fariestha
Pekanbaru