It is unfortunate that the standard of English competency among Malaysians, especially Malays, have fallen so greatly. We as a Malaysian society should not be surprised at this because we can all see it coming. Language skills cannot be developed just by sitting in class, learning sentence structure, phonics, etc. It is a skill perfected through daily usage in formal and informal settings.

In current Malaysian society, when two people of the same ethnic background get together, a significant number will chose to communicate in their mother tongue. When two people from different ethnic backgrounds get together, a second language has to come into play.

Since most Malays do not speak or are less fluent in a second language, the non-Malay will unconciously accomodate and speak in Bahasa. A Chinese and Indian may chose to speak in English or Bahasa depending on which language both parties are more fluent in. In some unique cases, Indians will speak Chinese to a Chinese, or like my Malay neighbour who speaks Hokkien to my aged mother who only speaks Chinese dialects.

The non-Malays have learned to speak Malay and English besides their mother-tongue out of necessity. Non-Malays are at an advantage because of this situation. Research has shown that early second language training will improve overall school performance and the development of superior problem-solving skills.

In the US, students learning second languages score statistically higher on standardised tests conducted in English. Students of second languages have access to a greater number of career possibilities and develop a deeper understanding of their own and other cultures.

The education system for our children in Malaysia has also become less conducive for interaction among children from different ethnic backgrounds. We have religious education implemented and as we have recently seen, there has been segregation along ethnic lines because of class schedules and for whatever reasons provided to cause this division.

Education leaders have insisted that children still interact with children of other ethnic background and cultures outside of class. We have to admit that this is not necessary true. In my 14 years of primary and secondary school, my circle of friends had seldom included those outside of my immediate classroom.

At no fault of theirs, Malay children are streamed into classrooms with only Malay students. Their exposure and their opportunities to speak in a different language are thus limited.

Studies have shown — and experience has supported — that children who learn a language before the onset of adolescence are much more likely to have native-like pronunciation. A number of experts attribute this proficiency to physiological changes that occur in the maturing brain as a child enters puberty.

Of course, as with any subject, the more years a child can devote to learning a language, the more competent he or she will become. In any case, introducing children to alternative ways of expressing themselves and to different cultures generally broadens their outlook and gives them the opportunity to communicate with many more people.

Parents should help in the children's language development. Most importantly, they should encourage their young to develop an interest in language and culture.

Three major language programmes offered in my area (Virginia, US) have proven successful. They are language immersion, foreign language in elementary schools (FLES), and foreign language exploratory (FLEX).

Immersion programmes allow children to spend part or all of the school day learning in a second language. In full (total) immersion programmes, which are available in a limited number of schools, children learn all of their subjects (math, social studies, science, etc) in the second language.

Partial immersion programmes operate on the same principle, but only a portion of the curriculum is presented in the second language. In this type of programme, a child may learn social studies and science in Spanish or French in the morning and learn Mathematics and language arts in English in the afternoon.

In both cases, the second language is the medium for content instruction rather than the subject of instruction. Children enrolled in immersion programmes work toward full proficiency in the second language and usually reach a higher level of competence than those participating in other language programmes.

FLES programmes are more common than immersion programmes. A second language is presented as a distinct subject, much as science or social studies. Typically, the course is taught three to five times per week. Depending on the frequency of the classes and the opportunity for practice, children in these programmes may attain substantial proficiency in the language studied.

Flex programmes introduce students to other cultures and to language as a general concept. Time is spent exploring one or more languages or learning about language itself. The emphasis is not on attaining proficiency.

Although some proficiency may be attained with a once- or twice- per-week programme emphasising the use of a specific language, the children are not expected to attain fluency in such programmes. These programmes, however, can provide a basis for later learning.

Let us not be close-minded to the different suggestions. There is no one right way to reintroduce English back in the education system but rather what is the best way. Through proper research and study, a successful programme can be implemented to overcome past mistakes.

Although there are many stumbling blocks in the way, now is the time and opportunity to revise the education system. Children are our future. The education system should set every child on the path to success.