The UPSR examination results have revealed a decline in pupils' performance in the English language and this raises questions on the RM270 million paid to consultants to raise its standard in schools.

Zairil Khir Johari (2)Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari (left) said English results should have improved by the end of the three-year "exorbitant" mentoring programme.

However, only 74.4 percent managed to score a minimum of C in English, a three percent drop compared with last year's results.

The number of UPSR candidates scoring B and C also slid by the same percentate while those scoring A was more or less stagnant, with only a slight dip of 0.2 percent.

"The latest UPSR results constitute a slap in the face of the Ministry of Education," Zairil said.

Ironically, the DAP MP said, it is vernacular schools (or national-type schools) that saw improvements in the English test results.

The number of pupils who scored A went up by 4.2 percent and an additional 2.1 percent scored B and C compared with 2012.

"In other words, national-type schools that did not benefit from the foreign English mentoring programme managed to improve in the language, while national school results deteriorated despite the government spending RM270 million over three years in an effort precisely aimed at improving the level of English proficiency in national primary schools," he said.

NONEIn 2010, the ministry engaged three consultancy groups - Brighton Education Group, SMR HR and the British Council - for a three-year English language mentoring programme aimed at lifting the standard of teaching and learning English in national primary schools.

The RM270 million programme is part of the Upholding Bahasa Malaysia, Improving English (MBMMBI) policy which replaced the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI)

This followed the finding that more than half of English language teachers in national schools failed the Cambridge English Placement Test.

Yesterday Bernama reported that the UPSR results this year were the best in four years, with improvement in the average National Grade (GPN).

It was reported that 9.15 percent of the pupils scored straight As, compared with the 8.94 percent last year.