Skills in English stressed
Stress should be put on English language teaching methods to improve peoples' skills in the language since English can be a tool for employment at home and abroad, said speakers at a seminar yesterday.
They said the country's overseas workers face problems as their English skills are not up to the mark and they could fetch more remittance if they had good command over the language.
The speakers said partnerships among the government, private sector and educational institutions are needed to carry out effective English language training courses.
The seminar titled “The Future of English in Bangladesh” was organised by British Council Bangladesh at Hotel Westin in the city.
Speaking at the seminar, David Graddol, associate professor and visiting scholar of Department of English in City University of Hong Kong, said the new language, rapidly ousting the language of Shakespeare as the world's lingua franca, is English itself, in its new form.
Anir Chowdhury, policy adviser on Access to Information programme, said efficiency in English language is considered mandatory for eligibility in many jobs.
“For example if a Bangladeshi wants a job in Malaysia, he needs to fight with a Sri Lankan man. In that case, the Sri Lankan would be more efficient in English than ours and eventually he will get a good job.
“The country's private sector considers English as a skill but the public sector provides little scope to exercise English since all files are being prepared in Bangla.
“But English is also needed for the public sector employees as they have to negotiate with other countries,” he said.
British High Commissioner Stephan Evans also spoke at the seminar. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, CEO of RAK Pharmaceuticals; and Huw Jarvis, senior lecturer in TESOL, School of Languages, University of Salford, UK; presented seperate papers at the seminar.
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