The Challenge of English Learning in Indonesia

Today and  future, the skill in English is the most important for our future life. Why is it? Because of much scienc  e and knowledge which use it. Everyone can get much information from the strange literature through the English translation ability. Nowadays, many products of technology use English. For example, people can operate the computer easily when they have skills in English.

In 2020 later, The Free Market Trade approved. In this era, most of strange products and education institution can be existed in Indonesia easily. Besides, the great challenge that faced by our nation is the penetration of the strange culture. With the intention that, if we do not have the strongest preparation completely, naturally the biggest misfortune will be happened-that is “the lost nation”. The lost nation or the lost Indonesia is the biggest disaster. As a big nation in South Asia and all the worlds, we lost our nation identity. How we have to face it? How we have to prevent it?

English as a Foothold in life

One of the way to face the challenge above is to strengthen the sector of education and one of the education sector which must we give a big attention is education of English as one of subject at formal or non-formal education. Why is like it? Without communication skill in English, we will not have the strength of competition.

John Naisbitt in his Global Paradox said that English is a Universal Language. In this century and next century, English becomes a Global Language. He said again that English is being a second language after our mother tongue. Nowadays, according to Naisbitt, there were one billions of people speak into English as a mother tongue, second language, or foreign language.

Nasibitt’s opinion above was supported Parni Hadi, That is a figure of Indonesian Press who said that there was 60% of the radio broadcasting spread into English language. Furthermore, around of 70% of the newspaper which was passed around the world which was used the address into English language. Besides, more than 85% of international phone talking was used English language, and then around 80% of the data in the hundred of million the computer used English language.

Furthermore, Suroso and Amir (Student of Postgraduate Doctorate Program of IKIP Jakarta) said that generally, the strengthener of business communication their fellow countries of ASEAN are English. Indonesia, which compared by other nations of ASEAN such as Malay, Singapore, and Brunei ever touch into English, could not compete with them. Based on the facts above, it is clear that ability into English is the most important for foothold in life.

Brainstorming

How are about mastery of English of Indonesia people? To answer it, we have to know about the structure of our employment. Around 73% of our employment are graduated from the Elementary School (SD), and their residue are graduated from Upper and Lower Secondary School (SMP and SMA), and then scholars. In short, our employments are very low, because of scholar’s mastery in English language very low too.

 To solve about the problem above, we are and our government must give a big attention in the sector of education, exactly the sector of English education. For that reason, we can do anyway as follows.

• I Hendrasmo (Correspondence of British Broadcasting Corporation in Yogyakarta) said that mastery in English can be manifested by two approaches. They are Reading Comprehension and Communication Skill. Reading Comprehension focused to ability of the logical Grammar. Whereas, Communication Skill is focused to conversation skill.
• H. Fuad Abdul Hamied, M.A. (A Lecture of Postgraduate of IKIP Bandung) said that to increase the quality of mastery in English language, He bargains the ideas for it, namely Intensification of English Learning at the schools. It intensification can be done by carrying out English lesson for one or two semesters without the other lesson. Four or five hours per days for six days by the week.

To increase the quality of mastery in English lesson to all of student is our responsibility. With the intention that, we are (people and government) must give the great attention into the sector of education, exactly in English education.

NB:

This is my first writing in English when studied English Course in Pare, Kediri  

Written by: Imam Hanafie el-Arwany

Memo: 18 April 2006

Ilustrasi: EF Education First