Mandatory English Proficiency Assessment Required for Junior One Starting 2015

Kuen Cheng High School, a premier Chinese Independent Secondary School today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eshia & Associates Sdn Bhd as the first school in the country to adopt the TOEFL Junior Standard Test, part of the TOEFL* Young Students Series, for all its Junior One incoming students.

It will be mandatory for all Junior One students who wish to enter Kuen Cheng in 2016 to sit for this test. As of 2015, we will make this test available to our Junior 1 to 3 students for the school management to assess their English proficiency in order to set the standard required.Developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the TOEFL Junior Standard Test is an objective, paper-based test that measures listening comprehension, reading comprehension and language form and meaning. It is a reliable English proficiency measurement tool for students 11+.

The test scores are also mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), thus allowing students, parents and teachers to gauge the achievement of the students against an international standard.

“We are proud to adopt this international standard of English proficiency for our school,” said Tan Sri Lee Dato Shin Cheng, the school Chairman. Kuen Cheng has been successful for the last 106 years is because we believe in outstanding and quality education. The TOEFL Junior Standard Test will enable the school to screen students through a globally accepted test process that is fair, valid and reliable right at the beginning and allow our teaching professionals to guide them to achieve the desired results over time”.

English language learning for young learners is an important foundation for the success of the students in the future and the ability to provide meaningful interpretation on the scores of the students are equally important.

According to Mr Ezani Amir, Managing Director of Eshia & Associates, the country representative of ETS in Malaysia, “Kuen Cheng is a testimony of a progressive and visionary school and we are proud to announce this collaboration. The TOEFL Junior Standard Test serves as a comprehensive measurement tool that will be used to help support the placement of students into programs designed to increase their English proficiency levels.” He adds, “Parents will also benefit from this test as the score report has descriptors that they can use to further assist their children in understanding the areas of strengths and improvement.”

As part of this understanding, Kuen Cheng High School will also be a “test center” for TOEFL Junior Standard Tests in Malaysia. Quarterly tests will be held at the school for any students who wish to take the test.

“We would like to thank Eshia for allowing us to be a test center for the TOEFL Junior Standard Test as this is a great marketing opportunity for us to promote the school to a wider audience,” said Tan Sri Dato Lee Shin Cheng.