Idris Jusoh: Initiatives for students to learn third language already in place

From left: Education Ministry deputy secretary general Datuk Nasir Mat Dam, Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and Open University Malaysia president Tan Sri Anuwar Ali during National Lifelong Learning Seminar launch.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has already been encouraging students to take up a language other than Bahasa Malaysia and English, said Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh.

"It is not unusual to learn a third language, or even more. We have already put forth initiatives to encourage students to pick up Mandarin, Tamil or Japanese. So, it is nothing new," said Idris when asked about Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's call for students, especially from the Malay community, to master a third language.