Free English language classes at all the country?s industrial training institutes will go on despite the poor response.

That is the response of Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn on realising that very few people actually turn up for these classes.

?We have asked these institutes to hold night classes as one way of improving the communication skills of their trainees and to make our workers more competent. But response has been poor. ?

However, the government feels that even if there are only five students to each class, they should continue with the scheme. Dr Fong says the ministry does not ?consider the lack of response a waste of government funds.?

Many workers prefer to attend classes or training where they can get themselves attached to a company and in the end, secure jobs there.

?But the ministry thinks any effort to make our workers more competent is important. We will look again to see how we can make the courses more attractive to our workers,? says Fong.

Apparently, the ministry has carried out a promotion on these courses but to no avail. On the retraining scheme for unemployed graduates, Dr Fong says only those training centres with adequate facilities and experience would be chosen by the ministry to run the courses. They must additionally provide the ministry with their ‘best effort’ guarantee that all those who join their training will eventually be employed. So far, some 200 training providers have applied to join the scheme.