Tibbits: Nothing new but it is refreshing

Well, if one is involving in searching for information about Esperanto, the commercial values and religion uses of Esperanto, certainly one will bound in many statements:

Usually, it is more educated speakers of English who possess the most innate bias against Esperanto, doubting that an “artificial” language of “no substance’ or cultural content could promise any advantage to potential learners. Nevertheless, there is much evidence that six or seven years of English instruction in many countries have produced very meager results in comparison with the enormous efforts, time and expense invested. The percentage of the world’s population that speaks English as a first language is no greater today than it was in 1900 (around 10%). Although there are many speakers of English as a second language today, they still represent a tiny minority of those who have spent many frustrating years of study and are unable to communicate effectively beyond the level of making essential needs known or idle chatter about the weather and asking directions. Esperanto’s marvelous successes and achievements are “invisible” because there is no palpable “homeland” or powerful patron to provide material rewards. 

http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/9560/sec_id/9560

But it is true, isn't it ? Especially in the Malaysian scenario. One kid may start to learn English as young as 3 years old and by 19 years, 16 years of learning English language, we still need to fly in the experts:

MALACCA: Some 375 foreign English language experts will monitor the teaching of English in primary schools nationwide as part of the Education Ministry’s plan to strengthen the language and streamline the curriculum.

Does Esperanto need that kind of :

“The experts are not here to teach but to monitor and guide the teaching of the language in line with efforts to strengthen the English language,” he said at a dialogue session with trainee teachers in the Institute of Teacher Education in Durian Daun here yesterday.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/26/nation/7294846&sec=nation