Indonesian diplomats are calling in sick in an attempt to skip meetings which might reveal their poor English skills, according to the Jakarta Post. As a first step in addressing the problem, Foreign Ministry secretary-general Imran Cotan has proposed that government agencies require diplomats score at least 55o on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
“Every time their counterparts from the home government wanted to meet them, they freak out, seeking ways to avoid the meeting like asking for ‘bed-rest’ recommendation from the doctor,” he said.
The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia. Although English is taught in school, it is rarely used. Gosh, you’d think they would grow out of playing hookey by that age.
