By Melissa Kok
THE first batch of foreign workers who sat a new English
literacy test on Monday said it was simple and easy to pass.
Called the Service Literacy Test (SLT), it is an assessment
administered by the Workforce Development Agency for work permit
holders in the hotel, retail and F&B industries.
Foreigners in the three sectors must pass the SLT to be
considered skilled and to be granted work permits that recognise
them as such. Only Malaysians are exempt from the test.
The SLT comprises two parts - speaking and listening - which can
be taken in one sitting or over two days.
Candidates attempt about 30 questions for each component, which
will test them on what they would say to a customer in order to be
providing good service.
On Monday, 11 candidates sat the test; all of them cleared the
listening component. The results for the speaking component will
only be out in two weeks time.