KUCHING, April 13, 2016 - Young Penan children in the
Murum Resettlement area adapting to the more rigorous demands of modern primary
school education are getting additional help so that they have an even chance
of succeeding in their first public examinations at UPSR level.
A group photo with the SK Tegulang students and teachers,
community representatives, Sarawak Energy’s Community Relations Covering
Manager, Ding Juh (4th from right) and DASwk trainers at the launching ceremony
of the programme
The one year “Literacy for Social Inclusion Programme”
was developed specifically for the Penan children at SK Tegulang, one of two
schools within the Murum Resettlement Scheme.
The teaching method adapted by this programme encourages
students' active learning to improve their reading and writing skills in both
English and Bahasa Malaysia languages.
A total of 31 primary school students are currently part
of the immersive programme aimed at upgrading their reading and writing skills
to age-appropriate levels and bring them on par with their counterparts
elsewhere in the country.
From primary 2, 3 and 4, the participants are being
exposed to fresh teaching methods for a more fun and participative learning
experience as an alternative means of equipping them with skill necessary to
pass their first public examinations at primary 6 level.
The programme is being facilitated by the Dyslexia
Association of Sarawak (DASwk) and organised in collaboration with the United
States Embassy of Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak Education Department.
Sarawak Energy is supporting the programme as part of its
ongoing social responsibility to the Murum HEP project affected communities,
especially the Penans whose former semi-nomadic lifestyles meant children often
experienced disrupted schooling.
"Sarawak Energy continues to provide support and
assistance to the Murum resettled communities, focusing on education and
sustainable livelihood. Currently children from both Tegulang and Metalun
resettlements attend primary schools that were set up by Sarawak Energy and the
Department of Education.
This new programme is to make sure that these young
children get the help they need, not just to learn to read and write but to
pass in the UPSR examinations when they enter Primary 6,” said Sarawak Energy
Assistant General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Jiwari
Abdullah.
Jiwari continued, “We look forward to a long term
partnership with DASwk towards enhancing the teaching and learning experience
for this selected group of students who need special support and attention to
enable them to be on par with other students.”
According to DASwk’s President, Dr Ong Puay Hoon, the
programme adopted a tested phonics-based methodology which was highly
structured, intensive, repetitive and cumulative and multi-sensorial which have
been proven to facilitate learning.
"Ensuring they have adequate literacy skills will
help them to be better prepared for school life, outside of the village school
by building up their self-esteem and social skills,” said Dr Ong.
Caption: A Penan student doing pre-test with a trainer from DASwk
The programme also involves three teachers from the
school who were trained on the teaching techniques to ensure the programme's
continuity so that it can benefit more children studying at the school. Young
volunteers from the communities who were part of Sarawak Energy’s Murum Penan
Literacy Programme were also involved so they can become local facilitators to
train children from their respective villages.
The programme started on 29th February 2016 and among
those present at the launching ceremony were the headmaster of SK Tegulang, Anu
Garing, teachers and members of the community including Tuai Rumah Asan Jalong
from Long Malim and Tuai Rumah Kilan from Long Megan. They also took time to participate and
experience the learning session.
“We are very pleased with this initiative and it is a
timely effort by all parties to assist the students who need extra support and
guidance in their studies,” said Anu Garing.
SK Tegulang currently has 160 primary school students and
25 pre-school students.
Localised formal education for the communities started in
2014 after the setting up of two primary schools in Tegulang and Metalun
Resettlement areas, through a collaboration between Sarawak Energy and the
Department of Education.
Previously, school age children had to attend school in
the Bakun Resettlement Scheme at Sungei Asap.
To assist the students’ educational growth, last year
Sarawak Energy announced an education fund of RM200,000 mainly for the Penan
communities in Belaga which also benefits the communities at the Murum
Resettlement Scheme.
Sarawak Energy’s CSR initiatives on education for the
Murum resettled communities started in 2012 with the introduction of the Murum
Penan Literacy Program.
This program has now reached an advanced stage and has
enabled over 300 adults from the communities to undertake basic reading,
writing and arithmetic.
The literacy project is implemented in partnership with
the Society for the Advancement of Women and the Family Sarawak (SWAF) which
received national and international recognition for the achievements in
alleviating literacy among the communities.
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