KUCHING: A total of 43 schools compr ising three secondar y schools and 40 primary schools in Bau District have been adopted by Tasik Biru Assemblyman Dato Henry Harry Jinep and Serembu Assemblyman Miro Simuh for the Speak English Every Day (SEED) programme. SEED programme is an effort to improve the level of proficiency in English language in Sarawak schools.
Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong said his ministry had issued a circular to all assemblymen to adopt the SEED programme in their respective constituencies. SEED encourages all students and teachers to communicate in English the moment they enter the school compound. However, they switch to Bahasa Melayu, the medium of instruction once they enter class. Manyin explained that the SEED programme is aimed at addressing the decline in proficiency of English language in the State.
“We hope to get it started from primary school because it is much easier for young girls and boys to learn a language. “The moment they enter the school compound they will try to communicate in English, and we believe that after a period of three years, they will be proficient in the language. “I believe that after three years, we will see the results, and once they enter secondary school, they will be quite conversant in English,” he said. Manyin was speaking to reporters after visiting a students’ exhibition booth at SK Jagoi held in conjunction with SEED, yesterday.
There is no ultimatum for the assemblyman to implement the programme, as it is a voluntary exercise. He added he would request for some financial assistance from the Chief Minister in the future, depending on the outcome of the programme. “We will request for a SEED budg e t , depending on the response. Today, I am very encouraged by the way SK Jagoi conducts the programme.
“If things work well, I will definitely request the Chief Minister for an initial budget because it will be run by all the district education offices (PPD),” he said. Manyin also said he had discussed with the Educational Department and Public Works Department (JKR) on the centralised schools. “They have more or less come to an agreement to have at least one centralised school in a rural constituency to start with. “The centralised school will be a role model to encourage those schools reluctant to join the programme,” he said.
He pointed that Chinese schools and mission schools had yet to give him their final answer on the matter. “I have met the mission and Chinese schools but untill today, they have not given me the final answer. I will meet them again because there are many small Chinese schools and their main worry is that if they close their school, they will lose their licence.
“I told them even if they close their school, they can always transfer their licence to the town area, where they can actually set up a new school,” said Manyin.
Touching on the Gawai holiday in Sarawak and Sabah, he disclosed that he have briefed the Cabinet and is waiting for the green light to proceed the matter with the Ministry of Education. “If Sabah agrees, we will like to request that Sarawak and Sabah have a different school holiday for the mid-year,” he said, adding he proposed the holiday from May 28 to June 9.
The SEED programme is an English Proficiency Project implemented by the State government to improve the level of English proficiency in schools. It involves interact ions in English, orally or written, within the school compound among students, teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and visitors. The Rubik’s Cube is a 3D twisty puzzle. Learn the beginner’s solution tutorial memorizing only a few algorithms.
