SIBU: The state government has spent about RM15 million in making sure that the dual-language programme (DLP) is a success, says the Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He said that the fund was spent on training the teachers, buying books as well as providing a lot of other facilities to ensure DLP is a successful programme.
“We also spend money on the sellers of the Sarawak English symposium to emphasize among the teachers who teach English so that they can improve the way of teaching English.
“We also set up the five Yayasan schools with the objective is, of course, that the medium of the language at the school will be English.
“So, actually the state government focuses so much on English,” he said when met by reporters during the launch of Read English Programme involving 22 longhouses in the Nangka state constituency at Rumah Dindang Emban today.
On the programmed, the Nangka assemblyman said that it is the first programme that is being launched in Nangka to let the children master English.
“We emphasize on English doesn’t mean we want to side-line Bahasa Malaysia but because we know the importance of English that is why we want English to be mastered among the students in Sarawak,” he said.
He noted that the programme is one of the important moves to promote English as well as make sure that all the programmes provided by the state government become a success.
“If we at the grassroots level do not follow or are not able to promote (English) among our young children then the policy (DLP) might not be able to be a successful one.
“Hence, at this grassroots level, I emphasize it. So I bring English programme to the longhouses because this is the very grassroot level and mastering English language needs to start from a young age. That is why you can see these students (at the longhouses) can read very well.
“So, I’m very excited about this programme and I hope it will be a successful one and I promise them I will get 1,000 books every year for all these 22 longhouses.
“I also launch a programme where I want the community to be involved by donating books to this and create a donation box at Farley and I want to thank Farley as well for cooperating and helping us in this programme,” he said.
Also present was president of Yayasan Farley Eijing Lau and Penghulu Eddy Jemat Jelian.
