‘Kindy, pre-school teachers to be trained in English’
KUCHING: All kindergarten and pre- school teachers in the state will soon have an opportunity to improve their command of the English language through a training programme run by the Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development.
Its minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said this is so that the teachers have the capability to teach young children the language at an early age.
“Before we train our youngsters to have a good command of the English language, we must first train those who train them. After we have the
Before we train our youngsters to have a good command of the English language, we must first train those who train them. After we have the trained teachers only then we can train our youngsters and see them having good command of the language.
trained teachers, only then we can train our youngsters and see them having good command of the language,” she said in her speech at the Smart Reader Worldwide’s re-launching ceremony of their Smart Mandarin programme at Plaza Merdeka here yesterday.
Fatimah lamented that not many Sarawak youngsters have a good command of the English language, including university graduates, and because of that the government was taking measures to address the situation.
Sarawak has made English the second official language of the state to increase the people’s competency in the language.
“Starting English language education early for children is important because mastering the English language is one way to have children secure their future not only in helping themselves find employment but survival as well,” she added.
Fatimah also revealed that her ministry will use two modules to train the kindergarten and pre-school teachers.
“This module is for all kindergarten and pre- school teachers, regardless if they are teaching at government kindergartens such the Kemas kindergartens or the private ones. We are starting this programme in Bintulu and areas located in the north of Sarawak first before doing it here in Kuching,” she said.
Also present was Smart Reader Worldwide Sdn Bhd executive director Keefe Ong Kin Fye.
Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, Ministry of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development