KAPIT: About 160 students comprising those in Primary Four, Primary Five and Primary Six from three primary schools in Song district namely SK Cardinal Vaughan, SK Nanga Temalat and SJK © Hin Hua have been selected to join the Cambridge ICT Starters Programme for schools in Sarawak this year. The Cambridge ICT Starters Programme is an Information and Communications Technology ( ICT) educat ion programme accredited by Cambridge International Examinations, United Kingdom. This programme is especially preferred for its teaching and learning methodology which suits the level of understanding of primary school students. Through this programme, students are exposed to three key ICT areas namely word processing, graphics and spreadsheets.
The organiser, Danawa Education Sdn. Bhd., is confident that these basic literacy skills will establish vital foundational ICT skills for use in future studies and in the workplace. The programme is made available to students in rural and underserved schools in Sarawak through a public- private partnership between the Sarawak State Government, through the Lembaga Kumpulan Wang Kawasan Konsesi Hutan (LKWKKH)and Danawa Education Sdn Bhd.
This partnership has enabled them to show their true and vigorous support for ensuring that the digital transformation reaches rural and underserved communities in Sarawak. “The programme among others was aimed to inculcate basic ICT literacy skills to students, conduct formal ICT assessments and of primary importance, to assist the State Government in ensuring that students in rural and sub-urban areas are not left behind in terms of ICT adoption.
Early exposure to ICT helps boost confidence, encourages creativity and creates interest in ICT”, commented Tan Yii Ying of Danawa Education Sdn Bhd. He said the Cambridge ICT Starters (CIS) programme offers more than digital literacy. “We have testimonials and positive feedback from education officers and school teachers lending their support to the programme. They have shared the impact our trainers have made, the impact the State Government, through the Lembaga Kumpulan Wang KawasanKonsesiHutan (LKWKKH), have made in funding for this programme over the years.
They speak of 21st century skills development, sharing how the Cambridge ICT Starters programme develops language skills, fosters collaboration and stimulates problem solving. Students enjoy the programme – they are very engaged with computers and it is worthwhile that they are focused on learning ICT in a safe and guided education environment.
With the right tools and guidance, students in rural areas can compete against their urban counterparts and Win,” he pointed out.
T h e o n g o i n g s u c c e s s o f the programme in Sarawak is made possible with the strong col laborat ion involving the Ministry of Education (MOE), De p a r tme n t o f E d u c a t i o n S a r awa k ( J PNS ) , Di s t r i c t Education Office (PPD), Pusat Kegiatan Guru (PKG) , headmasters, teachers, parents and students.
