SIBU: Acknowledging the pivotal role of teachers in shaping the linguistic prowess of students, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee stressed the significance of equipping students with English language skills to bolster their competitiveness and enable their full participation in Sarawak’s governmental initiatives, particularly in the realm of education.
The Sarawak Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development underscored that education, particularly English language proficiency, remains a paramount priority for the Sarawak government.
The state’s initiatives, including the establishment of five private international schools and the provision of free education through the state’s sovereign wealth fund for local universities such as the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and Swinburne, highlight the commitment to fostering educational growth.
“Therefore, the most important persons to prepare this (students that will benefit from the programme) are the teachers at the primary and secondary school levels. They are the most important individual to ensure that the student can enrol to these universities.
“There is no point if we (the Sarawak government) give free education but the intake (to university) less than 100 or less than 500 students.”
Addressing educators at the Sarawak English Language Education Symposium (SELES 2023) here on today (Aug 11), Dr Annuar pointed out the need for a comprehensive programme to enhance and refine English language teaching methodologies.
He noted that some teachers’ current English proficiency levels may require improvement to effectively educate students.
“We are committed to supporting you,” he assured, emphasising the importance of cultivating impactful teaching strategies that ultimately benefit students.
To this end, Dr Annuar revealed that the Sarawak Education Department is collaborating on designing a dedicated programme to enhance English language teaching among Sarawak’s educators.
He expressed his intent to secure funding for this initiative, underscoring the significance of effective English language education in shaping the region’s future generations.The sy
mposium witnessed the presence of notable education figures, including Sarawak Education Department director Datuk Dr Azhar Ahmad and Sarawak Education Department Learning Sector deputy director Dr Les Met.
