Penang South Islands project launches education programme for South Penang Island fishermen’s children

Penang South Islands project launches education programme for
South Penang Island fishermen’s children

BAYAN LEPAS: The Penang State Government today launched education programmes specially designed for local south Penang Island children, including fishermen’s children, under the Penang South Islands (PSI) project’s Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP).

The programmes were launched at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) by Deputy Chief Minister I and Fishermen’s Taskforce chairman YB Dato’ Ir. Hj. Ahmad Zakiyuddin Bin Abd Rahman, who was represented by Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) chief executive officer Dato’ Seri Farizan Bin Darus.

The event was organised in collaboration with USAINS Holding Sdn Bhd, which has been appointed by the State Government to implement a four-day Hybrid Education Programme (PHP-2022) for 50 local children who live or go to school near the PSI site, including fishermen’s children, who will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

PHP-2022 is a short-term programme designed to guide SPM candidates with techniques to answer exam questions and tips to study effectively using gamification and fun learning methods that also take the students’ emotional development into account.

Specialist teachers will be involved in order to expose the students to the latest SPM format and effective learning approaches. USM students will also participate in the programme to provide guidance, support and motivation as mentors and buddy (mentoring partners).

The PHP-2022 programme will be conducted in two phases – the first in September and the second in December during the school holidays.

Both phases will also feature motivational and counselling sessions, as well as parenting workshops for the students’ parents to share tips on time management, the importance of family support and nutritious food for their children who are preparing for the important exam.

Starting from October, two other programmes will also be conducted under the SIMP scheme, namely the Learning Recovery Class programme for Primary One to Three pupils, and the Jaya Didik programme which involves out-of-school tuition classes for primary school pupils and secondary school students.

The Learning Recovery Class programme, which will be conducted with the support and cooperation of the Penang Education Department, is for children who have yet to master their reading, writing and counting (3M) skills after teaching and learning were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. These pupils will be given two extra classes each week at their respective schools. Meals and teaching materials will also be provided.

The Jaya Didik programme provides an opportunity for the fishermen’s children to attend tuition classes at tuition centres which have been identified as partners in the programme. The monthly tuition fee of RM200 per primary school student and RM250 per secondary school student will be borne by the State Government.

The pupils and students eligible to participate in these programmes are the children of local south Penang Island fishermen registered with the Fisheries Department, who go to schools near the PSI site and beyond the area.

Children from poor non-fishermen families (B40) who live in the project area and have the potential to succeed in SPM with additional guidance can also attend these programmes but priority will be given to fishermen’s children before registration is opened to other local children.

In his speech, which was read out by Dato’ Seri Farizan, YB Dato’ Zakiyuddin said the State Government wanted to make sure the local fishing community, including their schooling children, benefited from the PSI development in line with the Penang 2030 Vision, which drives Penang’s development towards a smart and green family-focused state.

“Our children are very important to Penang’s future development, which includes PSI. In the short term, we hope the children can take advantage of the job opportunities that will be created through the reclamation and construction process.

“In the long run, we hope that our children and perhaps our grandchildren as well will become part of the highly skilled workforce in the new high-tech industrial park on Island A, which is Green Tech Park. The PSI development is expected to create 460,000 jobs by 2050.

“With this intention, the State Government is making effort to find talents among our local children, including fishermen’s children to support the PSI development and Penang’s economic growth,” he said while officiating the SIMP education programmes.

The event was also attended by the families whose children were attending the PHP-2022 program at USM for four days and three nights starting on 3 September. The participants are Form 5 students from SMK Batu Maung, SMK Teluk Kumbar, SMK Seri Bayu and SMK Bayan Lepas.

Also present at the event were USAINS Holding Sdn Bhd group managing director Encik Farid Wajidi Bin Mat Yusoff, USM and USAINS officers, lecturers, and representatives of PSI’s project delivery partner SRS Consortium, who had played a role in planning the education programmes under the SIMP.

SRS Consortium deputy project director Azmi Bin Mohamad advised the students to make the most of the PHP-2022 programme at USM and take the opportunity to experience campus life for themselves.

“Take good advantage of your time here, participate in all the activities responsibly, take care of yourselves, focus and do your best for your future.

“I am told that apart from the educators from USM, the students from the university will be participating to spend time with you and act as your coaches and buddies.

“They are more or less the same age as you but they are smart. That is because you need to be smart and have good grades to enrol in USM. So, use these four days to make friends with them to learn from them and make them your role models,” he said.

ends