Sikhs mark 25 years of Punjabi education
Mohd Azam (second from right) presenting a long-service award to Guru Nanak Institution principal Phajan Kaur Mahinder Singh. Looking on are Jaginder (left) and Kuldip.
Mother tongue education is an integral part of a community's identity and keeps members connected to their roots.
This year, Sikhs nationwide are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Khalsa Diwan Malaysia's (KDM) Punjabi education programme.
Set up by the Sikh non-governmental organisation in 2001, the initiative was prompted by a decline in the number of students pursuing Punjabi language as a subject in public examinations like Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
KDM deputy president Dr Kuldip Kaur said the decline led to concerted efforts aimed at reviving Punjabi classes and ensuring it remains a primary language for members of the community.
In 2001, eight Punjabi Education Centres (PECs) were set up in Ipoh, Taiping, Batu Gajah, Kampar and Sitiawan in Perak; Butterworth and Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Penang and Kota Baru in Kelantan.
Presently, KDM runs 36 PECs in 11 states with a total annual enrolment of about 1,800 students.
In tandem, the number of candidates for the SPM Punjabi language paper has increased, with an average of 50 students taking it every year.
KDM president Jaginder Singh said that as the oldest Sikh organisation in Malaysia, it is proud to have played a role in preserving, promoting and developing the Punjabi language.
He shared that in the 2023 SPM examination, students who sat for the Punjabi language paper scored 100% passes, while in 2024, 98.2% passes were recorded.
Annually, more than half of the students taking the paper have obtained excellent results (A+, A or A-).
Kuldip, who is also the organising chairperson of the 25th anniversary celebrations, said various events were held to bring together stakeholders and well-wishers who had contributed to the programme's success.
The celebrations kicked off on May 1 with a thanksgiving event at Gurdwara Sahib Sentul in Kuala Lumpur, where students from 15 PECs sang Kirtan (Sikh hymns).
All participating PEC students received certificates of appreciation and gifts.
On May 2, a symposium on innovations in Punjabi language education was held at Kelab Aman in Kuala Lumpur where teachers shared advanced techniques for teaching Punjabi and Sikhism.
The event was attended by about 140 PEC teachers and administrators.
The next day, trainers from Asia Pacific University (APU) led a workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology-enhanced learning.
More than 70 Punjabi teachers learnt techniques for assessment skills and building student support systems.
A dinner to celebrate the silver jubilee was held on May 3 at Royal Lake Club in Kuala Lumpur.
Education deputy director-general (professionalism development sector) Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad represented Minister Fadhlina Sidek at the event.
Mohd Azam presented long service awards to 18 teachers who had served 25 years in PECs, and to 60 teachers and administrators who had served between 20 and 24 years.
In his speech, Jaginder said the Federal Government had approved RM265,000 for PEC activities this year, with several state governments also extending financial support.
He thanked Education Ministry for continuing to offer the Punjabi language as a subject for the Academic Session Final Test (UASA) in Forms 1, 2 and 3, as well as at SPM level.
Jaginder also extended gratitude to the Indian government for the Grant in Aid to Indo Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies (GIA) in support of KDM activities.
Also present at the dinner were Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia BN Reddy as well as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's special officer Shanmugam Mookan.
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