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Borneo Post
11-07-2025
- Science
- Borneo Post
Chinese schools in Sarawak may allow voluntary DLP testing, says association head
Chai speaks to reporters when met during a recent visit to SJKC Chung Hua Batu 11 in Matang recently. KUCHING (July 11): Chinese primary schools (SJKC) in Sarawak are considering allowing their pupils to sit for the Dual Language Programme (DLP) assessment on a voluntary basis, despite not being officially included in the national programme. Association of Aided Chinese Primary Schools in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions president, Datuk Jonathan Chai, said the proposal is being explored as a means to gauge pupils' academic performance in Science and Mathematics. However, he cautioned that the results may not be fully representative. 'Since SJKC schools are not included in the DLP, any results obtained would serve more as an internal benchmark,' he said during a site visit to SJKC Chung Hua Batu 11 in Matang recently. Chai said that SJKC pupils may be allowed to take the test voluntarily within their own schools for self-assessment purposes. However, he added, full participation in the DLP would require formal approval from the Federal Education Ministry. 'At present, we continue using Mandarin as the primary medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics, as it remains the most effective approach for the majority of our students,' he noted. Chai also noted a shifting demographic, stating that approximately 40 per cent of pupils in SJKC schools now come from non-Chinese backgrounds, prompting a re-evaluation of the current language policy. While no final decision has been made, the association is actively engaging with stakeholders, including parents, educators and the broader community. 'We are also closely monitoring the outcomes of DLP assessments being carried out in national schools (SK),' he said. 'If those results show substantial improvement in students' performance, it may influence our next steps,' he added. Chai also remarked that earlier attempts to roll out DLP nationwide were hindered by inadequate preparation and support. 'If we're serious about improving English standards, we need to address the root cause – teacher capability,' he said. 'Short-term language programmes are insufficient. Effective language teaching requires long-term investment and properly-trained educators,' he stressed. While remaining cautious, the association remains open to initiatives that can enhance young learners' proficiency in English, without undermining their understanding of core subjects like Science and Mathematics.
Express Tribune
16-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PM wants IT training programmes for youth
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses a ceremony organized on the eve of 249th anniversary of Independence Day of United States of America on June 4, 2025. Photo: PID Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced plans to develop a sustainable and modern Information and Communication System in Pakistan, aimed at positioning the country as a regional hub for the information technology (IT) sector. Chairing a review meeting on the development of the IT training ecosystem in Pakistan, the prime minister emphasized the importance of equipping youth with modern, market-driven skills to support local transformation. He stressed that training programmes must be designed to ensure employment opportunities for participants. Shehbaz also underscored the need to provide competent IT professionals to local companies, enabling them to meet international standards and contribute to foreign exchange earnings. He directed that clear terms of reference be drafted for consultancy services related to the training system. He directed the Federal Education Ministry, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Neotech to work together with the IT Ministry to impart trainings in schools, colleges and universities level. The IT training should be ensured in summer camps during the current summer vacations, he said. The meeting was informed that recently the trained Pakistani students made the country proud by winning the first three positions, not only in China, but other competitions also, which was contested by 200,000 students from across the world. The prime minister was briefed that a target had been set to give training to 50,000 trainers in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad, keeping in view modern technology and contemporary requirements. Separately, the prime minister met with a United Arab Emirates (UAE) delegation, led by Deputy Minister Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange Abdulla Nasser Lootah, and expressed his desire to benefit from the UAE's experiences of its modern management system. Shehbaz said that Pakistan had taken steps such as digitisation and paperless economy to improve its administrative structure. In addition, a faceless customs system has also been implemented, said a separate press release issued by the PMO Media Wing. On the occasion, Lootah said that the UAE was happy to exchange experiences and information with Pakistan. Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz and Minister Lootah witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries. Under this MoU, the two countries will cooperate in improving government performance by exchanging knowledge and mutual experience, guidance and development models in the fields of development planning, public sector reforms, human resource, urban planning, and science and technology. (WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)
