Latest news with #YayasanPerak
Barnama
29-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Increased Tourist Arrivals, Foreign Investment Has Boosted Proficiency Of English In Perak
IPOH, May 29 (Bernama) -- An increase in tourist arrivals and foreign investment into Perak, along with the implementation of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan, are seen as contributing factors to the increased proficiency in English among the people in the state. Professor in the Department of English Language and English Literature, Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Dr. Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun, said that several initiatives under the plan ensure that people of various age groups in Perak can acquire good English language skills. "The Perak Menteri Besar's Office, Yayasan Perak, and the Perak State Education Department have launched an initiative for additional reference books under the Cikgu Sarani Tuition (TCS) program, and this includes English subject and additional reference books along with tuition to improve English proficiency in Perak. "Besides that, Yayasan Perak also conducts English courses, for example, 'Practical English Proficiency in Working' and 'Business Communication Course' for the public and state government staff," she said when contacted by Bernama today. Raja Nor Safinas said these courses emphasize and teach participants basic grammar skills, effective communication methods, and the use of English in the workplace, and as a result, it helps people feel more confident speaking the English language. Additionally, she mentioned that the number of international tourists visiting Perak increased by 11.9 percent in 2024, and through the 2024 Hotel Guest Survey, 970,611 foreign tourists visited the state last year compared to 867,665 people in 2023. "When there is an influx of international tourists, the people in this state will definitely meet them, and certainly there will be interaction and communication that requires a high level of understanding so that the intended message is conveyed accurately. "Furthermore, these foreign tourists will also visit the many viral food spots in Ipoh and go to Pangkor Island as a duty-free zone, indirectly increasing the use and mastery of English as a communication tool," she said. Earlier, Perak was crowned as the champion in English proficiency ranking in Malaysia with a score of 585 in the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) 2024, surpassing other states.
The Star
07-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Perak to give out 52,000 SPM reference books to help students, says Saarani
IPOH: Some 52,000 additional reference books for SPM would be distributed to students who are weak in certain subjects, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad. The Perak Mentri Besar said the distribution of the books for the six core subjects would be handed out gradually to those students according to their weaknesses in certain subjects. Saarani said during the pilot project launched last year, a total of 4,000 books were distributed. 'For this year, Bahasa Melayu and Sejarah books will be printed out first, and handed to students requiring additional guidance in both subjects. 'After that, books for the other subjects will be printed,' he told a press conference during the symbolic presentation to five students at his office here on Wednesday (May 7). Saarani added that the books were part of the 'Tuisyen Cikgu Saarani' programme developed through strategic collaboration between Yayasan Perak, the state Education Department, and the state government. He said this strategic partnership is part of the state government's ongoing efforts to support students in Perak to improve their academic performance, especially in preparation for SPM through focused and targeted programmes. Saarani said that under the programme, focused on interventions such as extra classes, free meals, motivational programmes, and academic screenings have also been carried out. 'During the pilot project last year, when the books were distributed, the results were very positive. 'Following this success, the current focus is on the two compulsory subjects—Bahasa Melayu and History. 'These books will complement four more core subject reference books—English, Mathematics, Islamic Education, and Science—that are currently in the process of being published,' he said. Saarani said this completes a series of high-impact intervention programmes implemented by Yayasan Perak to support SPM student excellence. He said these interventions contributed significantly to the improvement of the 2024 SPM results in Perak, with the state's average grade improving to 4.63 compared to 4.75 the previous year. 'A total of 25,774 candidates, or 93.86%, qualified for the SPM certificate, while the number of students who scored As rose to 927, including nine with straight A+. 'Of course, this does not mean our programme alone produced these results, as teachers and schools also have their own initiatives,' he said.
