In its fifth year of empowering primary school students to further improve their literacy, Projek BacaBaca and Projek BacaBaca+ are recruiting volunteers to serve as reading coaches for its next phase commencing in April. Led by the School of Education at Taylor’s University, the initiative is committed to ensuring students are able to read, building the foundation for academic success and confidence in the classroom.

Project BacaBaca is a one-on-one online reading project dedicated to enhancing English and Malay literacy among children aged 6 to 9. Since its inception, 500 students have been positively impacted nationwide in terms of tackling the issue of learning poverty. With the continued support of Mah Sing Foundation for the fifth consecutive year, Projek BacaBaca remains steadfast in fostering literary development in communities including Kampung Bokilong in Kota Belud, PPR Seri Alam, PPR Semarak, SJK(C) Chung Hwa, SK Bandar Sunway, SJK (T) Ladang Batu Ampat and SJK(T) Seaport.  

Project leader and senior lecturer at Taylor’s University Hema Letchamanan emphasises that anyone can volunteer, as training will be provided. “As long as you have the heart to educate and contribute, we welcome you to join us. Projek BacaBaca not only enhances children’s educational outcomes but also empowers reading coaches, fostering a sense of community as we work towards a more inclusive and educated future,” she said. An extension of this initiative, Projek BacaBaca+ supports 11- and 12-year-old students from Chinese and Tamil primary schools in achieving Mastery Level (TP4 to TP6) for their Bahasa Melayu assessments. This initiative, conducted face-to-face in a group setting, ensures a smoother transition into Form 1.

Buoyed by the positive development among SJK(T) Seaport students and Yayasan Hasanah’s grant support, Projek BacaBaca+ is now expanding to five additional schools in the Klang Valley for 24 weeks. They include SK Bandar Sunway, SJT (T) Vivekananda, SJK (T) Ladang Batu Ampat, SJK (T) Ladang Effingham and SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Choh.

Yearning to Make a Difference

While the students form the heart of this programme, a key strength of Projek BacaBaca lies in the diverse group of dedicated reading coaches who come together to make a change in the lives of underserved young children. Hailing from all walks of life, this dedicated group of volunteers comprises secondary school students, retirees, stay-at-home mothers and working professionals.  

As Projek BacaBaca’s most senior reading coach, Dr Indra Pathmanthan never allowed her age to be a barrier when it comes to giving back to society. Aged 87, she is a retired medical doctor who wants to reconnect with the younger generation and contribute to someone’s life, even if it is only 30 minutes every week. 

Initially struggling to engage a young student with a short attention span, she sought guidance from Projek BacaBaca organisers and an experienced teacher. “After getting to know him, I recognised his love for physical activity. So, I introduced short exercise breaks during reading sessions when he lost concentration, and it led to remarkable improvements in his Bahasa Melayu proficiency and confidence”, she explained. 

Despite challenges such as limited connectivity and access to a digital device, the student’s eagerness to learn and the support of Projek BacaBaca organisers drove his progress. “The joy I felt seeing his eager smile and the effort he puts into trying to read fluently kept me going.” 

For Hani Nuraini Zaini, a Taylor’s University student, the simple act of guiding a 9-year-old boy to read during her gap year solidified her decision to pursue a degree in education. Her commitment further deepened during a class discussion on educational inequality by her lecturer, Ms Hema. Inspired to take action, Hani joined Projek BacaBaca, where she coached a young girl to read. “At the beginning, she was shy and timid, often nervous to utter words or read the materials provided. Over time, I realised that her lack of confidence stemmed from a fear of making mistakes. I gently encouraged her and celebrated every small win. After a few sessions, I noticed her gradual progress as she embraced learning and requested more classes. Her determination to improve and her commitment to becoming a better reader was truly inspiring.”

On the personal front, Projek BacaBaca has not only honed Hani’s teaching skills, leadership, and adaptability but also developed a deeper appreciation for the collaborative nature of education. The experience has since propelled her to teach reading to undocumented children in Sarawak, intern as an educator at refugee schools, and even earn an opportunity to travel to the U.S. to further her knowledge in reading programmes.

From the moment homemaker Sarah Zaharudin attended a trial session with Projek BacaBaca+, she was inspired to join, moved by students' enthusiasm for learning despite their challenges with Bahasa Melayu. One student, in particular, reinforced her belief in giving every child a fair chance. “In my first year of volunteering, a playful boy constantly avoided work and was frequently reprimanded. We worried about his future, yet he passed his assessments and progressed to Secondary One. A year later, I discovered that he was appointed as a class monitor! This experience taught me that all children must be given the same opportunity and respect, as everyone blooms at a different time.”

Sarah also recalled an unforgettable moment when she reviewed her students’ final test results. “Compared to their initial scores, I saw significant improvement in their Bahasa Melayu proficiency, and I burst into tears of joy. I was overwhelmed with emotion as I learned that every student had achieved the Mastery Level required in their Bahasa Melayu assessments and avoided heading to the Remove Class.”

Fighting the Good Cause

Inspiring others to join the cause to tackle learning poverty, Hani shared that her journey began with a single step. “Take the leap, as you may be the reason a child learns to dream bigger and believe in yourself,” she said. 

Their journey as volunteers exemplifies how education, fueled by passion and purpose, can spark lasting changes, both for students and reading coaches alike. Be part of this transformative impact by joining Dr Indra, Hani and Sarah in bridging the learning poverty gap. Volunteer as a reading coach for the 2025 phase of Projek BacaBaca starting in April here.

This content is provided by Taylor’s University

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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