IN their fifth year of empowering primary school pupils to improve literacy, Projek BacaBaca and Projek BacaBaca+ are recruiting volunteers to serve as reading coaches starting next month.
Led by the School of Education at Taylor’s University, the initiatives are committed to ensuring pupils are able to read, building the foundation for academic success and confidence in the classroom.
Project BacaBaca is a one-to-one online reading project dedicated to enhancing English and Bahasa Malaysia (BM) literacy among children aged six to nine.
Dr IndraWith the support of Mah Sing Foundation, the project has successfully addressed learning poverty, benefiting some 500 pupils nationwide.
Stressing that anyone can volunteer, project leader and senior lecturer at Taylor’s University Hema Letchamanan said, “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 the team works towards a more inclusive and educated future, she said.
An extension of this initiative, Projek BacaBaca+ supports 11- and 12-year-old pupils from Chinese and Tamil primary schools in achieving Mastery Level TP4 to TP6 for their BM assessments. This initiative, conducted face-to-face in a group setting, ensures a smoother transition to Form One.
Making a difference
While the pupils 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 children.
Hani NurainiHailing 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, the retired doctor wants to connect with the younger generation and contribute to someone’s life, even if it is only 30 minutes per week.
Initially struggling to engage a young pupil with a short attention span, she introduced exercise breaks during reading sessions after noticing his love for physical activity, and it led to remarkable improvements in his BM proficiency and confidence.
SarahDespite challenges such as limited connectivity and access to a digital device, the pupil’s eagerness to learn drove his progress.
“The joy I felt seeing his eager smile and the effort he put into trying to read fluently kept me going,” she shared.
For Hani Nuraini Zaini, a Taylor’s University student, the simple act of guiding a nine-year-old boy to read during her gap year solidified her decision to pursue a degree in education.
A class discussion on educational inequality later led Hani Nuraini to join Projek BacaBaca, where she coached a girl to read.
“At the beginning, she was shy and timid, often nervous to utter words or to read the materials provided as she was afraid 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,” she said, adding that the girl’s determination to improve and her commitment to becoming a better reader was truly inspiring.
On a personal level, Projek BacaBaca has not only honed Hani Nuraini’s teaching skills, leadership and adaptability but also deepened her 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 travel to the United States to further her knowledge of reading programmes.
For homemaker Sarah Zaharudin, being a Projek BacaBaca+ volunteer felt right from the get-go.
Moved by pupils’ enthusiasm for learning despite their challenges with BM, she recalled an encounter that reinforced her belief in giving every child a fair chance.
“In my first year of volunteering, I was paired with a playful boy. He constantly avoided work and was frequently reprimanded.
“We worried about his future, yet he passed his assessments and progressed to Form One.
“A year later, he was appointed class monitor! This made me realise that every child must be given the same opportunity and respect, as everyone blooms at a different time,” she said, before reminiscing about an unforgettable moment when she reviewed her pupils’ final test results.
“Compared to their initial scores, I saw significant improvement in their BM proficiency, and I burst into tears of joy.
“I was overwhelmed with emotion as I learnt that every pupil had achieved the Mastery Level required in their BM assessments and avoided heading to the Remove Class.”
The journey of these volunteers exemplifies how education, fuelled by passion and purpose, can spark lasting changes, both for children and reading coaches alike.
“Take the leap, as you may be the reason a child learns to dream bigger and believe in yourself,” Hani Nuraini concluded.
Projek BacaBaca
> Volunteers will be paired with a child (aged six to nine) from a disadvantaged home.
> Volunteers will teach the child reading (in BM and English) for three semesters (30 weeks in total).
> Minimum commitment requirement: one semester (10 weeks).
> Time: 30 minutes per language; twice a week (volunteers can choose to only teach one language).
> Mode: Online platform /regular voice calls via mobile phone (for children who don’t have access to good Internet connection).
> No teaching experience needed. Training will be provided.
Details: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBHpRvTZh8hBBa-UDtqbgD7ZVFIu7P-UnS_-Opse8t3QkToQ/viewform
