LEARNING to read requires effort and guidance, the rewards of which some 100 pupils from Selangor recently commemorated at a special event.
As the 2025 cohort of Projek BacaBaca – part of the Education for All Impact Lab at Taylor’s University – the children gathered at Taylor’s Subang Jaya campus with their reading coaches, teachers and the initiative’s education partners to celebrate their achievements.
The April 18 event, graced by Education deputy director general (policy and curriculum) Dr Rusmini Ku Ahmad, included a pupil reading showcase and an award presentation ceremony.
The pupils – from SK Bandar Sunway, SJK (T) Batu Ampat, SJK (T) Effingham, SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Choh and SJK (T) Vivekananda – were among the more than 700 children who have benefited from the initiative since its inception in 2021.
Now entering its sixth year, the initiative has recorded a 100% improvement in literacy rates across more than 20 schools and a range of communities, including urban low-income settings, rural communities, Orang Asli communities, and children managing chronic health conditions.
Taylor’s University project leader and senior lecturer Hema Letchamanan said the strength of the initiative lies in a shared commitment to a larger purpose.
“Projek BacaBaca began with a simple but important goal: to ensure that every child, regardless of background, can read at grade level.
“Over time, it has grown into a collective effort involving educators, partners and communities who believe in giving children a strong start. When a child learns to read with confidence, it opens up so many possibilities for learning and their future, and that is what continues to drive this work,” she said.
Since its launch, the research-driven initiative led by the School of Education at Taylor’s University has been dedicated to strengthening proficiency in both English and Bahasa Malaysia (BM) among young learners aged six to nine.
In addition, Projek BacaBaca+, an extension of the initiative, supports pupils aged 11 and 12 from Chinese and Tamil primary schools in achieving mastery level (TP4 to TP6) in BM.
Conducted through face-to-face group sessions, the programme helps ease pupils’ transition into secondary school.
Hema credited the initiative’s volunteers for helping drive its impact.
“Over the past five years, more than 500 individuals have joined us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of these children. I hope we can continue to expand our reach and deepen the impact for years to come,” she said in a press release.
Beyond academic progress, improvements in reading often extend beyond measurable outcomes, nurturing confidence, curiosity and independent learning habits, while instilling lifelong values such as discipline, self-belief and a genuine love for learning, the press release added.
