Reading is fun-damental: Tan (fifth from right) and Low (fourth from right) with SJKC Chong Hwa 1 pupils and teachers after conducting a storytelling and workshop session for the programme.
JOHOR BARU: Custom-made Malayan tapir bookshelves are making their rounds in rural Johor schools in a charming effort to get children excited about reading.
Shaped like the endangered animal and filled with children’s storybooks, the wooden bookshelves are part of the Hi Tapir! reading programme run by a couple to nurture a love for reading among pupils in areas with limited access to a wide range of books.
Programme initiator Tan Chze Ping, 30, said the mobile bookshelves are wheeled into the participating schools, where they remain for about five months to give pupils a chance to read different titles and learn about the unique creature they are modelled after.
“Each bookshelf is about 50cm tall, 90cm long and 40cm wide. It contains some 40 books – enough to avoid repetition of the titles.
“We also came up with names for each tapir bookshelf, such as Oscar, Habibi and Cloud, to add a whimsical touch that appeals to children. We also hope it will give them a sense of ownership towards the ‘adopted tapirs’,” he said in an interview.
Since the initiative started in May, the project has engaged 11 Chinese primary schools in Kluang, with interest growing in Segamat, he added.
“One of the rural primary schools we went to had less than 70 pupils in total from Year One to Year Six, so they were very excited to participate in our programme.
“Many of the pupils have also never heard of the Malayan tapir, even though it is native to South-East Asia,” said Tan, who runs the programme with his girlfriend Low Jing Tong, 30.
The duo, who each has a day job as a village development officer and cafe owner respectively, operate under their non-governmental organisation, the Kluang Children’s Storybook Association, with the help of volunteers.
Tan explained that the programme was first launched in 2019 with 40 tapir bookshelves.
“Unfortunately, it all came to a halt during the Covid-19 pandemic. Not wanting our efforts to go to waste, we decided to bring Hi Tapir! back to life this year.
“However, only 25 of the bookshelves are still in good condition as the rest have deteriorated due to a lack of maintenance,” he added.
The couple hopes to reach more schools and inspire more students through the joy of reading and the story of the Malayan tapir.
Tan said he hopes to collaborate with more schools, including national primary schools, in other areas.
“Besides schools, we have brought the tapir bookshelves out for community programmes at the Kluang market, which caught the attention of many children.
“We just want to make reading fun for kids. And if a tapir can help do that, why not?” he said.
