THE Education Ministry will strengthen the implementation of the Adult Class for Orang Asli and Penan Parents initiative as a continuous effort to address the problem of Orang Asli children dropping out from school.

Its minister, Fadhlina Sidek said the programme has long been implemented by the ministry for Orang Asli parents to enable them to help with their children’s learning at home after school hours.

She said the initiative helped to improve mastery of the 3M skills – reading, writing and counting – among the community, especially students.

“Parents’ participation in the programme is amazing. The class records full attendance. This will help reduce the gap in capability between the Orang Asli students and ordinary students.

“We hope to attract more parents to take part in the classes,” she told Bernama when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV Ruang Bicara programme, “New Dimensions of Malaysian Education,” which was broadcast on the television channel last night.

MOE introduced the initiative in 2008 with the aim of reducing the illiteracy rate among the Orang Asli and Penan communities in Malaysia.

Bernama, in a series of special reports, revealed that the problem among the Orang Asli children is due to poor living standards in the interior, the lack of educational infrastructure and perfect logistical facilities.

According to Fadhlina, education for the Orang Asli has always been MOE’s focus.

She said various intervention measures have been taken by the ministry so that the community would not be left out, including establishing a close working relationship with the Orang Asli Development Department to manage the welfare of the community.

“MOE is also looking to improve infrastructure and learning facilities in Orang Asli schools and dilapidated schools in the country, especially in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak,” she said.

Meanwhile,  in another development,  Fadhlina said the names of the 15 members of the National Education Advisory Council are expected to be announced in mid-January.

She said the main focus of the council is to examine the issue of the workload borne by teachers,  including clerical duties, which has become a critical issue among educators in the country.

Apart from that, she said, the council’s function is to contribute ideas and views to the MOE in formulating and improving the direction of the country’s education.

“The issue of teachers being burdened with duties other than their actual duties, issues on their welfare are a priority for the MOE to address,” she said.

Prior to this, Fadhlina announced that the council had been reactivated as provided under the Education Act 1996 to contribute ideas and views in formulating and improving the direction of the country’s education.

She said the council membership is made up of stakeholders in the field of education such as activists, teachers, former teachers and academics. – Bernama, December 31, 2022.