Global Village UMP promotes better command of English among secondary school students

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), in collaboration with its Association of International Economic & Commercial Science Student Club (AIESEC), Department of Student Affairs & Alumni (JHEPA) and UMP International Office, recently organized a programme to promote better command of the English language among secondary school students.

Vide its Global Village UMP 2019, some 200 students from five secondary schools from the towns of Pekan and Kuantan took part in the programme to learn communicating in English.

Among the participating secondary schools were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sungai Soi, SMK Ubai, SMK Mat Kilau, SMK Paya Besar and SMK Seri Mahkota. 

Held at the UMP Holdings Hall in UMP Gambang Campus on July 26, 2019, the programme was officially closed by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan’s Member of Parliament (MP).

In her official address, Fuziah congratulated UMP for its efforts, saying such programme helped promote better command of the English language among secondary school students.

“With the presence of seven international volunteers from India, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and Pakistan, it is certainly hoped that such programme will have a positive impact on the participants.

“I was made to understand that one of the main programme activities, called “Speak Up”, is slotted to help secondary school students utilize English as their daily communication tool,” said the Deputy Minister.

Fuziah expressed her hope that such programme could also help eradicate the negative perception of English as a difficult language to master and a confusing subject to learn.

“To better communicate in English, students have to read a lot more English books,” the MP emphasized, adding that teachers also have a pivotal role to play to encourage students to master the language.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Professor Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin expressed his appreciation to the international volunteers who spared their time to come to Malaysia and made the six-weeks Speak Up programme among secondary schools in Pekan and Kuantan a success.

“The international volunteers not only helped with the programme, but also shared with the participants their diverse culture, traditional food and music,” said Professor Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie.
“The volunteers played an important role of bridging the differences of culture and strengthening the bond. They also helped the participants keep abreast with the current state of world affairs,” he added.

Among those present at the closing of the programme were Director of UMP International Office, Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi; Dean of Students Development (JHEPA), Dr. Ahmad Johari Mohamad; AIESEC UMP Advisor and Lecturer at the Centre for Modern Languages & Human Sciences (CMLHS), Haslinda Robita Hashim; and Programme Director, Celine Hing.

At the event, there was also an exhibition by the international students at UMP, who also showcased various international cuisines – among them from countries like Algeria, Pakistan, Yaman, Egypt, India and Kyrgyzstan.

AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-run organization – an international non-governmental and not-for-profit that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and volunteer exchange experience.