| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Language and Literature Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports yesterday handed over Early Literacy Pack 2018 in conjunction with the National Family Day celebration. The ceremony was held at the Al-‘Afiah Hall at the Ministry of Health.
The 5th Early Literacy Pack was handed over by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin yesterday.
Hajah Sariani binti Haji Ishak, Acting Director of Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) in her capacity as the chairperson of the organising committee explained that the programme’s main objective is to support His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah as well as the sabda of His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office on the importance of attaining basic skills such as reading, writing and counting to produce a knowledgeable, informative, and competitive nation.
She said the Early Literacy Pack programme has been carried out since 2014 in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs. Books such as for learning letters and numbers were given to infants born in February under the programme.
“Infants need to be exposed to reading as early as possible. This is because in their first two years of age they can easily absorb all the things that they experience through their senses.
“Early literacy is not merely about reading but it can be extended to other activities. Directly, this programme can open the mind and the parents’ awareness of the importance of reading.
“This programme is also practised in countries like the United Kingdom, Japan and Korea. Most of them held this programme as a book start.
“This programme is very effective in empowering reading culture among children. When we look at England, in 2017 when the child was five years, out of 669,919 children – 77 per cent has the reading ability, 85 per cent spoke well and 86 per cent were able to understand the information presented.
“Through this programme, the level of literacy among children in Brunei Darussalam will increase to achieve the goals of Vision 2035 producing a nation of educated, skilled and high achievers,” she said.
This year 378 babies received their Early Literacy Pack while 296 babies are in the Brunei-Muara District, 31 in the Tutong District, 50 in the Belait District and one in the Temburong District.
Also present at the ceremony were members of the Legislative Council, YB Iswandy bin Ahmad, YB Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari, YB Nik Hafimi binti Abdul Haadii and YB Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Haji Abdul Rahman.
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