YEAR 2015PROJECTS

The PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL’s mission is to act as a catalyst for change by providing the platform for

lively exploration of new ideas and stimulating the exploration and development of innovative solutions, thereby contributingto Penang’s development as the foremost centre for education and learning in the country

Based on the recognition of education as a basic human right and the principle of Education for All, the Council will promoteand support projects without bias, prejudice or discrimination on any grounds.

The Council’s objectives are:a. To promote a culture of continuous and life-long learning

b. To enrich the lives of ordinary citizens by supporting innovative, creative and enjoyable learning experiences that willstimulate new interests, cross cultural exchanges, widen intellectual horizons and motivate more self-expression.

c. To stimulate greater interest in the fields of culture, the arts and heritage

d. To provide avenues for school-aged children to have exposure to a different range of learning experiences outside theformal classroom curriculum and setting

e. To support projects that will promote greater awareness of and improve services available to specific target groups thatrequire special attention due to disabilities, special needs, limitations of current institutions or gaps in formal educationalteaching.

f. To formulate, pioneer and coordinate outreach and/or action-orientated programs that focus on social issues thatdemand more attention (eg mental health issues) or target groups of particular importance in education (e.g. pre-schoolchildren, drop-outs from the formal education system).

g. To promote the development of Penang as an education hub.

In working towards these objectives, the Council will play a complementary catalyst role in bringing together andstrengthening the partnership between various stakeholders - the government and its various agencies, civil societyorganisations, private institutions, academia, research institutions and individuals, whose activities or entity does not involvein commerce or profiteering such as non-profit organisations that offers volunteering efforts. It will strategically implementprogrammes, projects and initiatives that serve to meet gaps in the current formal education system or explore new ways ofmeeting broader educational ideals.

TAHUN 2015

MAJLIS PENDIDIKAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG

(PEC)

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL

Misi MAJLIS PENDIDIKAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG sebagai pemangkin perubahan adalah untuk

menyediakan ruang untuk penerokaan idea baru dan memberangsangkan penerokaan dan pembangunanpenyelesaian inovatif, sekali gus menyumbang kepada pembangunan Negeri Pulau Pinang sebagai pusatpendidikan dan pembelajaran terkemuka di negara ini.

Berdasarkan pengikhtirafan pendidikan sebagai hak asasi manusia and prinsip Pendidikan Adalah untuk Semua,Majlis akan mempromosi dan menyokong projek tanpa berat-sebelah, prasangka dan diskriminasi.

Objektif Majlis adalah:a. Untuk mempromosi budaya pembelajaran berterusan dan sepanjang hayatb. Untuk memperkaya kehidupan rakyat biasa dengan menyokong pengalaman pembelajaran yang inovatif,kreatif dan seronok yang dapat merangsangkan minat baru, perkongsian merentasi budaya, melebarkan ufukintelek dan memupuk lebih pendapat sendiric. Untuk merangsangkan minat yang lebih dalam bidang kebudayaan, seni dan warisand. Untuk menyediakan ruang pendedahan bagi kanak-kanak sekolah kepada pelbagai pengalaman pembelajarandiluar persekitaran dan kurikulum kelase. Untuk menyokong projek-projek yang menggalakkan kesedaran dan meningkatkan perkhidmatan yang sediaada untuk kumpulan sasaran tertentu yang memerlukan perhatian istimewa disebabkan kurang upaya, keperluanistimewa, kekangan dalam institusi masa kini atau jurang yang terdapat dalam pengajaran pendidikan.f. Untuk mengubal, menyeleras dan sebagai perintis program outreach dan/atau berorientasikan tindakan yangfokus terhadap isu social yang memerlukan perhatian lebih (seperti isu kesihatan mental) atau kumpulan sasarantertentu yang dalam pendidikan (seperti kanak-kanak prasekolah, yang tercicir daripada sistem pendidikanformal.g. Untuk menggalakkan pembangunan Pulau Pinang sebagai hub pendidikan.

Ke arah mencapai objektif yang tertera diatas, Majlis akan memainkan peranan sebagai pelengkap pemangkindalam menemukan dan mengukuhkan perkongsian antara pelbagai pihak berkepentingan – kerajaan danjabatan-jabatan kerajaan, pertubuhan masyarakat, institusi swasta, academia, institusi penyelidikan dan individudimana aktiviti atau entity tidak terlibat dalam urusan komersial atau berkeuntungan seperti organisasi tidakberkeuntungan yang menyediakan kerja sukarelawan. Majlis akan melaksanakan program, project atau inisiatifyang dapat memenuhi jurang yang sedia ada dalam sistem pendidikan formal atau meneroka cara baru untukmemenuhi aspirasi pendidikan yang lebih luas.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

a. Skill Enhancement Workshop for teachers, parents and preschoolchildren by Preschool Education Committee

A series of workshop for preschool teachers and also for preschoolers that involvesexploration through the five senses, interactive movements using music andunderstanding phonics. Among the workshop carried out for the year are:

WORKSHOP DATE VENUE NO. PAX

PHONICS FOR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS, PRIMARY 1 & 2 TEACHERS AND PARENTS

3,4 AND 5 JUNE2015

CABIN, HINDU ENDOWMENT BOARD BUILDING

37

FINE AND GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

8 AND 9 JUNE 2015 CABIN, HINDU ENDOWMENT BOARD BUILDING

26

SENSORI-MOTOR FOR 3-6 YEAR OLD CHILDREN

19 SEPTEMBER 2015

CARING SOCIETY COMPLEX 50

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT PART ONE

16 AUGUST 2015 CARING SOCIETY COMPLEX 26

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT PART TWO

13 SEPTEMBER 2015

CARING SOCIETY COMPLEX 27

SPEECH AND DRAMA CAMP 1: ADULT

25 JULY 2015 SK MINDEN HEIGHTS 35

SPEECH AND DRAMA CAMP 2: 7-10 YEAR OLD

1 AUGUST 2015 SK MINDEN HEIGHTS 35

SPEECH AND DRAMA CAMP 3: 4-6 YEAR OLD

8 AUGUST 2015 SK MINDEN HEIGHTS 18

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

b. My Special Friend by BOLD Association for Special Needs ChildrenThe focus of this programme will be specifically on engaging developing pre-schoolchildren using specially designed storybooks to instill awareness and stimulate empathyand engaging them directly in helping their classmates with special needs. The output isthe production of a book entitled “My Special Friend”. The objective is to create a set ofmaterials, appropriate to the Malaysian context that can be used to teach disabilityawareness among young children, in particular those of preschool and early primaryschool age. The programme was implemented in three stages. First stage focussed onresearch and production of the set of five children’s books entitled “My Special Friend”.Second stage was piloted tested on 20 developing children who have classmates withSpecial Needs in their classrooms. Finally the Third Stage is the evaluation and reviewstage to look into further improvements to the books. They had also worked withteachers, mentors and friends to do a teacher’s training kit. The drafts were written first inEnglish and then translated into Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. The series of five bookswas written from the perspective of a typically developing child who has a “special” friendwith a disability or learning difficulty. Each of the four books describes a friend who is alittle bit different because s/he has Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Down Syndrome or Dyslexia. The fifth book provides anover-aching viewpoint about how classmates can be different in many different ways butthey can be good friends and help each other.

c. HELP4U volunteer email support service by HELP4UThis is an online counselling programme that focuses on increasing awareness andunderstanding of HELP4U so that public especially young people can seek help throughemail counselling. A total of 1663 students were introduced to the online counselling serviceat talks at various schools in Penang. There are 15 regular volunteers who administer thereplies to the emails received. Some 208 emails were responded by the volunteers in 2015,out of which 45% fall in the age group of 18-20. Among the issues highlighted arerelationships (43%), Studies in terms of study tips, career choice and exam anxiety (16.4%)and self/body image (4.3%).

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

d. Creative Platform for the transmission of local knowledge by Arts-EDThe first part of the project’s focus on building a pool of young creative adults who willinteract with experts from the community and develop skills in working with community.A pool of 25 individuals of young adults comprising artists, facilitators, coordinators,cultural workers who have interest in community-based art and culture education foryoung people were equipped with various skill aspects of project management, designand execution of community-based arts and culture project using the set of trainingsyllabus and templates based on the resource kit published by Arts-ED a year ago. Theparticipants were then placed in a place-based learning projects initiated by Arts-ED forpractical exposure.

The second part of the project aims to introduce and promote intangible cultural heritageto young people through half-day, hands-on and interactive place-based learningworkshops. The project provided an opportunity and platform for students and teachersto appreciate local cultural heritage outside their school context. It brought awareness tothe students to understand their everyday culture and life in greater detail. A total of 179students from nine schools in the workshop. Out of which, two schools managed toharness learning points from the programme to enhance teaching in schools andincorporate them into their extra-curricular activities.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

e. Creative Learning Enrichment ProgrammeThe project under this programme is known as Creative Learning in English in aCommunity Setting and has been implemented in ten residential areas/community livingspace since 2010. The project is uniquely designed with a combination of art, music,storytelling, play and games to create a fun learning experience for children. This year, theproject visited George Town and 30 children attended the eight-days of creative learningprogramme held at a hall located within the serenity of the Kapitan Keling Mosque. A newmodule on understanding the “Brain” was added to the program that focuses onconnecting all the neurons in the brain. The children managed to come up with a storyentitled “The Calamities at Kampung Tok Janggut”. The story written by the children talksabout the disaster faced by the kampong from tornado, floods and earthquake. Thechildren were given space to draw and write creatively as well as be independent in theirthoughts. In their story, there is idea, there is emotion, there is hope and there is a dream.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

f. Penang International Kids Storytelling Festival 2015It is a storytelling festival presented by adult storytellers from national and internationallevel to children. A tribute to the children in conjunction with World Children’s Day. It is inits sixth year. The session started with a Storytelling Brunch with British Council’s JulieTurner on 13 June 2015 and followed by Pre-Fest Storytelling Competition on 3 October2015. On 28 November 2015, some 1000 children and parents converged at SentralCollege Penang to hear some 13 storytellers to narrate stories. The storytellers are:a. Andrew Scott Wrightb. Jeeva Raghunathc. Dr Wajuppa Tossad. Michael Leee. Chen Ming-Hsiang (Uncle Fat)f. Dr Murti Bunantag. Dr Prasong Saihongh. Ummi Shami. Mandy Chuangj. Dr Hardy Shafiik. Dr Mumtaz Beguml. Ooi Kee Howm. Tan Leong Kim (Kim Sir)

On 29 November 2015, a StorytellingTechniqueWorkshop was organized atSentral College Penang for Adult and Children.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL: 2015

g. Arts4Life – A Creative Suicide Prevention Programme by Centre forCreative Arts Therapy

It is a suicide prevention programme to address the mental health needs of students inprimary schools who may present with potential emotional and psychological risk thatcould increase their vulnerability to suicide. The individual therapy programme aims toincrease the students self-esteem, strengthen their resilience and enhance their abilitiesto cope with crises in life. The group therapy programmes of Developing Self-Esteem aimto increase the students self-esteem and enhance their anger, stress and anxietymanagement skills through creative arts activities in group. A total of 186 students fromthree schools participated in the programme and 14% of the participating studentsshowed low self-esteem.

h. Teach One to Teach Another by Creativity at Heart CentreThe programme hopes to reach out to the children in the primary schools that will coverbook reading ability with THINK BIG programme, bullying and safety, Stop Child Abuse andNeglect programme. It was implemented using creative arts skills and experientiallearning such as art and craft, sensory, rhythmic, role play and music. The state of mind ofthe children were assessed with Self-Development Quotient and were taught the powerof the brain and emotions in order to enhance emotional resilience and also on theimportance of Listen, Speak, Read and Write. A total of 100 children took part in theprogramme and given the book “I am Special” that builds identity, self-confidence anddevelop emotional resilience.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL (PEC) was formed under the State Government Executive Council for Education to facilitate input fromeducationists on how to assist the State Government in developing and positioning Penang into a prominent centre for learning andeducation. It was set up to facilitate continuous quality improvement in cultivation of skills, mental, moral and aesthetic development aswell as informal education. The Council’s mission is to act as a catalyst for change by providing the platform for lively exploration of newideas and stimulating the exploration and development of innovative solutions, thereby contributing to Penang’s development as theforemost centre for education and learning in the country. PPST is one of the programme that comes under the purview of Penang EducationCouncil.

PENANG EDUCATION COUNCIL

MAJLIS PENDIDIKAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG

educationpenang@gmail.com

phone (604) 228-3306 [ext. 130/131/132]

fax (604) 226-7042

c/o Penang Institute

No. 10 Brown Road, 10350 Penang

https://www.facebook.com/educationpenang/

https://www.facebook.com/PenangInternationalKidsStorytellingFestival/

PENANG

COUNCIL

EDUCATION