i-THINK programme a success

0

Reyani Jono

Hasbi Shamat

Salmiah Arabi

KUCHING: The i-THINK programme introduced to 10 schools in the nation under a pilot programme this January has been a success here so far.

Sekolah Kebangsaan Tan Sri Datuk Haji Mohamed is the only school in the state to adopt the programme.

The programme is a new learning approach centred around eight thinking processes, each represented by a thinking map, aimed at facilitating an innovative culture in primary and secondary school students.

“It’s a great programme,” said canteen operator Salmiah Arabi, 42, whose son has shown a drastic improvement in attitude towards his studies this year.

“Last year, when he was in Standard 4, he was not excited about going to school. This year, I noticed that he began to be more interested in his studies, he has hardly missed a day of school and he does his homework without being told,” she said.

Cleaner Reyani Jono, 38, is another grateful parent.

“My son has been promoted to a better class a few months into the year after a school exam. Before the programme was introduced, he was weak in his studies..now, there is a great change in his attitude,” Reyani said.

She added that the programme should be implemented in all schools from pre-schools to secondary level.

Administrative assistant Habsah Arbi, 36, whose five-year old studies in a pre-school at the school has endorsed the suggestion.

She first encountered the thinking maps when she saw her child using them, and curious to know more, asked what they were.

“I was impressed when my child explained how he uses,” said Habsah.

She added that she has seen the positive impact of the programme on the teachers too.

Linda Li Mok Seng, a 33-year old teaching assistant, who has two children in the school, is equally excited of the programme, and said if a course were to be conducted to teach parents how to use the thinking maps, she and other parents would be interested to attend.

Headmaster Hasbi Shamat, 53, is pleased with the parents’ support for the programme and is a strong advocate of it.

The ministry will roll out the programme to 1,000 schools nationwide next year.