UNLEASHING POTENTIAL: PEKAN’S FORM SIX STUDENTS SOAR AT EMPOWERING MUET SEMINAR
Let’s excel together! A number of 183 Form Six students from three schools in Pekan district namely SMK Tengku Abdullah, SMK Sultan Ahmad, and SMK Dato’ Mahmud Mat were involved in a one-day MUET seminar organised by DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia on 13 June 2024. Four senior language teachers – Ms. Noor Azlinda Zainal Abidin, Ms. Nor Suhardiliana binti Sahar, Ms. Nursyafawati binti Sabuan, and Ms. Norasisah Nurul Fatwa binti Mohd Razali – from Centre for Modern Languages, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah were invited as speakers in this program which was collaborated with Pekan District Education Office. These language teachers are experts in their field.
During the seminar, the speakers covered the technique and strategies in answering the four tests in MUET – speaking, listening, writing, and reading. The session started at 9am with Speaking by Ms. Noor Azlinda, which was then followed by Writing, presented by Ms. Nor Suhardiliana. The afternoon session started at 2pm with Ms. Nur Syafawati giving a comprehensive guide on how to approach the MUET Reading questions which later ended by Ms. Noraisah Nurul Fatwa with some tips on how to answer the Listening test. As experts in their field, these language teachers had shared valuable insights and knowledge with the students who will sit for the exam in the near future.
According to Ms. Shaifatul Diana binti Baharom, the Program Director, the collaboration between these two universities was part of the universities’ social responsibility to share knowledge and help to improve the academic performance of students in the local community. This was achieved by providing experienced educators or facilitators who shared the latest knowledge and strategies for answering MUET questions. Simultaneously, the schools also directly benefited from this program, as Form 6 students became better prepared and knowledgeable about the current format and strategies for tackling MUET questions.
A giving-back-to-the-community program, the seminar gained positive feedback from students and teachers. A teacher from SMK Sultan Ahmad stated that the seminar was really helpful as speakers provided many examples for the students to refer to such as the initial skeleton of argumentative essay for the writing test. A student from one of the participating schools said that the seminar not only helped her to refresh her memories about what she had learned in class, but it also provided her with new skills in contributing to a group discussion.
The seminar was a resounding success, fostering a spirit of unity and a shared goal of academic excellence. It was a day that proved when a community comes together for the betterment of its youth, the potential for greatness is boundless. The students left not just with new skills, but also with the knowledge that they have a supportive network cheering them on as they step into their futures. The journey towards English proficiency is a challenging one, but with the foundation laid on this day, these students are well on their way to soaring high in their MUET examination and beyond. In the end, it was a great day for everyone to learn and get better at English language.
Written by: Nor Suhardiliana binti Sahar and Noor Azlinda binti Zainal Abidin
