Free English enhancement programme at Curtin Malaysia for Sarawakian students

Miri – 7 April 2023 – Sarawakian secondary school leavers who are looking to enhance their English skills before entering a tertiary institution are encouraged to take advantage of the four-week English Enhancement Programme (EEP) being offered at Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia).

The programme, which is sponsored by Yayasan Sarawak, is free of charge and enrolled students will also benefit from a one-off allowance of RM300. Furthermore, those from outside Miri will enjoy free on-campus accommodation for the duration of the programme.

The programme is designed to help students acquire and enhance their English language skills to prepare them for undergraduate studies where English is the language of instruction.

Students who successfully complete the programme and apply to join a foundation, diploma or degree propgramme at Curtin Malaysia can apply for Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL) or exemption from the courses’ Effective Communication Skills unit. They will also be eligible to apply for Yayasan Sarawak scholarships to pursue the programmes of their choice.

Associate Professor Fidella Tiew, director of Curtin Malaysia’s School of Pre-U and Continuing Education (SPACE) where the EEP will be conducted, said the programme emphasises active learning with opportunities to apply the language skills the students acquire in contexts and situations similar to academic learning at undergraduate level.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to apply effective communication skills in oral presentations and group discussions, demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills in various contexts, apply principles of effective and critical reading, listen to and understand conversations between two speakers in social or semi-official contexts, and write argumentative essays with examples to support points, among other outcomes.

To prepare them for university studies, they will also be taught to listen to and understand university-style lectures or talks, and apply fundamental concepts and elements of academic writing in academic essays.

The programme is open to those who have recently completed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) or other equivalent studies, and they can apply with either their mock or actual results. Applications for the first cohort (2 – 30 May 2023) closes on 26 April 2023.

According to Associate Professor Tiew, further cohorts are scheduled on a monthly basis until the end of the year. Students who do not make it into this initial cohort due to a maximum intake of 30 students per cohort can always apply to join a subsequent cohort. As demand is high, they are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

For more information on the course, call SPACE at 085-630100 ext. 2816 or visit its website at https://cmspace.curtin.edu.my. Alternatively, one can contact Chyrl David of Curtin Malaysia’s Domestic Student Recruitment Department at 019-805 1399 or send an email to chyrl.david@curtin.edu.my.

To know more about Curtin Malaysia, visit www.curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or Tik-Tok.

Sarawakian students encouraged to take advantage of Curtin Malaysia’s free English Enhancement Programme