Chai: Unimas’ research findings help non-Chinese cope in Chinese medium schools

KUCHING (Dec 9): Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has come up with a research strategy to help non-Chinese students adapt and thrive in Chinese schools.

The research investigated challenges encountered by the non-Chinese learners, especially in Chinese schools in the rural areas where over half of the local population is non-Chinese.

It also explored the coping mechanisms employed by this group to navigate language barriers.

The Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division Sarawak Association president Datuk Jonathan Chai said the three-year study conducted by Unimas would facilitate SJK Chung Hua boards of management to formulate strategies to help these Bumiputera pupils.

“This may include offering these pupils tuition classes after school and also the possibility of recruiting foreign teachers,” he said.

“These trained foreign teachers would be involved in helping the non-Chinese pupils learn Mandarin as a second language.

“This approach could potentially alleviate the challenges the young learners face in mastering the Chinese language, in both the oral and written skills,” he added.

According to Chai, the study was slated to be completed within one year’s time frame but had to be delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“A collaborative arrangement with University of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) Sibu has also been established and teachers from China’s Institute of Confucius have been identified.

The pilot project, said Chai, initially began with three schools in Sibu where its goal was to observe if these teachers could effectively teach Mandarin to non-Chinese speaking learners, with the hope of changing perceptions about learning this challenging language.

“So far, the collaboration in Sibu has been successful and efforts will be extended to Kuching, Samarahan and Serian divisions, as well as in other rural areas where there is a significant population of non-Chinese students,” he remarked.

He said this at a seminar which focused on Unimas’s presentation of research findings at Wisma Chinese Chambers here today.

On another note, Unimas research team leader Dr Elena Chai acknowledged that the study was a collaborative effort between the Sarawak United Association of Chinese School Boards of Management, KTS-BLD Foundation, Tan Guek Kee & Lee Siew Ling Charity Foundation, Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing, Sarawak Culture Research Institute Society and the state’s Education Ministry.

According to Dr Elena, her research team consisted of Chinese-educated members, including two Malay and one Iban researchers, who are all proficient in the Mandarin language.

“The motivation behind this initiative was to understand how individuals who don’t speak Mandarin, both students and parents, cope with the language barrier.

The team aimed to uncover coping mechanisms and share this valuable information with Chinese school teachers, principals and other relevant parties, she said.

“Looking ahead, we have proposed to conduct additional research involving individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as successful public servants with extensive societal experiences.

“The focus would be on their experiences in Chinese schools, examining whether it laid the foundation for their morals and current status.

“By obtaining recommendations from individuals who have attended both national and Chinese schools, a more insightful comparison can be made based on their personal experiences,” said Dr Elena.