SCOT founder Anwar Mohammad (L), and members (2nd from L – R) Abdul Adi Hakim Mohd Yakob, Sharifah Mashhorina Malai Shahran, Hjh Siti Nurnajiah, and Muhammad Hazimi prior to their departure to Cambodia. Picture: BT/Amir Noor
THE Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT) dispatched yesterday its second batch of volunteers to embark on an English teaching mission to the underprivileged children of Cambodia.
The batch consisted of four volunteers from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and two students from the Youth Development Centre (YDC). The UBD students have undergone 11 weeks of volunteering activities on teaching English at the YDC while the latter have demonstrated tremendous improvements in English to be included in the delegation.
UBD member and volunteer, Sharifah Mashhorina Malai Shahran, said that they were all anxious for the upcoming experience in having not been to Cambodia before.
“We will be going to rural places and it is going to be really different from Brunei,” said volunteer Muhammad Hazimi Hj Jaidi, adding that they will be getting a first hand experience rather than just visuals from pictures and videos as well as the words from others. When asked of what they expect to see in Cambodia, Hjh Siti Nurnajiah Hj Yahya described her perception of it being like Brunei back in the 1950s, a similar lifestyle experienced by her parents during that time. Despite the challenges to come, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime.
Having gained experience and training in teaching English with the students at the YDC, the volunteers foresee the challenge of communicating with the underprivileged children in the early stages as they were more fortunate with the YDC students who could conveniently converse with them in Malay.
“In Cambodia, we do not know the language. There is going to be a language barrier and quite a challenge but we will be up to it,” Muhammad Hazimi added.
As for their future after the 11-week volunteer work, Sharifah shared her interest of pursuing her new love for teaching after her first encounter with the YDC students.
“Teaching is fun. As much as I get to teach them (students) something, I get to learn more myself. It is more than just teaching,” she said.
Muhammad Hazimi and Hjh Siti Nurnajiah hopes to see life in a whole new perspective through the trip in appreciating what they currently have in the Sultanate while also having the intention of contributing back with what they have gained from their overseas experience.
SCOT’s Education venture to Cambodia is a collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’YDC and Organisation for Building Community Resources (OBCR) of Cambodia. They have gained support from CfBT Education Services (B) Sdn Bhd Brunei and the British High Commission as well as The Brunei Times since its inception on April.
The first batch of volunteers to Cambodia departed on July 3 while the second batch left the Sultanate yesterday to embark on a two-week English teaching mission in the Samrong Tong District and LveaAm. Apart from teaching, they will also be undertaking other community development activities within the area. Yesterday’s batch will return to the Sultanate on September 8.
It is hoped that through this project, SCOT will be able to be active in developing a creative and yet effective tailored programme which aims to develop and improve both the adequacy and proficiency on the command of English Language for the lower academic students to help them acquire better prospects upon attending a job interview.The Brunei Times
Source: The Brunei Times
Author: Amir Noor
Published Date: 25 August 2013
