Yayasan PETRONAS Introduces BOLD Programme for Underprivileged Literacy-Challenged Students

Addressing learning loss among high-need children

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 April 2022 – Yayasan PETRONAS has introduced a new programme under its education focus area to improve literacy skills among underprivileged students  nationwide.  

The initiative, named the Sentuhan Ilmu Bridging the Online Learning Divide (BOLD) Programme,  is a comprehensive intervention programme to address learning loss among high-need students.  The programme will provide Internet-enabled tablets, digital modules, and immediate learning  support through volunteer tutors to 2,000 high-need children from B40 communities. 

The tablets will enable the students ranging from ages seven to nine, to participate in learning,  peer engagement and address learning losses due to school closures brought upon by the  COVID-19 pandemic.  

Yayasan PETRONAS Chief Executive Officer, Shariah Nelly Francis said, “The eradication of  poverty begins with education, while the very basis of education is literacy — the ability to read. The pandemic has made it even more difficult for underprivileged children to learn and this could  mean missing out on reading their first book in class, with proper guidance in a structured manner. 

“Early literacy abilities are critical for school readiness and achieving long-term school success.  The BOLD Programme is one of the ways that we can contribute to empower a child with the gift  of literacy.”  

A total of 1,600 volunteer tutors comprising PETRONAS staff and members of the public have  been trained to deliver one-to-one remediation remotely via the WhatsApp app, using the  MYReaders Literacy Toolkit that contains practical tools to provide effective literacy intervention. 

MYReaders is the implementation partner for Yayasan PETRONAS’ BOLD Programme.

About MYReaders 

MYReaders is a non-profit organisation focused on enabling children to achieve personal agency through  literacy. The organisation does this by empowering children, through communities by providing structured  and sustainable reading programmes that improve literacy competency. 

Issued by 
Yayasan PETRONAS