KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — Once teased for her poor reading skills, 12-year-old Sophia Irine can now hold her head high after overcoming her difficulties through the “Projek BacaBaca”.

The Year Six pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Sunway said her transformation began when she joined the initiative, part of the Education for All Impact Lab at Taylor’s University, while in Year Five.

“I used to struggle to read and understand words, and my friends would make fun of me.

“But the coaching sessions with volunteers, or ‘coach readers’, in small groups helped me focus better and gradually built my confidence,” she said when met at the “Projek BacaBaca: Celebrating the Transformative Reading Journeys of 100 Children” event in Subang Jaya yesterday.

Sophia was among 100 students from the “Projek BacaBaca 2025” cohort honoured at the event, involving participants from five schools: SK Bandar Sunway, SJKT Ladang Effingham, SJKT Vivekananda, SJKT Ladang Sungai Choh and SJKT Ladang Batu Ampat.

For another participant, Kesavan Sai, 12, the ability to read has opened doors to communicating more confidently in Malay.

The SJKT Ladang Effingham pupil previously spoke only Tamil and admitted feeling embarrassed for lagging behind his peers.

“I couldn’t read before. Now I feel happy because I can read and talk to others. When people ask me questions, I can answer in Malay,” said Kesavan, who dreams of becoming a firefighter.

Head of Projek BacaBaca, Hema Letchamanan, said the initiative, launched in 2021, has benefited more than 700 students, recording a 100 per cent improvement in literacy rates across over 20 schools and communities, including low-income urban areas, rural populations and Orang Asli groups.

Hema, who is a senior lecturer at Taylor’s University, noted that one of the key challenges in the education system is the lack of individual attention due to large class sizes and varying student proficiency levels.

“The initiative aims to ensure every child can read at an age-appropriate level, preventing learning gaps that may persist into secondary school,” she said.

She added that weekly guidance by more than 500 volunteers over the past five years has significantly boosted students’ confidence, especially those who were initially passive, and called for the programme to be expanded nationwide.

Meanwhile, Education Ministry deputy director-general (Policy and Curriculum Sector) Dr Rusmini Ku Ahmad said the initiative addresses the critical issue of students not reading at expected age-appropriate levels.

“This is not an issue of access but one of learning deprivation. Projek Baca-Baca responds to this gap by offering targeted and structured support to children who need more time and attention to develop these essential skills,” she said.

She said the ministry welcomed initiatives such as the Projek Baca-Baca, which aimed to ensure that every child built a strong foundation in reading, a key step towards lifelong learning.

“Since its implementation, Projek Baca-Baca has delivered 100 per cent improvement in literacy rates. In rural communities, Orang Asli populations and children facing health challenges have benefited from this programme.

“Beyond improved reading skills, students have also gained greater confidence and developed a stronger interest in learning. Reading is a powerful key that will open doors to a brighter future,” she added. — Bernama