Bridging the Language Gap: Project REAL Expands to Three More Rural Schools in Pitas

22 June 2025

PITAS: The Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl (RCKK Pearl), in collaboration with the Sabah State Education Department (SSED) and sponsor LDS Charities the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Malaysia has officially launched Project REAL (Rural-focused English for All) at three more rural schools in Pitas: SK Rosob, SK Bangkau Bangkau, and SK Bawing.

The launch ceremony, held at SK Rosob, marks a significant milestone in the project’s mission to enhance English literacy in rural Sabah.

With the inclusion of these three schools, the number of Pitas schools benefitting from Project REAL now stands at five. The programme first made its debut in the district in 2019 with support from the Australian High Commission in Malaysia.

Established in 2016 through a Note of Understanding with SSED, Project REAL is RCKK Pearl’s flagship education initiative.

It aligns with Rotary International’s focus on Basic Education and Literacy as well as the Ministry of Education’s Highly Immersive Programme (HIP).

The initiative aims to narrow the English proficiency gap between rural and urban students by setting up well-equipped English Corners in schools.

These spaces feature storybooks, bilingual dictionaries, and other reading materials, alongside continuous teacher support and immersive, student-centred activities.

Representing the Director of SSED at the launch, Madam Nancy @ Aminah Idrus, Senior Assistant Director of the Language Unit, praised the longstanding partnership with RCKK Pearl.

“Together, we are building the confidence and language skills of our rural students,” she said.

Each of the three schools received between 430 and 650 English books, along with bilingual English-Malay dictionaries for all Primary 4–6 students.

At SK Rosob, 650 books and 340 dictionaries were distributed to support 331 pupils. SK Bangkau Bangkau received 520 books and 110 dictionaries for its 106 pupils, while SK Bawing received 430 books and 60 dictionaries for 56 pupils.

Speaking at the event, Elder Larry Hathaway of LDS Charities reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to educational empowerment.

“We believe in this project because we believe in the potential of these children. Improving English proficiency in rural areas opens doors to education, to careers, and to life.”

Headmasters of the participating schools also expressed their appreciation for the initiative.

Saidi Alliudin, Headmaster of SK Rosob, said the programme had fostered a nurturing environment that encourages pupils to read, speak, and grow in confidence with English.

At SK Bawing, Abd Khar @ Ramlie Akal described Project REAL as “an exciting initiative to strengthen the reading culture and lay the foundation for lifelong success.”

Ruhanah Omboyou, Headmistress of SK Bangkau Bangkau, added “The students are excited to explore the English Corner, and our teachers are eager to improve their own English proficiency too.”

Beyond setting up resource corners, Project REAL includes teacher engagement, student competitions, English Speaking Days, and school-driven action plans to promote literacy through fun, creative, and inclusive methods.

Speaking on behalf of RCKK Pearl, Vice President Adelina Adna said,

“Project REAL is about opening doors not just to books, but to opportunities. We’re deeply grateful to SSED and LDS Charities for their continued support. Together, we are planting seeds of learning where they are most needed.”