Bandar Seri Begawan - An overwhelming desire to see secondary school students excel in Malay language drove local writer and teacher Chong Ah Fok to devote five years in research and development to complete workbooks in grammar (for secondary one to three) and classical Malay language and poems (for secondary four and five).
The secondary one to three workbooks are aimed to prepare students for the Lower Secondary Evaluation (PMB) examinations, which are in line with the grammar section of the textbooks currently being used for the subject.
Questions most commonly asked in PMB examinations are also available in the workbooks.
"The format of the questions available in the workbooks is of many varieties, which are normally being asked at PMB," Chong said.
The workbooks for secondary four and five cover classical Malay language and poems.
The two workbooks also come with a simple dictionary on classical Malay language.
"Aside from covering the syllabus, poems used were written by local poets," he said.
The books, he said, have been pre-tested by teachers of several schools before they were published.
"Their comments were taken into account as well as being incorporated into the final drafts of the books.
"I will take into account any new suggestions that can be incorporated into the next publication," he said
He also said, "I wrote the workbooks after realising publications available in the market were not catered for examinations in this country."
The workbooks are available at Paul & Elizabeth Book Service in Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Booker International.
Chong obtained his degree in linguistics and Malay language in 1998 and an MA in Malay literature in 2006 at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
He is currently a teacher and the assistant deputy principal of St Andrew`s School.
Source: www.brudirect.com (16 November 2007)
