EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

Penang Educational Consultative Council (PECC)

SERI serves as the Secretariat for the Penang Educational Consultative Council (PECC) to assist the Penang State Government in developing Penang into a centre of excellence for education. Several working committees were set up under the PECC, including the Pre-school, Tertiary Education, Non-formal and Special Education, Arts Education,Tamil Schools and a new student helpline (help4u). Among the many programs launched by these committees are the Bureau on Learning Difficulties (BOLD), Promoting Activities for Continuing Education (PACE), and the Arts Education (Arts-ED).

Bureau on Learning Difficulties (BOLD)

The Bureau on Learning Difficulties (BOLD) focuses on children who need special attention and alternative education programs. BOLD organizes talks and workshops on understanding and attending to children with various learning difficulties for parents and teachers, and also intervention programmes for children with learning, emotional, and/or behavioural problems. Besides facilitating these programmes, BOLD produces and disseminates information on the various types of learning difficulties. BOLD's office at the Penang Caring Society Complex houses many books and materials for further reference. To learn more about BOLD and its activities, click here.

Promoting Activities for Continuing Education (PACE)

The Promoting Activities for Continuing Education is set up based on the firm belief that education is a life-long process, and that continuous learning should be available to a broad spectrum of society. To fulfill its objective of promoting such a culture of continuous learning, PACE offers a series of talks and workshops covering diverse areas such as personal growth, cultural enrichment, leisure activities, spiritual development, and community building. To learn more about PACE and its activities, click here.

Arts Education Program (Arts-ED)

Recognizing the positive impacts of the arts on intellectual, social, moral, cultural and personal developments, PECC has started an Arts Education Programme to provide more opportunities for the children and youth of Penang to be exposed to other ways of learning and appreciating the arts. Arts-ED offers drama, visual arts, dance, music and video production activities outside regular school curriculum to complement formal education. To learn more about Arts-ED, click here.

Student Helpline (help4u)

The service hopes to address and respond to the various study-related problems, issues and concerns faced by teenagers and young people (13-25 years old) through an Internet based helpline. To learn more about help4u, click here.

Science Pilot Project

A pilot project on raising interest in science and technology was launched for about 30 secondary school students to participate in a series of activities. Examples of these activities include an interactive visit to the Science Museum in Universiti Sains Malaysia, a nature walk in the Penang Botanic Gardens, a talk and demonstration of scientific elements of drugs and alcohol abuse, a camping trip to Pantai Acheh to measure some environmental parameters, exposure to astronomy, and an industrial heritage walk and talk. Plans to extend this project to more schools are being discussed.