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20 Apr 2026
6 Min Read
The Taylor's Team (Communication)
The celebration of 100 young readers and their remarkable literacy journeys took centre stage as Projek BacaBaca brought together its 2025 cohort, showcasing progress and perseverance. Representing diverse schools and communities, these students are a testament when the right support meets determination at an early age.
The 100 Readers Celebration brought together the students alongside their reading coaches, teachers, and education partners to commemorate significant milestones in their reading journeys. The cohort represents communities from SK Bandar Sunway, SJK (T) Batu Ampat, SJK (T) Effingham, SJK (T) Ladang Sg Choh and SJK (T) Vivekananda.
At a time when early literacy remains a critical foundation for lifelong learning, Projek BacaBaca continues to make a meaningful impact by bridging literacy gaps. Since its inception in 2021, the research-driven initiative led by the School of Education at Taylor’s University has been dedicated to strengthening proficiency in both English and Bahasa Melayu among young learners aged 6 to 9.
The celebration brought together the students alongside their reading coaches, teachers, and education partners to commemorate significant milestones in their reading journeys. The cohort represents communities from SK Bandar Sunway, SJK (T) Batu Ampat, SJK (T) Effingham, SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Choh and SJK (T) Vivekananda. The event included a student reading showcase and an award presentation ceremony, graced by Dr Rusmini Ku Ahmad, Deputy Director General of Education (Policy & Curriculum) from the Ministry of Education.
Now entering its sixth year, Projek BacaBaca has reached over 700 children, each with a unique and inspiring story of growth and transformation. Since 2021, the initiative has recorded a 100% improvement in literacy rates across more than 20 schools and a range of communities, including urban low-income settings, rural communities, Orang Asli communities, and children managing chronic health conditions.
With the support of partners Mah Sing Foundation, Trinovik Labs, Twinkl Malaysia and Yayasan Hasanah, these achievements reflect a broader national commitment to empowering young learners and strengthening literacy as a cornerstone of Malaysia’s education development.
Hema Letchamanan, Project Leader and Senior Lecturer at Taylor’s University, shares that the strength behind the initiative lies in a shared commitment to a larger purpose. “Projek BacaBaca began with a simple but important goal - to ensure that every child, regardless of background, can read at grade level. Over time, it has grown into a collective effort involving educators, partners, and communities who believe in giving children a strong start. When a child learns to read with confidence, it opens up so many possibilities for their learning and their future, and that is what continues to drive this work.”
Hema Letchamanan, Project Leader of Projek BacaBaca and Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Taylor’s University, sharing a presentation on the progress and impact of Projek BacaBaca on early literacy.
Beyond academic progress, improvements in reading nurtures confidence, curiosity, and independent learning habits. The impact often extends beyond measurable outcomes, instilling life-long values such as discipline, self-belief and a genuine love for learning.
In addition, Projek BacaBaca+, an extension of the initiative, supports students aged 11 and 12 from Chinese and Tamil primary schools in achieving Mastery Level (TP4 to TP6) in Bahasa Melayu. Conducted through face-to-face group sessions, the programme helps ease students’ transition into secondary school while reinforcing their language proficiency.
For many students, each journey is deeply personal. Two students from SJK (T) Ladang Sungai Choh, Nithiya Sri A/P Subramaniam and Kamala Devi A/P Mathavan, took remarkable initiative in strengthening their Bahasa Melayu skills beyond the classroom. “I chose my own Bahasa Malaysia storybooks to read, and recorded my reading. Then, I sent the recordings to my reading coach for feedback. When there are words that I did not understand, I looked up dictionaries and wrote the new words in my notebook,” said Nithiya. Their efforts reflect growing learner independence and a commitment to improving their reading skills, which would be the foundation of education.
Kishanthini A/P Inthira Kumar from SJK (T) Batu Ampat, reading a short story during the Projek BacaBaca: The 100 Readers Celebration reading showcase.
Projek BacaBaca has officially kickstarted its 2026 phase and welcomes individuals from all walks of life to come forward as reading coaches. “The strength of this initiative truly lies in our volunteers. Over the past five years, more than 500 individuals have joined us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of these children. I hope that more will step forward, so we can continue to expand our reach and deepen the impact for years to come,” Hema explained.
Projek BacaBaca is part of the Education for All Impact Lab at Taylor’s University. The next intake of volunteer reading coaches will begin in May 2026. If you would like to volunteer as a reading coach, click here.
