Saturday, September 5, 2015

In the year 1978, a broadcaster I became

A Quiz Competition organised by the Educational Radio at the RTM Auditorium in Kuching in 1978.
In the middle of the picture is the Director of Education, flanked by me and Reg Salisbury, an expert in the teaching of English through radio.

At Sibu with two of the
radio producers, 1978.
 In the year 1978, a broadcaster I became.  In my role as head of educational radio for Sarawak, I was assisted by many veteran and senior broadcasters who produced radio programmes for school broadcasts.  There were weekly meetings to be held with RTM regarding  broadcasting schedules and booking of its recording studios.  I had for a year before learnt the craft of broadcasting through an educational broadcasting course organised at the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.  Back from the course I was entrusted to improve the utilisation of radio programmes since radio was a cheaper medium to reach the rural students and teachers especially in the teaching of language subjects.   I took the opportunity to visit all the respective divisions in Sarawak to find out first hand the problems encountered in the teaching and learning situations of radio programmes.   Courses were held for teachers in every divisions.  Many years later when I met one of the veteran producers I was somewhat surprised and honoured when he mentioned that throughout  his service with the education department he never had the chance to visit any other place outside Kuching, the capital city.  It was only when I brought him around to conduct the courses that he had the chance to visit the remotest and most urban areas of Sarawak.  That experience to him was one of the most memorable time of his life and had me to thank for.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

(Note: This is the 5th of my post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

With teachers in Miri, 1978.


No comments:

Post a Comment