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LITERACY and numeracy lay the foundation for learning in primary education and beyond.

Reading, writing, arithmetic are implicit in the basic right to education.

Without these abilities, it is nearly impossible for students to attain higher education and function in the modern society. However, statistics showed that a sizeable student population in Malaysia are still ill-equipped with basic literacy and numeracy skills.

In 2008, 54,000 Year One pupils identified with low literary skills were enrolled in the Early Intervention Reading and Writing Class (KIA2M) while 117,000 Year Four pupils without basic numeracy skills were on the 3R Remedial Programme (Protim).

Under the Government Transformation Programme, the Education National Key Results Area (NKRA) aims to eradicate the dropout problem caused by students’ inability to cope with mainstream education.

In 2008 alone, 31,939 students dropped out from school at both the primary and secondary levels.

The Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) programme is aimed at ensuring that all Malaysian children acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills after three years of mainstream primary education.

The Education NKRA has set a 100% literacy and numeracy target for all Year Three pupils in Malaysia.

By basic literacy skills, the children are expected to have the ability to read, write and understand words, simple and complex sentences (using conjunctions) in Bahasa Malaysia and apply such knowledge in learning and everyday communication.

For basic numeracy, the children must be able to read, write, count and arrange (in order) whole numbers from one till 1,000 by Year Three.

They are also expected to demonstrate the ability to solve basic mathematical operations, apply mathematical skills and knowledge in everyday activities involving time, currencies and measurements.

Unlike previous efforts to address the numeracy and literacy problems, LINUS focuses on early intervention in the early primary years before the pupils enter Year Four.

Previous programmes either only focused on literacy skills (KIA2M) or conducted much later between Year Four to Six (Protim).

by Kang Soon Chen.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/5/nation/11945027&sec=nation

TEACHERS have long realised the illiteracy problem in school, says National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng.

In fact, claims Lok, it was their concern that led to the introduction of the Education Ministry’s Literacy and Numeracy Screening (Linus) programme in 2010.

“It’s not because no one realised there was a problem or did not care. We realised that we had a problem; that’s why we have Linus.”

Introduced as part of the Education National Key Results Area (NKRA) of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), Linus aims to provide a strong foundation in basic literacy and numeracy skills within the first three years of primary school education.

The programme conducts a screening process three times a year to identify students who face difficulties in reading, writing and basic arithmetic.

They are then enrolled in either a Linus-dedicated remedial class or a Special Education programme for those with learning disabilities.

In 2010, the programme aimed to achieve both literacy and numeracy rates of 90% for the then-Primary 1 students.

While the literacy target fell short by 5%, the numeracy target exceeded the original aim with a 91% rate.

In 2011, the Primary 2 students were set a higher target of 95% literacy and numeracy, while the current Primary 1 students must continue to uphold the strong results of 90% set for their cohorts this year.

To date, the students have shown some strong improvements, putting the 100% literacy and numeracy rate among Primary 3 students target right on track.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/15/nation/10266985&sec=nation

MUAR: The Education Ministry has set the target for all primary school children to be literate by Year Three under the Literacy and Numeracy (Linus) programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the programme, which was introduced as a focus area of the Education National Key Results Area (NKRA) of the Government Transformation Pro­gramme (GTP), aimed to provide a strong foundation in basic literacy and numeracy skills within the first three years of primary school education for all Malaysian children.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said the ministry was concerned as there had been cases where students who entered Form One were still unable to read. He said the ministry intended to prevent this from reoccurring.

Students who face difficulties in reading, writing and basic arithmetic are enrolled in either a Linus-dedicated remedial class to improve their performance or a Special Education programme for those who have learning disabilities.

This approach has been designed to quickly identify problems at the early stage and rectify them before the students fall behind their peers.

To date, based on the two screenings done in March and June, Year Two students have already exceeded their 95% target, with a 95% for literacy rate and 97% for numeracy rate in the second screening.

Year One students have also shown some strong results, achieving a literacy rate of 83% and a numeracy rate of 90%.

by Noel Chang.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/19/nation/9500625&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Literacy and Numeracy (Linus) programme, an initiative under the GTP’s Education NKRA to improve student outcomes, is seeing encouraging results in its first year of implementation.

Designed to ensure a higher level of literacy and numeracy amongst school-going children, it achieved a score of 85% for literacy (with 406,980 pupils passing the screening) and 91% for numeracy (with 380,363 pupils passing the screening) in Primary 1.

The overarching rationale for the Education NKRA is to increase access to quality basic education in the country.

The Linus programme is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to be fully literate and numerate.

The government has trained 15,500 Linus teachers to conduct remedial classes for students who were found to be underperforming.

Dedicated facilitators, known as FasiLinus, who provide professional support were also deployed in schools to monitor, facilitate and support the Linus teachers.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/11/nation/8431942&sec=nation

THE new literacy and numeracy screening programme (Linus) for Year One pupils has got off to a favourable start.

Introduced by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in January, pupils would be monitored and subsequently tested after two months on where they stand on these skills.

The aim was to ensure pupils mastered the three R’s – reading, writing and arithmetic – after three years of primary schooling.

The roadmap states that student-screening will be done three times a year in March, June and September, to help identify those who do not meet the relevant standards.

Students will then be placed into the Linus programme or into a special education programme if they have a learning disability.

To date 15,500 teachers have been trained to effectively deliver the learning modules.

The Education Ministry has also provided support to schools which identify problems they are facing through the School Improvement Programme (SIP).

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister said with the SIP, schools were not left alone to solve their problems.

“This support is known as the service line and the needs of each school will be identified through the tool kit application on the SIP,” he said, during the launch of the SIP on April 29.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/12/nation/6226630&sec=nation

WE refer to “Many have not mastered the three Rs” (The Star, April 19) and would like to thank the writer for his concern over Malaysian youths who have not mastered the 3Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic).

Undeniably, 3R skills are important and necessary in daily living. They are also needed to support the development of a knowledge-based economy.

Recognising these needs, the ministry has initiated and implemented programmes to identify students who have not mastered the 3Rs. These programmes are designed to specifically address and overcome the inability of students to master the 3Rs.

Among the programmes that have been implemented in schools are the Early Inter­vention Reading and Writing Class, Basic Skills for Reading, Writing and Counting Programme and the Literacy and Numeracy Programme at Level One.

The issue brought up by the writer is a worldwide phenomenon. Studies have shown that even developed countries are facing the same problem.

It is vital for all parties, not only the ministry but also stakeholders and other concerned parties including NGOs, to collaborate and come together to create synergy to address this problem.

Corporate Communication Unit.

Education Ministry.

Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/5/focus/6177545&sec=focus

KUALA LUMPUR: The first screening for Year One pupils nationwide under the literacy and numeracy programme (Linus) has been completed, with two more scheduled before the end of the year.

Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the results of the formative assessment to identify the literacy and numeracy needs of the pupils were being tabulated.

“Initial findings show that of the total number of pupils screened for literacy, 36.3 per cent passed. For numeracy, 45 per cent passed.”

The underlying reason for the relatively low percentage of passes is that the pupils had just started Year One.

“Some did not go to preschool. We are confident that the percentage will be much higher during the next screening, especially since all the mechanisms are already in place.”

Under the Linus programme, implemented this year, pupils are screened on reading, writing and counting to identify their weaknesses prior to placing them in their proper classes.

The remedial programme is designed to ensure students acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills at the end of three years of primary education.

Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, said the ministry’s target was to increase the literacy rate among pupils to 90 per cent this year from the current 87 per cent.

“The first screening was in March, the second in June and the final one in September.”

There is also a health screening to identify children with special needs.

“The pupils’ basic literacy acquisition is evaluated through 12 constructs of reading and writing skills.

“They are categorised as having acquired these basic skills when they have mastered constructs one to eight.”

Those who have not mastered the skills would have to undergo the Linus programme and pupils with learning disabilities will be channelled to special education classes.

“It is important that pupils acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills early so that the teaching and learning process is effective.”

The programme also helps teachers ensure pupils are literate at the start of their primary school education.

Teachers have and will continue to undergo training.

From last November to February this year, more than 16,000 teachers have been trained.

There will be continuous monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the programme, as well as the establishment of  “FasiLinus”, to ensure the success of the programme at district levels.

FasiLinus will comprise experienced teachers based at each of the 154 district education offices.

They will undertake coaching and mentoring, and the capacity building of remedial teachers and school administrators, as well as help schools prepare corrective action plans.

Read more @ http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/15linu-2/Article/index_html