I JOINED the teaching profession in 1953 when I was only 16 and fresh out of school.
| Mohammad @ Mokhtar Talib (centre) with fellow recipients of the Tokoh Guru Kebangsaan 1999. |
| Some of the books authored by Mohammad @ Mokhtar Talib. |
Three years after I taught at Sekolah Umum Sri Bunut in Parit Raja near Batu Pahat, I was offered to further my studies at Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris (now University Pendidikan Sultan Idris) in Tanjung Malim, Perak.
After two years at the teachers training college, I returned to Batu Pahat and was posted to a number of schools in the district.
When I first became a teacher, all the lessons were taught in Jawi and this directly kindled my love for the script.
The Jawi script began to lose its lustre after Merdeka when the government introduced English schools and adopted a policy of teaching using the Roman script.
Since then, interest among the students in Jawi has been on the decline. Nowadays, few can read or write in Jawi.
Except for Islamic Studies classes, there is not much emphasis on Jawi in schools nowadays. At most, schools only allocate about 30 minutes a week to teach Jawi to the students.
Since then, interest among the students in Jawi has been on the decline. Nowadays, few can read or write in Jawi.
Except for Islamic Studies classes, there is not much emphasis on Jawi in schools nowadays. At most, schools only allocate about 30 minutes a week to teach Jawi to the students.
I would like to urge the Education Ministry to at least increase the duration of Jawi lessons.
The ministry must also ensure that the teachers are well trained for the job as from my observation, many of them made mistakes while teaching Jawi to students.
I have travelled all over peninsula Malaysia and Sabah to teach Jawi and been invited to courses and seminars from various parties, including Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).
DBP has played a big role in preserving and promoting the use of Jawi. However, much more could be done to encourage people to write and publish books in Jawi.
I have also suggested to the Johor Heritage Foundation to set up a panel to make a list of the names of places in Johor using both Roman and Jawi script as a guide to correct spelling.
It really annoys me when I go around Batu Pahat town and spot Jawi mistakes in road signs and signboards.
To encourage more children to read Jawi, I am planning to publish a newspaper in both the Roman and Jawi script in July. The publication will be self-funded but interested parties are welcome to sponsor it.
I will continue to promote Jawi as long as there are requests and I'm healthy.
Mohammad @ Mokhtar Talib, also known as Pak Matlob, 72, besides having a regular column in a Malay daily has authored more than 50 books in Jawi. He was awarded the Tokoh Guru Kebangsaan in 1999.
Interview by Rizalman Hammim
The ministry must also ensure that the teachers are well trained for the job as from my observation, many of them made mistakes while teaching Jawi to students.
I have travelled all over peninsula Malaysia and Sabah to teach Jawi and been invited to courses and seminars from various parties, including Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).
DBP has played a big role in preserving and promoting the use of Jawi. However, much more could be done to encourage people to write and publish books in Jawi.
I have also suggested to the Johor Heritage Foundation to set up a panel to make a list of the names of places in Johor using both Roman and Jawi script as a guide to correct spelling.
It really annoys me when I go around Batu Pahat town and spot Jawi mistakes in road signs and signboards.
To encourage more children to read Jawi, I am planning to publish a newspaper in both the Roman and Jawi script in July. The publication will be self-funded but interested parties are welcome to sponsor it.
I will continue to promote Jawi as long as there are requests and I'm healthy.
Mohammad @ Mokhtar Talib, also known as Pak Matlob, 72, besides having a regular column in a Malay daily has authored more than 50 books in Jawi. He was awarded the Tokoh Guru Kebangsaan in 1999.
Interview by Rizalman Hammim
SOURCE: NST JOHOR STREETS, 13 MAY 2009
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