SIN Alin, 70, had only all of two years of education before poverty forced her out of primary school to work as a maid.

But Alin, who taught herself to read the Chinese newspapers, knew that a sound education for her children was the way to break out of the cycle of poverty.

Today, the four siblings have five Bachelor and two Master's degrees between them.

Alin has lived by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) theme for this year's International Literacy Day -- Literacy as the Best Remedy -- all her life.

Some years ago, she mastered the alphabet on her own by watching Vanna White's game show Wheel of Fortune.
International Literacy Day, which falls on Sept 8, highlights education as central to children's rights.

Nine out of 10 Malaysian adults today can read and write -- a number that has risen by 33 per cent in the past 30 years due to education policies that ensure compulsory primary education and increasing enrolment in secondary education.

But the Malaysian government recognises the need to address gaps in access, equity and quality of education, especially among children living in rural and remote areas, and indigenous and Orang Asli children.

UNICEF Malaysia has piloted a remedial education programme with the Education Ministry to incorporate Orang Asli folklores and legends into teaching aids to improve reading and writing among Orang Asli children.

It is providing funds and technical support to the Ministry to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the Supplementary Reading Programme, a grassroots course initiated in 2006 to provide supplementary educational materials to pupils in remote schools in Sabah and Sarawak.

It is also working with the Ministries of Education and Health to scale up the Life Skills Based Education programme which equips teachers to teach children and adolescents about HIV prevention. The programme targets 100 schools in Peninsular and East Malaysia.

Finally, UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Education and MERCY Malaysia to increase the implementation of emergency preparedness programmes which target children and teachers in remote areas prone to natural disasters. These programmes will ensure that children are able to continue their lessons even during rehabilitation and relief stages -- By YAQIN CHING ABDULLAH