KUALA LUMPUR: Impressed with the RHB-New Straits Times Spell-it-Right Challenge, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is considering adding an attractive prize next year.

Nurul Nadiah Nordin (left) and Vikram Ramachandran won second and third places in the national secondary school level competition.

He said the ministry would look into how it could also reward the winning schools.

One possibility, he said, was to award allocations to upgrade their premises.

Speaking to reporters after presenting prizes to winners of the national-level finals of the inaugural SIR challenge at Muzium Negara yesterday, he said: "Perhaps next year, through a ministry allocation, the winning schools can upgrade their premises. This should ensure greater involvement from third parties, namely the parent-teacher association, alumni as well as the school itself."

This year's prizes were sponsored by RHB.
Praising the New Straits Times and RHB, he called for more private sector involvement in producing students who could confidently face challenges.

"The challenge is an approach towards making language learning fun, and it involves parents and teachers.

"Look at the number of schools, including those from rural areas, that participated. It is good for our education system."

It was clear, he observed, that participating in such an activity not only helped students improve their spelling, it also made them more self-confident.

The finalists, he said, appeared to have acquired some leadership traits in the course of the competition.

"This is what holistic education is about. We want students who are not just academically excellent but who also carry themselves well and who are of good character."

Hishammuddin said the programme should be emulated by others as the responsibility of educating children must be a joint effort.

"It is not just the responsibility of my ministry. Through such joint efforts, you can see the confidence of students grow and they will become people who can compete at the international level."

He said partnerships between the ministry, parents, teachers and the private sector could result in a win-win situation, as shown by the SIR challenge which had brought everyone together in a fun and interesting way.

Earlier in his speech, he said the Education Blueprint 2006-2010 aimed at creating skilled students ready to take on an increasingly competitive world.

"We are looking to raise a generation of confident, competitive and communicative people who are able to be on par with the rest of the world," he said.

"This competition is in line with our blueprint goals."

He pledged the ministry's full support for the competition, adding: "This is a beneficial and worthwhile effort by the two companies and I hope that it goes further and bigger in years to come.

"It is highly encouraging to see the enthusiasm of not only the participants but also the parents and teachers involved in this competition."

Injecting humour into his speech, the minister managed to enthral the audience.

He later chatted with the participants and their parents and teachers.