KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu found that the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) was indeed helpful in improving students' command in English language and created the student's ability in adapting the language in more confident.
The programme that started in 2006 had assisted teachers in the schools to improve students’ proficiency and to encourage them to converse using the English language.
State Education, Science, Technology and Special Duties Ghazali Taib said the ETA programme is collaboration between Malaysia and the United States of America and Terengganu had 10 teachers during the pilot project in 2006.
Ghazali said the good result seen during the pilot project had resulted in the Education Ministry to follow Terengganu's initiatives by calling out volunteers from the United States to take part in a similar programme in Pahang, Kelantan, Perlis, Perak, Sabah and Sarawak.
He said to date, 146 ETAs had served and assisted students in Terengganu to improve their English proficiency level.
"In 2015, the ETAs from United States have reached up to 100 and will be teaching in the country for nine months," he told reporters after handing over 30 ETAs to 15 school principals in Terengganu and Pahang, today.
Attended the event were Malaysian-American Commission on Education Director Dr James Coffman, Pahang Academic Management sector chief Ab Rahman Halib, Terengganu Academic Management sector chief Matsor Ismail and State police chief Datuk Jamshah Mustafa.
Among the 15 schools who will be receiving an English Teaching Assistant are SMK Ibrahim Fikri, SMK Rusila, SMK Balai Besar, SMK Bukit Kuang, SMK Chalok and SMK Kuala Besut.
ETA volunteer Jessica Argenti, 22, a graduate from Wake Forest University, South Carolina said she applied to be part of the ETA programme because she was attracted with the programme when her supervisor at the university informed her about this ETA programme.
"When I first arrived in Terengganu, I immediately fall in love with the place. It is full with interesting cultures and nice people," she said.
Another ETA volunteer Emily Spieker said she enjoyed tasting the various types and tasty foods and two of her likings are Nasi Ayam and Roti Canai. Emily is looking forward to meet her students at SMK Jeram here.