JELI, KUANTAN, 15 JUNE 2013 : Some 200 Year 6 students from Jeli and Bachok including Orang Asli children today completed a two-day motivational and academic guidance camp organised by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) under its empower ECER programme.

Known as ‘Journey Towards Success’, the camp held at Tasek Pergau in Jeli, Kelantan was organised by ECERDC to help the participants prepare for their Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination which will take place this October. ECERDC has set a 100 per cent passes target for all the empower ECER Academic Training participants in their UPSR examination.

Today’s event was officiated by Kuala Balah assemblyman Y.B. Dato’ Haji Abdul Aziz Derashid.

During the camp, students were taught the right techniques on how to answer examination questions, identify common mistakes in answering questions, as well as effective learning methods and time management. They also participated in motivational activities aimed to bring out their best potential.

The two-day camp brought together students from seven schools around Jeli and Bachok. The schools from Jeli are SK Jeli 1, SK Kuala Balah, SK Gual Jedok and SK Sungai Rual, while the remaining three schools are SK Perupok, SK Beris Kubor Besar and SK Seneng in Bachok.

ECERDC Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Jebasingam Issace John said this is the second time such programme is being organised in Jeli, following the successful outcome of a similar programme held earlier this year.

He said the programme would help motivate the participants of empower ECER and ensure that they are well prepared for the UPSR, which will be their first major national examination.

empower ECER is a twin-pronged human capital development initiative launched in 2010 by ECERDC which is aimed at reducing the economic disparities between rural and urban communities. It focuses on Skills and Entrepreneurship Training for adults and Academic Training for examination-year students in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER). The Academic Training targets academically weak students from

disadvantaged backgrounds, enhancing their skill sets and improving their academic results so that they are not left out of the Region’s new prosperity.

empower ECER’s Academic Training programme involves remedial classes and motivational sessions for academically weak students sitting for the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) and SPM examinations. They are taught learning techniques such as effective note-taking, mind-mapping, speed reading and other methods that strengthen the students’ powers of retention to enhance their academic performance while helping the students develop their soft and social skills.

The empower ECER programme was introduced in Kelantan in 2011, starting with Jeli, and followed by Bachok in January 2012. There are currently 999 Academic Training participants and 400 Skills and Entrepreneurship participants in Jeli, and another 400 Academic Training participants respectively in Bachok.

empower ECER is also being implemented in Bentong, Temerloh, Raub, Cameron Highland, Lipis, Kuala Pahang in Pahang; as well as Kemaman in Terengganu.

To date, a total of 18,686 participants, comprising 11,261 students and 7,425 adults had benefitted from empower ECER. Students to date have recorded a 100% passes rate, with several scoring distinctions. For adults, it is estimated that up to 80% of participants will gain employment after completing their courses or have sufficient knowledge and practical experience to start their own business, and the ability to generate income of between RM500 and RM1,500 per month, or even more.