Promoting a Passion for Reading on Remote Malaysian

As dawn breaks off the coast of Borneo, students make an extra early start for school. Muhamad Iswan and Khairul Idham attend classes on Timbang island, a half-hour by boat from the nearest town. This is the way many children must travel to school on remote islands in this part of Malaysia, if they go at all. Primary school enrollment is significantly lower amongst the indigenous population of Borneo than in the rest of the countryÖ Most indigenous people live scattered across distant islands, mired in poverty. Students work with computers to learn pronunciation, vocabulary and spelling. And teachers use educational games and materials designed to interest indigenous children and promote reading habits.The program is called DEAR, Drop Everything and Read. With support from UNICEF and the Malaysian Ministry of Education, itís being introduced to 30 schools across the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.