Kota Kinabalu: The Magazine-in-Class programme (MDK), organised by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), will be expanded to more schools across Sabah and Labuan this year.
DBP Director-General Dr Hazami Jahari said the high-impact programme is an effort to strengthen proficiency in the national language and cultivate a reading culture among students, and is a continuation of earlier initiatives that focused on the use of magazines as official supplementary learning materials in schools.
“The programme has already been implemented in several key districts including Tawau and Sandakan. It will soon be expanded to other areas in Sabah and Labuan.
“Through this programme, students are exposed to DBP-published magazines used officially in schools, helping them better understand and write in the national language,” he said after paying a courtesy call on Head of State Tun Musa Aman at the Istana Seri Kinabalu, Thursday.
During the visit, Hazami also extended an invitation to Musa to officiate the 69th DBP Malaysia anniversary celebration, scheduled to take place at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) on June 28.
In conjunction with the celebration, several related events will also be held in other districts including Membakut, Beaufort, Tuaran and Sandakan.
Meanwhile, Hazami said a total of 11 magazine titles are used in the programme, covering a wide range of topics including language, literature, culture, religion, law, science and the arts – all written by local experts and scholars.
“The magazines are presented in an engaging and easy-to-understand format, which helps strengthen students’ understanding across various fields,” he said.
He also said that DBP is currently working with Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to produce a documentary on the promotion of the national language through the MDK programme.
“In addition, a private broadcasting company will be featuring the programme’s implementation as part of efforts to document its success on the ground,” he said.
