How To Learn Punjabis Language in Malaysia

While the Punjabi language exam is offered at the PT3 and SPM level, the language is not formally taught in public schools in Malaysia. So where do the Punjabi students gain their native language other than from home? It is a question many people asked.

Actually, they learn the language through the sheer determination of the group members, especially much through Punjabi associations such as of the Sikh society Khalsa Diwan Malaysia, the Punjabis are keeping their native language alive.

Sikhs are among the minorities and scattered all throughout the nation and they hold resolute to their way of life, dialect and traditions.

“Punjabi language is incorporated in both the PT3 and SPM exams yet the subject is not being taught in school on the grounds that no less than 15 Punjabi students are required in a class for the subject to be taught,” said Khalsa Diwan Malaysia president Bhag Singh Sandhu.

Photo: kualalumpurpost.net

It is because of the failure to meet this requirement set by the Education Ministry, Khalsa Diwan has gotten a mandate from Sikh associations in Malaysia to assume control over the obligation to champion the learning of the Punjabi language in Malaysia.

Punjabi Have Their Own Books And Syllabus 

The Punjabis, often referred to as the Sikhs, have their own Punjabi Education Center Nationwide where the Punjabi kids learn the language officially.

The Sikh community in the nation have created their own particular syllabus for the dialect, to suit the Malaysian setting.

Bhag Sing said it took four years to create the content and syllabus that would meet the essential school evaluation requirement as outlined by the Education Ministry.

And for the first time, from this year onwards local text book written by Malaysian writer were being utilized at the kindergarten and primary as they better comprehend the local context and learning environment.

The reading material required some time to complete due to the fact that it is our first time producing our own text book and it needs to conform to the syllabus set by the Education Ministry and also Examination Board,” he said.

Punjabi language text books with its writers from India had previously been sourced from Singapore for students at Punjabi Education Centers across the country.

Arrangement For PT3

The new text books was developed to furnish students with the nessary knowledge needed to be at the same level with the syllabus and curriculum program for the PT3 and SPM examinations.

Bhag Singh, who is also Punjabi Education Trust Malaysia director, communicated his pride when all PT3 candidates for the Punjabi subject passed their exams a year ago.

On Punjabi language course textbook for students at secondary school, he said drafts is already completed and it is expected to be utilized next year.

Arrangement of the text books were allocated to a special group that counsels with public school teachers fortnightly so that the text book suits the Education Ministry’s syllabus.

The Way Forward

According to Bhag Singh, there are a sum of 47 Punjabi Education Centers across the nation with more than 3,000 students and 350 teachers.

“Perak has the most centers, 12 altogether, including 500 students and 60 teachers,” he said.

A larger part of the teachers were ladies with diplomas and more Punjabi language centers will be established should there be a demand from the Sikh society.

“On the off chance that there is a demand and the quantity of students is high, then we will help open up more centers and increase the number of teaching staff and equipment,” he said.

So this is how Punjabi students learn Punjabi language. To know more about how to learn Punjabis language contact them through their website at Khalsa Diwan Malaysia