The Highly Immersive Programme Mentor (HIP Mentor) initiative, aimed at improving the command of English among students, will be expanded to many more schools across the country next year, announced Education Minister Maszlee Malik today.

The pilot programme involving 28 mentors comprising retired English language teachers, has been conducted at 27 selected schools since July.

These schools are located in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan and Sabah.

"Next year, we will expand this programme to schools across Malaysia and we hope that many more retired English language teachers will be able to help as mentors.

"I call them 'superhero mentors' because they have sacrificed their time free-of-charge to help," he told reporters after a certificate of appreciation award ceremony was held in connection with HIP Mentor initiative at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

As a gesture of appreciation for the efforts of these teachers, the ministry will work towards securing a few incentives for them such as the payment of allowances, Maszlee said, adding that the ministry needed the support of the private sector in ensuring the programme's success.

Unofficial reports indicated that the programme had been effective as students had shown enthusiasm for the activities which were conducted in English, with improvements reported in the students' level of confidence in conversing and writing in English, the minister said. - Bernama