English Mastery (EM) is one of the mandatory activities that Titian scholarship recipients have to undertake. This additional course aims to improve students’ verbal skills in English and prepare them for the increasingly competitive era of globalization. The EM class is held every two weeks on Sundays, and there have already been four meetings. This course is assisted alternately by volunteers from Soroptimist International of Jakarta (SIJ) and Titian Scholarship Alumni Association – IKATIFO.

Titian’s alumni, Susilo (Gen 2) and Dodo (Gen 3), started off teaching the EM class which was then guided by SIJ. Ibu Fendra, a volunteer from SIJ, who was delighted to be able to share her skills with the students. For a long time she has been looking for a community where she can share her English skills so that they can benefit. Ibu Fendra took the initiative to combine the pre-set EM module and tailored it to be in line with the school curricula, so that students would benefit from ‘both worlds’, the ability to speak English more fluently and at the same time increase their academic score. Aside from Ibu Fendra, other SIJ ladies, Ibu Tjandra and Ibu Isla also took part in the EM class. They got students to talk about their dreams in English.

Apart from the volunteers, who are very happy to be able to share their skills, the students also feel very lucky because they are given the opportunity to learn English. Some of them claim that their proficiency in English is low, so they hope by following the EM class they can improve it. One of the students, Mashita, said the EM class has helped her very much. Wheras before she very scared and felt inferior towards her more fluent English friends, with the EM class, she is now excited to learn and doesn’t feel inferior anymore. She now understands that she and her friends are all still learning.

CLC Tangsel is planning to set up an English Club for children of elementary school age up to junior high school, which is going to be assisted by IKATIFO, so more people can also reap these benefits. (EW)