R.A.P. is a DiGi initiative that encourages proper English usage amongst primary school children. R.A.P. is targeted at encouraging students in Standard 4, 5, and 6 to read and express themselves in English through stage plays.
The popular R.A.P. programme is running for the third consecutive time and aims to equip children with the necessary skill sets to excel in life - self-confidence, teamwork, and exposure to new experiences. Students will get the opportunity to make new friends and have lots of fun while participating in R.A.P.!
Participating schools will have the full support of DiGi. We will be providing story books for the competition, travel and accommodation, subsidies for stage props and costumes, as well as conducting Regional Acting Workshops to improve students' English and acting skills.
In 2006, RAP was held as a pilot project where only 12 schools in the Klang Valley were involved. In 2008, RAP was conducted on a larger scale involving 75 shcools from 8 states and the Federal Territory. Students together with their teachers read and chose from children stories, then translated their chosen story into 15 to 20 minutes stage play. Students were thus encouraged to read while having fun with stage adaptation to their stories. RAP was endorsed by the Ministry of Education and supported by some key partners.
In 2009, more than 100 schools from 4 different regions, namely Central 1 (Kuala Lumpur), Central 2 (Selangor), Northern (Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak), and Southern (Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor) took part in DiGi RAP. After rounds of audition, the 40 schools that had qualified for the regional finals attended a drama workshops conducted by Nell Ng, from Actors Studio.
Clever interpretation of the folk tale 'The Four Brothers' and creative theatric performance once again earned SJK (C) Kwang Wah, Butterworth the top spot in DiGi's RAP 2009 Competition. In second place was SJK (C) Shang Wu, Penang, followed by SK Convent 1 Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur in third.
SK Assunta 1, Petaling Jaya emerged as the school with the Most Creative performance while The Best Prop Award was awarded to SK Taman Megah. SK Sacred Heart, Melaka won the Award for Best Costumes and Siti Nur Aqilah bt Sanadi from SK Sacred Heart was named as DiGi RAP 2009 Best Actress.
Overall, it was without a doubt that teachers and parents alike went home proud of the children's achievement through DiGi RAP. By combining reading with theatre, the DiGI RAP programme seems to have achieved its aim of making reading a fun learning activity for the children. The students successfully captured the essence of the folk tale that they have chosen and also worked very hard in preparing for their performance - from script writing to developing props and costumes.
DiGi RAP has evolved into a programme that went beyond encouraging children to read and use the English language. By taking a story from the page to the stage, DiGi RAP has helped children to learn, socialise and build their confidence.
