Highlights
- Out of Jiwanjot Kaur's 28 Punjabi students this year, two topped the subject with a score of 99 out of 100, 15 achieved band 6 and nine attained band 5.
- Proud teacher Ms Kaur says she likes teaching the subject so much, she can’t recall taking a single day off.
- After consistent appeals to the community, the number of students studying Punjabi is on the rise again.
Ms Kaur, who works five days a week as a regular teacher with the NSW Department of Education, dedicates her Saturdays to teaching Punjabi at the NSW School of Languages.
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, she said, “I feel extremely lucky that I was able to identify the interests and weaknesses, and eventually shape up the skills of over 20 Punjabi students this year”.
In recent years, Ms Kaur said the number of Punjabi students had declined quite sharply.
But thanks to consistent appeals to the community, she said the number of students taking the Punjabi subject has picked up once again.
“Last year 28 students took the Punjabi subject in their HSC and most of them excelled with high bands.
Ms Jiwanjot Kaur is teaching Punjabi in the NSW School of Languages. Source: Jiwanjot Kaur
“The students this year were so excited to learn Punjabi that I always looked forward to teaching them, even on the weekends,” she added.
“I don’t remember if I took a single day off during last year’s Punjabi classes. Along with me, there were a number of students whose attendance was 100 per cent."
This year, two students shared top position by securing 99 marks out of 100 in Punjabi, 15 have achieved band 6, and another nine attained band 5.
Ms Kaur appealed to parents in the community to encourage their children to take up language subjects in their HSC.
“Make your children feel proud that they have learned their mother language in school,” said Ms Kaur.
SBS Punjabi has approached the NSW School of Languages for their comment on these high achievements and the exemplary dedication of Ms Kaur, and is awaiting their response.
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