Latest news with #Seles
Borneo Post
11-06-2025
- Borneo Post
English education must evolve with technology, says S'wak minister
Teachers from Sarawak northern zone participating in Seles. BINTULU (June 11): English is not just an academic subject in school, but a gateway to global knowledge, science and technology and opportunity, said Sarawak Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn. 'As we strive to build a competitive and innovative Sarawak, equipping our teachers with relevant skills – especially in digital-age pedagogy – is non-negotiable. 'As technology continues to shape the way we live, it must also transform the way we educate,' he said in his text speech read by his deputy minister, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, when officiating the opening ceremony of the 'Sarawak English Language Education Symposium (Seles) 2025' here today. According to Sagah, teaching and learning can no longer remain static, especially since digital tools, AI (artificial intelligence), gamification and online platforms are not mere trends but teaching essentials. He added this year's theme 'Igniting Minds: English Language Learning in the Digital Age' reflected the urgent need to rethink and reimagine how to teach and learn English. He noted Seles began in 2017 as a large-scale initiative, bringing together over 1,000 English language educators from across Sarawak. 'In recent years, Seles has evolved into a more focused and customised platform, designed to support teachers through the sharing of best practices and localised content that can be readily applied in their own classrooms and schools. 'For us at the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Seles is more than just a symposium – it is a strategic investment in our teachers, schools, and future generation.' He hoped the three-day symposium would be able to deepen the teachers' understanding of technology-enhanced English language teaching. 'We also hope it will encourage greater innovation in the classroom, inspiring educators to explore new strategies and tools in adapting to the needs of today's learners. 'Ultimately, we believe that initiatives like Seles will help raise the overall standard of English language education throughout Sarawak, aligning our practices with global trends while remaining grounded in local values and realities,' he said. He added the ministry remains fully committed to supporting this transformation through programmes like Seles, as part of its broader mission to build sustainable and future-ready human capital for Sarawak. 'Our teachers are the key to that mission and we will continue to invest in their growth and success,' he said. English Roland Sagah Seles technology
Borneo Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Dr Annuar challenges teachers to lead English education reform in Sarawak
Dr Annuar (seated centre) joins educators for a group photo during the opening ceremony of Seles 2025. BINTULU (June 11): Sarawak Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, has challenged English teachers statewide to create a holistic working paper aimed at transforming English education in the state . 'It is a very simple topic, but I want you to be more honest and more comprehensive. I want you (teachers) to come up with a programme on how to improve teaching amongst yourselves as well as learning amongst our students,' he said during the opening ceremony of the Sarawak English Language Education Symposium (Seles) 2025 here today. Dr Annuar was representing State Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn. He said the Sarawak government was moving away from a top-down approach, and emphasised the need for grassroots input and empowerment of front-line educators. 'We don't want to tell you what to do – we want you to tell us what you need. If we can support it, we will. That's better than asking you to do what you don't want to do.' Dr Annuar said that excessive top-down mandates have contributed to teacher burnout and a loss of focus on core teaching duties, with too much energy being spent on administrative documentation rather than classroom instruction. Reflecting on Seles' nine-year journey, Dr Annuar said the initiative had grown significantly and it was time for critical self-assessment. 'If we had a child nine years ago, they would be in Primary 3 now. From not being able to speak, now they can speak fluently, and Seles should be the same with visible success. 'Thus, the 10th symposium next year must be a turning point – a time to evaluate progress, identify gaps and establish a strong foundation for the next phase,' he said. Dr Annuar said with the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) rolling out next year, students with a poor command of English risk being left behind. 'If our students can't speak English well, they may not benefit from FTES. That's why your role as teachers, both in primary and secondary schools, is crucial,' he said. He voiced particular concern for rural students, many of whom only encounter English in the classroom due to limited exposure at home and in their communities. 'We must prepare them properly. We've moved beyond debating why we need to emphasise English. Now it's about how we do it.' Meanwhile, the ministry's permanent secretary Adana Jed said about 200 teachers from across the northern zone of Sarawak, representing eight district Education Offices, participated in Seles 2025. He said the symposium brought together English language teachers and education officers from across Sarawak to share ideas and good practices in teaching English. 'Education is changing with the times. As technology becomes a big part of our daily lives, our English teaching must also grow and improve, not just to keep up, but to lead the way,' he said. The highlights of the three-day symposium include a keynote address by Prof Vincent Lee from Curtin University Malaysia, who will share valuable insights on English education; and two plenary sessions by the Sarawak Education Department's Learning Sector senior principal assistant director Eileen Jessie Ah Guan and SK Ulu Lubai teacher Nicholas Anderson Lim. Bintulu dr annuar rapaee education English Seles
New Straits Times
05-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Boisson joins select group of surprise Grand Slam semi-finalists
PARIS: France's 361st-ranked Lois Boisson on Wednesday became the first wildcard to reach the women's semi-finals at Roland Garros. Here, AFP Sport looks at women's players who overcame the odds to reach the last four and challenge for a Grand Slam title: Elina Svitolina returned in March 2023 after maternity leave following the birth of her daughter. The Ukrainian was not ranked high enough to make the Wimbledon main draw and was given a wildcard. She reached the semi-finals after eliminating world number one Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the eventual champion, ended her run in straight sets. Before Svitolina, Germany's Sabine Lisicki (2011 Wimbledon), Belgium's Justine Henin (2010 Australian Open), Kim Clijsters (2009 US Open), and China's Zheng Jie (2008 Wimbledon) also reached Grand Slam semi-finals as wildcards. Arriving at Roland Garros in 1989 to compete in her first Grand Slam aged 15, Seles reached the semi-finals, where she lost in three sets to world number one Steffi Graf. The young Yugoslav – who became a US citizen in 1994 – won in Paris the following year, gaining revenge on the German, defeating American Jennifer Capriati en route. Like Seles in 1989 and Boisson this year, Capriati also reached the semi-finals in her first major at Roland Garros in 1990. They are the only three players to have achieved such a feat in a Grand Slam tournament since 1980. At the 2021 US Open, 18-year-old Briton Emma Raducanu became the first player in history to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier. Ranked 150th in the world on her arrival in New York, Raducanu won the title against another surprise package, Canadian Leylah Fernandez – then ranked 73rd – without dropping a single set in 10 matches. In the past decade, two other players have come through the qualifying rounds to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam – Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska at the 2024 Australian Open and Argentina's Nadia Podoroska at the 2020 French Open. In 2022, Italian Martina Trevisan arrived at Roland Garros brimming with confidence. A week before the tournament, the world number 59 won her first and only title at the WTA 250 event in Rabat. Thanks to the early eliminations of Tunisian Ons Jabeur, then world number six, and 12th-ranked Raducanu, the 28-year-old from Tuscany enjoyed a draw clear of top seeds until the quarter-finals, where she eliminated world number 18 Fernandez. The next step was too steep with American Coco Gauff sweeping her aside 6-3, 6-1. In what was already her fifth appearance at Roland Garros, Pierce reached the semi-finals on the Parisian red clay at the age of 19 in 1994. After defeating world number one Graf, Pierce reached the final, where she lost to Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. Amelie Mauresmo was also 19 when she reached the semi-finals of the 1999 Australian Open – she lost in the final to Martina Hingis – and Brigitte Simon was 21 when she reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 1978. At 22, Boisson is the fourth-youngest Frenchwoman to book her ticket to the semi-finals of a Slam event.
France 24
04-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Boisson joins select group of surprise Grand Slam semi-finalists
Here, AFP Sport looks at women's players who overcame the odds to reach the last four and challenge for a Grand Slam title: Elina Svitolina, mother of comebacks Elina Svitolina returned in March 2023 after maternity leave following the birth of her daughter. The Ukrainian was not ranked high enough to make the Wimbledon main draw and was given a wildcard. She reached the semi-finals after eliminating world number one Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the eventual champion, ended her run in straight sets. Before Svitolina, Germany's Sabine Lisicki (2011 Wimbledon), Belgium's Justine Henin (2010 Australian Open), Kim Clijsters (2009 US Open), and China's Zheng Jie (2008 Wimbledon) also reached Grand Slam semi-finals as wildcards. Monica Seles, a precocious talent Arriving at Roland Garros in 1989 to compete in her first Grand Slam aged 15, Seles reached the semi-finals, where she lost in three sets to world number one Steffi Graf. The young Yugoslav -- who became a US citizen in 1994 -- won in Paris the following year, gaining revenge on the German, defeating American Jennifer Capriati en route. Like Seles in 1989 and Boisson this year, Capriati also reached the semi-finals in her first major at Roland Garros in 1990. They are the only three players to have achieved such a feat in a Grand Slam tournament since 1980. Emma Raducanu, qualifier to champion At the 2021 US Open, 18-year-old Briton Emma Raducanu became the first player in history to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier. Ranked 150th in the world on her arrival in New York, Raducanu won the title against another surprise package, Canadian Leylah Fernandez -- then ranked 73rd -- without dropping a single set in 10 matches. In the past decade, two other players have come through the qualifying rounds to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam -- Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska at the 2024 Australian Open and Argentina's Nadia Podoroska at the 2020 French Open. Martina Trevisan, last surprise Paris semi-finalist In 2022, Italian Martina Trevisan arrived at Roland Garros brimming with confidence. A week before the tournament, the world number 59 won her first and only title at the WTA 250 event in Rabat. Thanks to the early eliminations of Tunisian Ons Jabeur, then world number six, and 12th-ranked Raducanu, the 28-year-old from Tuscany enjoyed a draw clear of top seeds until the quarter-finals, where she eliminated world number 18 Fernandez. The next step was too steep with American Coco Gauff sweeping her aside 6-3, 6-1. Mary Pierce, youngest French woman In what was already her fifth appearance at Roland Garros, Pierce reached the semi-finals on the Parisian red clay at the age of 19 in 1994. After defeating world number one Graf, Pierce reached the final, where she lost to Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. Amelie Mauresmo was also 19 when she reached the semi-finals of the 1999 Australian Open -- she lost in the final to Martina Hingis -- and Brigitte Simon was 21 when she reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 1978. At 22, Boisson is the fourth-youngest Frenchwoman to book her ticket to the semi-finals of a Slam event.
Gulf News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Gulf News
Looking back: The day that changed Monica Seles' life — and women's tennis
Dubai: It was April 30, 1993. Monica Seles was at the peak of her powers, having dominated women's tennis for two years after becoming the youngest-ever French Open champion at the age of 16. But that day would change her life forever. The Serbian-American star, who held the world No 1 ranking in women's singles for 178 weeks, was the victim of an on-court attack during a match in Hamburg, Germany. An obsessed fan of Steffi Graf — Seles' great rival — stabbed her in the back with a boning knife during a changeover, plunging the blade between her shoulder blades to a depth of 0.5 inches (1.3cm). The incident left Seles traumatised both physically and mentally. She struggled with depression and eating disorders and did not return to professional tennis for more than two years. Although she made a comeback in 1995 and went on to win a ninth Grand Slam at the 1996 Australian Open, she was never quite the same. Her consistency waned, and she played her last professional match at the 2003 French Open. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. Seles had won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 1990 French Open, defeating world No. 1 Graf in the final. She saved four set points in a first-set tiebreak, which she won 8—6, and went on to take the match in straight sets. At just 16 years and six months, she became the youngest-ever French Open singles champion. She would win eight Grand Slam titles during her teenage years — a record in the Open Era. Between the 1990 French Open and the 1993 Australian Open, Seles captured eight of the 11 Grand Slam singles tournaments she entered. Her extraordinary run was abruptly halted by the attack that changed everything — for her, and for women's tennis. Seles was a baseline player known for her power-based, highly aggressive playing style. Her unconventional double-handed forehand and backhand — both struck flat — were delivered with relentless speed, depth, and precision. This ferocious groundstroke game allowed her to dictate rallies and overwhelm opponents, making her one of the most formidable players of her generation. Seles may have been denied her peak years, but she was never forgotten. Her courage, her power, and her teenage dominance continue to inspire — a symbol of both what was, and what might have been.
