THIRTY students of SMK Sungai Nibong got the rare chance of being taught by a personality for an hour under the Teach for Malaysia Week 2013 programme.

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, who was invited for the programme, taught the Form One students Bahasa Melayu.

The programme, which was in its second year, was organised by Teach for Malaysia (TFM), a non-profit organisation working towards ending education inequality.

This year, 26 schools from Penang, Kedah and northern Perak were se-lected for the one-week programme where top civil servants, public fi-gures, corporate leaders and personalities teach alongside a TFM fellow.

Dr Mohamed Mustafa said the programme was noble as it gives students from a lower income family background an equal chance in getting education.

“Although I’ve been lecturing for more than 20 years, it’s not easy to teach such kids as the gap between us is too huge.

“I have to find ways to deliver my knowledge and experience so that they will be able to understand it from their point of view,” he said after his session at the school on Tuesday.

Dr Mohamed Mustafa added that the involvement of such people in the programme could inspire and motivate the students to work harder and be successful.

The students were seen enjoying the vice-chancellor’s casual and interactive way of teaching where they were asked to present an assignment given to them in front of the class.

Student Caroline Anne, 13, said she found the session interesting and learnt things that were not taught in school.

The teaching session was assisted by TFM fellow Felicia Yoon, 23, who would be teaching Bahasa Malaysia in the school until next year.

“Although I graduated in actuarial science, I felt like teaching so that I could make an impact in the education field,” said the undergraduate from the London School of Econo-mics.

Last year, Teach for Malaysia Week was carried out in schools in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sem-bilan.

Among the personalities who participated last year were actress Lisa Surihani, movie producer Yusry Abdul Halim, stand-up comedian and actor Harith Iskander, Red FM deejay Jeremy Teo, Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) Education NKRA di- rector Tengku Nurul Azian Tengku Shahriman, Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah and Sunway Group advisor and Sunway University pro-chancellor Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam.