Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying (middle, in white shirt) discussing a smart city showcase by SMKA (P) Al-Mashoor students, as TM chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Putih (second from left) looks on.
When it comes to nation building, change often begins in the most familiar of places—a classroom, a computer lab, a community gathering around the shared hope of a better future.
Through the “Sekolah Angkat Malaysia MADANI” initiative, Yayasan TM (YTM), the foundation arm of Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), is turning that hope into action, empowering students and teachers across the country to thrive in a digital era.
This initiative brings together the public and private sectors in pursuit of a shared goal. It demonstrates how cross-sector partnerships can translate national aspirations into tangible outcomes while empowering Malaysia’s future talents.
For TM and Yayasan TM, this collaboration reflects their greater purpose to advance Malaysia’s progress through connectivity, education and community development.
Empowering futures through education
Education has always been at the heart of Yayasan TM’s mission. Since 1994, the foundation has supported Malaysia’s education system by offering more than 19,000 scholarships worth over RM650mil.
In 2025 alone, the foundation awarded RM25mil in scholarships for students studying locally and abroad.
Building on this legacy, YTM launched the TM Future Skills (TMFS) School Programme in 2023 with just three pilot schools. In less than two years, the programme has trained over 10,000 students and certified more than 1,000 teachers. The success of TMFS lies in a sustainable model where a designated nucleus school serves as a digital hub that uplifts nearby schools within a 10km radius, promoting reach and inclusivity.
YTM director Ainol Shaharina Sahar said, “By empowering teachers and creating local digital hubs, we are building capacity that endures. This is how digital inclusion becomes sustainable.”
Today, TM has adopted 35 schools nationwide as the TMFS model matures from its early pilot phase into a more structured and scalable framework.
While the initial three schools focused on broad outreach across their wider communities, the expanded rollout adopts a strengthened model.
Each adopted school is developed as a centre of excellence supported by trained teachers, dedicated digital hubs and structured future-skills modules.
Through this refined approach, TMFS now delivers deeper, more intentional impact, with the potential to benefit more than 60,000 students across surrounding satellite schools within a 10km radius—creating ripple effects that are sustainable and aligned with Malaysia’s long-term digital ambitions.
TM Tech Titans Challenge is a national innovation platform under the TMFS programme designed to nurture creativity, critical thinking and real-world problem-solving.
Through the TM Tech Titans Challenge, students gain exposure to real-world industry collaboration. Grounded in design thinking and problem-solving, teams develop solutions to themed challenges, learning to think like entrepreneurs and innovators who can lead Malaysia’s future digital economy.
“We welcome programmes that build holistic learners—academically capable, digitally literate and socially confident. Our students are now thinking about innovation, and we are guiding discovery,” said Al-Mashoor principal Rosnah Othman.
The TMFS programme continues to evolve, expanding to include artificial intelligence (AI) awareness, digital literacy, sports and soft skills development. Teachers, too, are at the heart of this transformation. They enhance their teaching capabilities through capacity-building workshops and become digital ambassadors in their communities, inspiring students to explore beyond textbooks.
“The children are happy as it’s now easier for them to do their homework, find learning materials and explore modern technologies. The support provided for the school’s sports development has also helped bring the community closer together too,” said SK Mukut Parent-Teacher Association president Megat Hafiz.
These efforts, which begin in classrooms and extend to communities, strengthen the foundation of a more connected, inclusive and future-ready Malaysia.
A model for sustainable social investment
The impact of this initiative goes beyond education. It demonstrates a model of sustainable social investment aligned with global benchmarks, including ISO 26000 on Social Responsibility and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By integrating principles of inclusivity, equity and lifelong learning, TM’s initiatives contribute directly to three SDGs, namely SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
This model ensures that social programmes deliver measurable outcomes while remaining responsive to community needs.
Through this approach, TM continues to strengthen its role as a responsible corporate citizen, driving Malaysia’s long-term socio-economic resilience.
(from left) Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah with TM managing director and group chief executive officer Amar Huzaimi Md Deris (in blue shirt) observing SK Mukut’s robotics showcase.
Empowering the future together
The stories emerging from these schools are powerful. In remote classrooms, students are building their first robots. Teachers are using AI tools to inspire innovation. Parents are getting involved in school-based digital activities. These moments of change represent something far greater than the sum of their parts. They show what can happen when access to opportunity meets innovation.
Each adopted school becomes a seedbed for transformation, where technology and human connection thrive together. The initiative strengthens the social fabric by nurturing values of collaboration, empathy and shared growth.
As Malaysia advances toward its vision of becoming a digital nation, the TM Future Skills initiative demonstrates that the nation’s progress begins in its classrooms.
“When a school grows stronger, so does its community. We have learnt that when you adopt a school, you’re not just supporting students—you’re adopting a future and nurturing an ecosystem of change,” said TM chief corporate officer Nor Fadhilah Mohd Ali.
