Engaging disengaged students

Kamalanathan (standing, fourth from right) posing with the Ascendance team and the official partners for Ace It Right.

WE want 100% enrolment in primary schools to give all children a chance for an education.

The government and Education Ministry also want all children to receive at least 12 years of free education, from preschool right up to Form Five, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk P Kamalanathan.

“What is important is that these children continue their education right until the end of 12 years in school for the benefit of their futures,” he said at the soft launch of the Ace It Easy programme in Putrajaya on Monday.

However, he added, they should not just ensure that the academically-inclined students are the ones given attention throughout their schooling years.

Kamalanathan said the “sidelined students” who do not prioritise their studies should also be encouraged and taught how to pursue their passion.

“I like the Ace It Easy initiative that engages the disengaged students,” he added.

“We need students to continue their education and not just go to school because they do not have a choice,” he said.

“Students must be passionate (about studying) and teachers in the school are ever ready to help them to keep the light and passion burning for education.”

“Ace it Easy”, said Ascendance chief executive officer Mathura Kannan, will allow participants to explore the skills they are good at, discover their passion, relate that passion to their studies and achieve excellent results in their examinations.

“It’s also about holistic success and supports the aims of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 to form students who are holistic intellectually, physically, physically as well as emotionally,” she explained.

She said they want the participants to leave as good leaders who can guide their own friends towards the path of success.

“We want them to learn about themselves, set their own goals and then, achieve them,” she added.

Mathura said her team consists of four, highly ambitious and results-oriented youngsters aged 15 to 21 who “want to give back to our generation.”

She said about 40 participants will be identified by the schools to take part in the day-long programme.

Ace it Easy is a programme developed by students for students, and is a form of peer-to-peer guidance to “engage students who are disengaged.”

The pilot programme will be carried out from January until April for Form Four or Five students in SMK Serendah, SMK Kuala Selangor, SMK Kalumpang, SMK La Salle, Petaling Jaya, SMK Kota Kemuning, SMK Kampong Soeharto, SMK Bandar Baru Batang Kali, SMK Dato’ Haji Kamaruddin, SMK Seri Garing and SMK Assunta.