All for one: (from left) Radzi, Tunku Ali Redhauddin, Teach For All chief executive officer Wendy Kopp and Chan using their hands to depict the TFM logo during the anniversary celebration. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
IT was their first time venturing out of their villages in Perak but if this group of Orang Asli students were nervous, it definitely did not show.
The 30 youngsters from SK RPS Pos Kemar, Gerik, and SMK Bawong, Kuala Kangsar, had hopped on a bus and endured a long ride to Kuala Lumpur to present their traditional indigenous dance and choral speaking performances at Teach For Malaysia’s (TFM) 10th anniversary celebration on Sept 24.
For these students, riding an escalator was a novelty, but showcasing their talent to an audience of more than 450 guests including Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin and the country’s top academics and educators was an experience they are unlikely to forget.
Trained by TFM fellows, the students beamed with pride when TFM chairman and founding trustee Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz described them as a “hard act to follow” before delivering his speech.
The decade, he said, has seen the independent, not-for-profit organisation embark on a journey to give children the opportunity to realise their potential through quality education.
To date, there are 474 TFM fellows from the 10 cohorts, with over 450 leaders leaving an impact on the lives of more than 330,000 students studying in high-need schools, he shared.
TFM, which is one of the 60 partners of the prestigious global education network Teach For All, he added, has expanded the programme to include coaching in-service national school teachers through Program Duta Guru (PDG), a collaboration between Yayasan PETRONAS and the Education Ministry through the National STEM Centre.
“In totality, TFM has formed partnerships with 893 schools across every state and Federal Territory in the country, making us a truly Malaysian organisation,” said Tunku Ali Redhauddin.
He said TFM would continue to innovate and collaborate with all quarters to address the many different challenges facing Malaysia’s education sector.
“TFM is an example of what we can do for the betterment of our nation when we all come together,” he added.
In unveiling TFM’s long-term goal, its chief executive officer Chan Soon Seng said by 2030, the aim is to create a movement of 30,000 leaders working collectively to provide children from underserved communities nationwide with quality education.
“While 30,000 is a small drop in the ocean of a Malaysian population of more than 30 million, we believe that the power of leadership has a multiplier effect.
“If each of these 30,000 leaders influences at least 100 people to take action, we could engage almost 10% of the population,” he said, adding that TFM will not only recruit, train and develop teacher leaders, but also invest in broader strategies and partnerships across all layers of the education ecosystem.
“We know that there are so many everyday Malaysians who may not be able to give up two years of their lives to teach but who could volunteer, donate and leverage their social and career capital to support education.
“We must include the community and get everyone on board in our movement if we are to succeed,” he said.
Lauding TFM for its role in the country’s education system, Radzi said the organisation has been of great assistance to the ministry in educating the nation’s underserved children.
To apply for the TFM fellowship or PDG, log on to teachformalaysia.org/apply-fellowship/ (by Oct 30) or email pdg@teachformalaysia.org.
All for one: (from left) Radzi, Tunku Ali Redhauddin, Teach For All chief executive officer Wendy Kopp and Chan using their hands to depict the TFM logo during the anniversary celebration. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
Proud heritage: SK RPS Pos Kemar pupils performing their traditional dance.
