1 in 5 Malaysian students don’t finish secundary school, while 44% of Malaysian students do not meet minimum profiency in reading. Moreover, 3.1 years is the learning gap of the average Malaysian student. Despite 12.2 years of schooling, Malaysians only receive the equivalent of 9.1 years after adjusting for quality of learning.
That’s not exactly a great head start for a kid whose parents can’t afford a private education. Two years of COVID turned a bad start into a let-down for many children in government schools. They may never make it to tertiary education despite their potential, and may remain perpetually poor.
This Isn’t Good News for Malaysia’s Future Too
Malaysia cannot develop and achieve its rightful potential on the world stage either. Without a well-educated youth possessing STEM science, technology, engineering, and math skills for the digital revolution.
Teach For Malaysia is mobilising a movement of leaders to empower our nation through education.
Teach for Malaysia sets ambitious and audacious goals in order to reimagine a drastically different education system and world to meet the needs of everyone. As a movement, they empower their students and communities to lead the solutions that will make the most difference. Your generous donation could place an additional teacher in an underperforming school for two years.
You Could Support Teach for Malaysia’s Core Values
Teach for Malaysia has been building this dream since 2012. Its executive officer, Chan Soon Seng, was one of the first teacher placements. He envisions a holistic education system that not only develops students’ academics, but also their social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and leadership skills in order to thrive in the 21st century.
Chan leads his team from the front with a depth of real-time experience. Would you like to donate to this cause, and help his team live out the following four core values?
We believe all children should receive a quality education that enables them to create their own future, but not all children have that opportunity due to their socio-economic background.
1. A SENSE OF POSSIBILITY
Teach Malaysia is convinced there are no frontiers to its dream. They imagine a drastically different education system, and a world to meet the needs of everyone. They empower their students and their communities to believe in ambitious and audacious goals. Goals that will make the most difference to Malaysia’s next generation of leaders.
2. A PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
Chan Soon and his team aspire to a vision that when people love what they do – and believe in what they do – then they bring their best self to work. They want all involved to set a high bar of excellence for themselves. Because this alone will enable them to make the impact they want, and sustain themselves over the long run.
3. A SPIRIT OF COLLOBORATION
Teach for Malaysia believes unity is strength, and this includes their cohort of teachers, donors who support them, and their permanent team as well. All of us have a role to play in realizing our children’s full potential through rich education, they insist. They collaborate radically with students, communities, and partners from all sectors.
4. INSISTENCE ON ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY
This charity holds the power of authenticity, compassion, respect, and trust to create transformational change close to its heart. We place emphasis on what we achieve as well as how we achieve our goals, it says. Would you like to join it in its journey? Perhaps you are young and short on material resources but dream of becoming a Fellowship educator.
What Is This Fellowship And How Does It Work?
The Teach for Malaysia Fellowship is a leadership development Programme for teachers. Teachers with a heart-felt desire to experience the challenges in education at grassroots level first hand. Teach for Malaysia places aspiring change makers in high-need schools for two years on full salaries. They gain skills and understanding of the education system.
The Fellowship Programme is a two-way street where Fellows change the lives of their students, while they broaden their understanding of the state of Malaysia’s education. Every Fellow has a personal coach to guide them. Becoming a Fellow is an opportunity to impact on classrooms, and communities while gaining a rich experience.
Could You Cut It As a Fellowship Teacher with Teach for Malaysia?
Of course, you could; if you are ambitious, resilient, and committed to the mission to end education inequity. Beyond that, Teach for Malaysia Fellows come from very diverse backgrounds, but are united through a strong belief and purpose in the mission. Here are the key competencies you need to claim and develop as you grow:
- Motivation and drive: You seek challenges, and you understand that the path to success requires hard work. You have initiative and you are organized.
- Change potential: You adapt to new and unfamiliar situations, but you are versatile in ambiguous ones. You remain calm and confident.
- People potential: You can work effectively and collectively in teams. You are aware of your own impact on others.
- Intellectual and learning potential: You are aware of your strengths and weaknesses; you are comfortable giving and receiving feedback.
- Respect and humility: You do not generalise as you seek the best in other people’s wisdom, despite it contradicting your own beliefs.
- Sense of possibility: You dream big. You can mentally visualise different versions of the future. You are fearless in your pursuit of that dream.
- Communication: You command a presence through clear, compelling, and passionate communication. You can adapt your communication style.
- Mission fit: Your personal vision and mission aligns with Teach for Malaysia’s. You are motivated to succeed as a Fellow.
Would You Like to Support Teach For Malaysia In Another Way?
There are three more ways to support Teach for Malaysia without actually teaching yourself:
- Give occasional or regular donations to fund the salaries of Fellowship teachers.
- Support DERMA’s drive for an education endowment fund for sustainable impact.
- Become a fund raiser yourself. Spread the news of Teach for Malaysia’s vision.
Please consider supporting Teach for Malaysia on Incitement or by visiting their website.
Also make sure to check out these 15 charities that need your support in 2022.
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