THE focus on rote learning and centralised examinations was one of the key concerns about the Malaysian education system, particularly its effect on producing creative thinkers.
While the scrapping of the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and the Pentaksiran Tingkatan Tiga (PT3) at the primary and lower secondary levels, in 2021 and 2022, respectively, was a step in the right direction, there is a need to encourage extracurricular activities in and outside of school, if we are to produce global citizens able to thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world.
Activities, including sports, arts and music, should be encouraged to instil sensitivity, teamwork and leadership skills in students, in line with the National Education Philosophy to develop the “potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner” and to produce talents who are “intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious”.
Educationist and former Universiti Malaya professor Prof Tan Sri Dr T. Marimuthu believes that such activities engage both sides of the brain.
Reaching out: Nicol (back row, third from left) and de Reyes (back row, far right) with some of the young participants of their initiative. – Nicol David Organisation
The right brain, the sensible or more intuitive side, is sometimes neglected in the pursuit of academic achievement; sports activities, he stressed, are beneficial in developing sporting spirit and teamwork.
“The individual who is academically excellent, and at the same time has leadership skills and sensitivity in other areas, usually has an understanding of different things and so on,” Marimuthu told StarEdu.
Character building
Sports, said Malaysian squash legend Datuk Nicol David, opened up a world of opportunities for her. “I would have never known I could be the best in the world if I didn’t play squash and keep striving for more even when I was at the top,” said Nicol in an email interview.
The eight-time world squash champion said sports had taught her discipline and time management while juggling training and practice.
The Penangite who studied at SMK Convent Green Lane made headlines for her academic achievements as well, when she scored seven As in both the PMR and SPM examinations.
“My studies were my priority and whenever I had examinations, I put more attention towards my studying,” she said.
Meanwhile, motorcycle racing star Zulfami Khairuddin learnt to be self-sufficient at a young age.
The 31-year-old who hails from Banting, Selangor, had worked part-time jobs since the age of 15 and never asked for financial support from his parents to pay for his training and expenses.
It was not always easy because Zulfahmi’s parents had reservations about him taking up motorsport initially.
“I was working alone to find myself a place to ride, to make sure I was right, because I didn’t want to fail and go back to my parents to tell them I’d want to study again or do something else,” he said, adding that he was mindful not to miss any classes and kept to a strict time management regime.
He went on to become the first Malaysian to achieve the pole position at the Malaysian Motorcyle Grand Prix in 2012.
He is now the team manager for the Sepang International Circuit racing team and runs his own academy ZK Racing training young children.
Training the next gen: Zulfami (centre) with two of his charges at a motor racing event. – ZK Racing
One of his most accomplished students was 10-year-old Qabil Irfan, who clinched third spot at the FIM MiniGP World Series in Valencia, Spain, in November 2022.
Parental guidance
Zulfahmi has noticed a shift in attitude among parents of his charges, as they are more supportive and hands-on in their children’s activities.
“Motorsports parents always have time for their kids,” he mused.
Parents are usually briefed during the training sessions so that they are able to keep track of the progress of their children and offer guidance at home.
The students who belong to the elite category have to undergo gruelling training, including daily practice sessions at the academy with only a rest day on Sundays.
They are also taught communication skills because Zulfahmi wants them to be well prepared for interactions with sponsors and technical staff.
According to Kuala Lumpur-based piano tutor Patricia Lim, students are more likely to persevere if their parents show interest in their learning, be it in sports or music activities.
While there are parents who may have forced their children to learn music, Lim believes that children will benefit from the exposure.
“Sometimes I feel that whether it is ‘forced’ or not, if you don’t let them try, they will never know,” she said.
Students who have attained the grade four level usually start to enjoy music better because they have a wider repertoire and are able to play the pieces they enjoy, she added.
The mother of two has a laissez-faire approach to the music education of her daughters. She sent them to another tutor and was supportive of their decision to give up piano after grade five to take up drum.
“I find that as a parent, I have pretty high standards when it comes to my children. I don’t want to discourage them.
“For me, it’s not about getting the grade. I just want them to learn. At the end of the day, we don’t know if that is what they want,” said Lim.
Likewise, Nicol credited her parents with giving her room to pursue her interest in squash.
“My parents just gave my two older sisters and me the freedom to take ownership of what we wanted to do and if we took on anything, they knew that they had given us enough tools to put in our full effort to do well,” she shared.
A balanced approach
Nevertheless, Marimuthu cautioned that parents should not overburden their children with enrichment activities because doing so would be detrimental for their physical and mental health.
“It is a middle-class syndrome, giving the best to the children but sometimes overloading them. They must try to seek a balance,” he said.
In certain cases, parents may become overenthusiastic and enrol their children in extracurricular activities even though the latter are not ready.
For example, toddlers may not have the muscle dexterity to play the piano and it is more appropriate that they learn about pitch and rhythm in group classes.
A more ideal age to start a formal music education is around four or five when the children are able to read letters and numbers, as well as concentrate with minimal parental supervision, said Karen Lim, a music tutor based in Bukit Jalil, Selangor.
Equal opportunities
Underprivileged students on the other side of the socioeconomic scale are not so fortunate as their parents are not able to afford enrichment classes.
More than half a million middle-income (M40) households slipped to the lower income (B40) category due to economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to figures revealed by former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in September 2021.
While the government should improve the quality of extracurricular activities offered at schools, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can play a part to improve access to underprivileged children.
“NGOs should organise more meaningful activities and involve parents as facilitators. For those who can afford, they can sponsor financially or in kind so that needy kids can participate,” said Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin.
In June 2022, Nicol launched her eponymous organisation with former Colombian squash player Mariana de Reyes to provide training programmes for children from low- and middle-income families.
The Nicol David Organisation (see sidebar) runs the “Little Legends” programme where Year Two schoolchildren from B40 to M40 families are selected to participate in after-school English lessons and squash training.
Later, the participants will progress to learning “life skills” in the second year of the five-year programme where they will be taught about topics such as sustainability, technology, mental health and social skills.
“The most important thing is to see them happy each time they come and as head coach of the squash programme, I’m truly excited to see our children enjoying squash and I want to continue to offer every bit of my experience to them,” said Nicol.
THE VIEWS
Finding joy beyond academics
“As someone with a wide range of interests, I took part in many activities in secondary school.
However, the one that had the deepest impact on me was from my participation in my school’s Red Crescent Society.
Being a member of the society involved more than just learning first aid skills.
From taking part in competitions and organising activities to handling real-life situations, it constantly presented me with different challenges, through which I learnt soft skills and values such as responsibility and teamwork.
Taking up leadership roles also allowed me to discover more about myself and what it meant to be a leader.
I was also part of the Japanese Club and the Art Club, which gave me the chance to explore the arts despite being in the science stream.
Actively participating in extracurricular activities had filled my secondary school years with so much excitement and given me so many memories.”
Ong Li Zhen, 19
“I play the piano, which relieves my stress, especially after a long week.
Recently, I took part in a music concert, which gave me an exciting experience and helped me find the courage to embrace new challenges.
Besides this, I take it upon myself to learn new languages such as French and German, which enables me to improve my communication and multitasking skills.
Setting aside time for extracurricular activities inculcates discipline and provides many benefits, which could prove useful in our daily lives, as well as our future.”
Navena Srie Viswam, 15
“I just joined my school’s peer mentoring programme which aims to create connections with new students and students who face difficulties in their studies and social life.
Even though the programme has been in motion for a while now, I joined it only this year due to the fact that I found participating and interacting with others intimidating.
I owe my newfound courage to people who have reached out to me and shown me the beauty of creating bonds.
The peer mentoring programme offers opportunities to take part in various projects, from weekly mentoring sessions to mental health awareness weeks.
Though I’m a new member, it has already made such a profound impact on my life.
”Isabelle Maryam, 16
All students featured here are participants of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by
The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
