SAM students performing during their four-week face-to-face lessons. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
STUDENTS struggling with learning can apply for scholarships to study at the country’s first digital school based on the Malaysian curriculum.
LeapEd Services chairperson Shahnaz Al-Sadat said the school, Sekolah Anak Malaysia (SAM), conducts 80% of lessons online while the remaining 20% is done in-person.
“We want SAM to be not just for those who can pay but also for those who can benefit from the school but are struggling with financial constraints,” she said during the launch of the school on Aug 22.
The school currently has 34 students with some 80% of them on scholarship. The rest are self-paying.
“One of the things we want to do in SAM is to prepare our kids for life beyond exams,” said Shahnaz, who is also the managing director of the school.
SAM is the country’s first digital school where the curriculum and teaching methods are purpose-built for the digital environment, ensuring flexibility, interactivity, and individual student growth.
The school came about in response to LeapEd’s “Post-Covid Education Recovery in Malaysia” study, which identified the urgent need to close learning gaps.
Among the findings is that 50% to 85% of students are struggling with reading and writing despite 85% to 90% of teachers saying they are satisfied with measures to minimise learning loss post-Covid.
Shahnaz said although the Malaysian education system faces significant challenges, the greater opportunity lies in our collective efforts to address them.
“LeapEd is not just responding to a momentary need but hopefully laying the groundwork for a lasting transformation in education.
“We are working with the government and civil society organisations to tackle the immediate issue of learning deficits while simultaneously working towards ensuring long-term quality education,” she added.
Describing the school as a “private institution but for public service”, Shahnaz stressed that they are targeting those who are in the B40 and lower M40 demographic.
Partnerships played a key role in getting the school off the ground, she said, adding that LeapEd has partnered with Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) to provide funding for the school’s industry-linked curriculum and provide scholarships.
LeapEd has also forged a strategic partnership with 21K School, Asia’s leading online school, to provide accessible high-quality and relevant education; International Islamic University Malaysia’s Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity to provide essential residence and facilities support during the students’ four weeks of face-to-face learning; and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society which is the organisation’s national co-curricular partner.
