Teach For Malaysia (TFM), a new concept programme, aims to take students beyond excellence and into the world of leadership.
INTERVIEW
In the winter of July 2009, Keeran Sivarajah received a newsletter from the University of Melbourne alumni. In it was an announcement of a partnership between the university and a little known non-profit called Teach for Australia.
The outfit’s concept was arresting. Recruit top Australian graduates, train and then place them as catalytic teachers in some of Australia’s most challenging schools.
The aim is to eventually transform the country’s approach to education and create a new generation of youth who know how to harness their academic and leadership potential.
Sivarajah instantly fell in love with the idea and knew he had to find a way to be part of it.
What he didn’t know was that a similar love affair was unfolding thousands of miles away in the Imperial College of London where Dzameer Dzulkifli was pursuing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering while waiting to find his true passion.
Dzameer had noticed copious amounts of brochures around his college on a programme called Teach First. It spoke of the co-relation between a leader in the classroom and a leader in the boardroom.
Excited Dzameer immediately signed up but was rejected on the grounds that he wasn’t a British or European Union citizen.
That would have been the end of both love stories had the two not crossed paths in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia a few years later.
Idea awaiting birth
Deciding that their meeting in PwC was more an imminence than a coincidence, Sivarajah and Dzameer embarked on what is now the heartbeat of their lives.
“Our research revealed that both programmes had been long established and there was a solid template for success,” Sivarajah, 26, told FMT in an exclusive interview.
“Knowing this built our confidence to adapt the concept to the Malaysian context.”
The duo snatched whatever free hours their demanding consultant jobs permitted to develop a proper business plan.
In September 2009, the Teach for All network looked it over and gave the business model the stamp of approval.
Next they reached out to the Education Ministry and Khazanah Nasional Bhd for funding and support. Once again they were in the right place at the right time.
“The government’s Economic Planning Unit was undertaking a human capital study at that point and the Boston Consulting Group recommended that Teach For Malaysia (TFM) be run in Malaysia,” Dzameer, 28, recalled.
And with that TFM accelerated forward. In April 2010 Sivarajah and Dzameer were granted a two-month sabbatical from PwC to focus on TFM.
Neither have returned to their former employers since.
Instead they wrote a proposal to Khazanah requesting that it be TFM’s founding partner.
They were hired by Khazanah as consultants in June and within a month TFM was made the first Southeast Asian partner for Teach For All.
“Working with Khazanah has really opened our eyes and allowed us to leverage off its strong relationship with the ministry and corporate partners.
“Khazanah is leading some amazing educational initiatives so being introduced to other key stakeholders in the ministry with its name behind us has lent a lot of value to our role,” said Sivarajah.
Lengthy form-filling process
TFM was officially registered and launched by Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in December 2010 as the 10th Malaysia Plan Human Capital Initiative. Now was when the real work began. And not on a particularly encouraging note.
“We held our first intake between January and August this year but by June we only had 200 applications,” Dzameer said.
“So we had to ramp up our cultivation calls, marketing strategies and media exposure. When we closed in August we had 869 applicants vying for 50 spots,” Dzameer added.
Sivarajah interjected here to explain that while the initial number of applicants was large many had baulked at tackling the necessary nine hours to complete the rigorous application form.
But he was unapologetic and unyielding to the suggestion that the form be simplified.
“The form requires applicants to write three to four essays that force them to search their soul for the reason they are applying and whether they are truly prepared for the challenge ahead.
“The reflective questions are very important. Yes we’re looking for a strong academic track record because that is a big indicator of personal investment and the ability to commit. But it isn’t the only factor.”
“We’re also looking for people who will be able to put themselves into the shoes of a leader, teach children from low-income families and deal with people who come with their own sets of challenges,” said Sivarajah.
Gruelling selection
As it turned out those nine hours are only the tip of the iceberg. Shortlisted candidates then face a phone interview and an online critical thinking test.
Sailing through that round earns them a golden ticket to the assessment centre where they will finally be introduced to the actual programme.
But that still isn’t the end.
“There’s an eight week school-based mentor programme conducted by the ministry and the ‘Teach For’ alumni where the Fellows – as they are called – will undergo extensive experiential-based leadership and teaching training before they enter the classrooms,” Sivarajah said, half-laughing at the triathlon-like qualification process.
“The training then continues on the job where they will graduate with a diploma in education at the end of their first year.”
“The process is crucial in identifying and grooming transformational teachers who can shift the life trajectory of a child and contribute to the opportunities that open up to that child in the future.”
It is for this same reason that TFM insists on all applicants being graduates.
Inspiring children
Dzameer explained that the academic qualification serves as an inspiration to the children that they can
reach for the stars no matter what their background story.
“It’s about reflecting on what a child really needs, for instance, a proficiency in English and higher levels of confidence and aspiration,” Sivarajah chimed in.
“Many of these children don’t believe that they can attend the best universities in the word.”
“I myself attended government school and found it difficult to imagine enrolling in an Ivy League university. So it’s about pushing kids to really dream big and realise that there is a clear path towards achieving that dream.”
Come Jan 4 next year, 50 young graduates and professionals between the ages of 20 and 30 will be doing just that in 17 selected government schools across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.
Once their two years fellowship is over they have the option of continuing along that path or returning to their former careers.
But no matter what they choose the “magic” would have already been spread throughout their schools.
According to Dzameer, the teaching fraternity of these schools while initially wary of the new blood are now keen to learn from them.
“We have spent a lot of time briefing the teaching communities in these schools to have them understand that we need them to make this programme work,” Dzameer said.
He also clarified that the 50 Fellows will be accorded the same treatment, workload and salary scale as government teachers and emphasised that no elitism would be tolerated.
“The core competencies among the Fellows are humility, empathy and respect,” Sivarajah added.
“So star students who have the brains but not the heart or ability to collaborate will not succeed in this programme.”
“When they enter the schools it is all about the mindset. They must adapt and learn.
“As much as they may know, the parents, teachers and students know a lot more about the happenings on the ground.”
Buiding Malaysian leaders
With applications for the second intake closing today (Dec 19), neither Dzameer nor Sivarajah has had time to take a breather despite having gone full steam ahead for an entire year.
And yet the light in their eyes and the exhilaration in their voices never once falter. If anything they are deeper in love with their newfound life path.
“What we are doing is building a movement of Malaysians leaders who are going to be invested in expanding education opportunities for our children,”
“We are part of a movement that will make a difference in the lives of so many children. How can you not be in love with a concept like that?” Sivarajah said.
INTERVIEW
In the winter of July 2009, Keeran Sivarajah received a newsletter from the University of Melbourne alumni. In it was an announcement of a partnership between the university and a little known non-profit called Teach for Australia.The outfit’s concept was arresting. Recruit top Australian graduates, train and then place them as catalytic teachers in some of Australia’s most challenging schools.
The aim is to eventually transform the country’s approach to education and create a new generation of youth who know how to harness their academic and leadership potential.
Sivarajah instantly fell in love with the idea and knew he had to find a way to be part of it.
What he didn’t know was that a similar love affair was unfolding thousands of miles away in the Imperial College of London where Dzameer Dzulkifli was pursuing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering while waiting to find his true passion.
Dzameer had noticed copious amounts of brochures around his college on a programme called Teach First. It spoke of the co-relation between a leader in the classroom and a leader in the boardroom.
Excited Dzameer immediately signed up but was rejected on the grounds that he wasn’t a British or European Union citizen.
That would have been the end of both love stories had the two not crossed paths in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia a few years later.
Idea awaiting birth
Deciding that their meeting in PwC was more an imminence than a coincidence, Sivarajah and Dzameer embarked on what is now the heartbeat of their lives.
“Our research revealed that both programmes had been long established and there was a solid template for success,” Sivarajah, 26, told FMT in an exclusive interview.
“Knowing this built our confidence to adapt the concept to the Malaysian context.”
The duo snatched whatever free hours their demanding consultant jobs permitted to develop a proper business plan.
In September 2009, the Teach for All network looked it over and gave the business model the stamp of approval.
Next they reached out to the Education Ministry and Khazanah Nasional Bhd for funding and support. Once again they were in the right place at the right time.
“The government’s Economic Planning Unit was undertaking a human capital study at that point and the Boston Consulting Group recommended that Teach For Malaysia (TFM) be run in Malaysia,” Dzameer, 28, recalled.
And with that TFM accelerated forward. In April 2010 Sivarajah and Dzameer were granted a two-month sabbatical from PwC to focus on TFM.
Neither have returned to their former employers since.
Instead they wrote a proposal to Khazanah requesting that it be TFM’s founding partner.
They were hired by Khazanah as consultants in June and within a month TFM was made the first Southeast Asian partner for Teach For All.
“Working with Khazanah has really opened our eyes and allowed us to leverage off its strong relationship with the ministry and corporate partners.
“Khazanah is leading some amazing educational initiatives so being introduced to other key stakeholders in the ministry with its name behind us has lent a lot of value to our role,” said Sivarajah.
Lengthy form-filling process
TFM was officially registered and launched by Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in December 2010 as the 10th Malaysia Plan Human Capital Initiative. Now was when the real work began. And not on a particularly encouraging note.
“We held our first intake between January and August this year but by June we only had 200 applications,” Dzameer said.
“So we had to ramp up our cultivation calls, marketing strategies and media exposure. When we closed in August we had 869 applicants vying for 50 spots,” Dzameer added.
Sivarajah interjected here to explain that while the initial number of applicants was large many had baulked at tackling the necessary nine hours to complete the rigorous application form.
But he was unapologetic and unyielding to the suggestion that the form be simplified.
“The form requires applicants to write three to four essays that force them to search their soul for the reason they are applying and whether they are truly prepared for the challenge ahead.
“The reflective questions are very important. Yes we’re looking for a strong academic track record because that is a big indicator of personal investment and the ability to commit. But it isn’t the only factor.”
“We’re also looking for people who will be able to put themselves into the shoes of a leader, teach children from low-income families and deal with people who come with their own sets of challenges,” said Sivarajah.
Gruelling selection
As it turned out those nine hours are only the tip of the iceberg. Shortlisted candidates then face a phone interview and an online critical thinking test.
Sailing through that round earns them a golden ticket to the assessment centre where they will finally be introduced to the actual programme.
But that still isn’t the end.
“There’s an eight week school-based mentor programme conducted by the ministry and the ‘Teach For’ alumni where the Fellows – as they are called – will undergo extensive experiential-based leadership and teaching training before they enter the classrooms,” Sivarajah said, half-laughing at the triathlon-like qualification process.
“The training then continues on the job where they will graduate with a diploma in education at the end of their first year.”
“The process is crucial in identifying and grooming transformational teachers who can shift the life trajectory of a child and contribute to the opportunities that open up to that child in the future.”
It is for this same reason that TFM insists on all applicants being graduates.
Inspiring children
Dzameer explained that the academic qualification serves as an inspiration to the children that they can reach for the stars no matter what their background story.
“It’s about reflecting on what a child really needs, for instance, a proficiency in English and higher levels of confidence and aspiration,” Sivarajah chimed in.
“Many of these children don’t believe that they can attend the best universities in the word.”
“I myself attended government school and found it difficult to imagine enrolling in an Ivy League university. So it’s about pushing kids to really dream big and realise that there is a clear path towards achieving that dream.”
Come Jan 4 next year, 50 young graduates and professionals between the ages of 20 and 30 will be doing just that in 17 selected government schools across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.
Once their two years fellowship is over they have the option of continuing along that path or returning to their former careers.
But no matter what they choose the “magic” would have already been spread throughout their schools.
According to Dzameer, the teaching fraternity of these schools while initially wary of the new blood are now keen to learn from them.
“We have spent a lot of time briefing the teaching communities in these schools to have them understand that we need them to make this programme work,” Dzameer said.
He also clarified that the 50 Fellows will be accorded the same treatment, workload and salary scale as government teachers and emphasised that no elitism would be tolerated.
“The core competencies among the Fellows are humility, empathy and respect,” Sivarajah added.
“So star students who have the brains but not the heart or ability to collaborate will not succeed in this programme.”
“When they enter the schools it is all about the mindset. They must adapt and learn.
“As much as they may know, the parents, teachers and students know a lot more about the happenings on the ground.”
Buiding Malaysian leaders
With applications for the second intake closing today (Dec 19), neither Dzameer nor Sivarajah has had time to take a breather despite having gone full steam ahead for an entire year.
And yet the light in their eyes and the exhilaration in their voices never once falter. If anything they are deeper in love with their newfound life path.
“What we are doing is building a movement of Malaysians leaders who are going to be invested in expanding education opportunities for our children,”
“We are part of a movement that will make a difference in the lives of so many children. How can you not be in love with a concept like that?” Sivarajah said.
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