KAMPAR, 22 MARCH 2014: A group of enthusiastic final Public Relation (PR) students from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman hoped to motivate and enlighten youths to be the best that they could be through the power of education.
The PR Volunteerism campaign with the sub-theme of Education was formally launched on 22 March 2014 at Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, UTAR Kampar and was officiated by Deputy Minister of Education II, YB P. Kamalanathan.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of education for all. He said that the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 supports this mission by providing accessible educational opportunities for all.
“Our Government is committed to transforming Malaysia’s education system over the next one-and-a-half decades. Our goal, and the purpose of the education system, is to equip our students holistically and to allow them to succeed in the 21stcentury, with all of the opportunities and challenges that this new era presents.
In order to compete with the best in the world, our education system must develop young Malaysians who are knowledgeable, think critically and creatively, have leadership skills and are able to communicate with the rest of the world, “ said YB. P. Kamalanathan.
This sentiment was echoed by Assoc. Prof. Teh Chee Seng. VP (Student Developnment and Alumni Relations) of UTAR who said, “At UTAR, apart from providing affordable quality eduction to all, the university also hopes that undergraduates can take advantage of the invaluable input obtained via practical learning to contribute back to the local comminuity via a variety of volunteerism activities.”
After the launching, the programme continued with the S.E.L.F Education Day. The acronym ‘SELF’ stand for Seeking Excellent Life Force. The slogan delivers the meaning that the youths of today should continuously maximize and explore their self-potential and direction in lives.
There were two main programmes on S.E.L.F Education Day. They were a motivational talk held by locally renowned DJ and TV host, Wong Chui Ling and a leadership workshop led by Leaderonomics, a social enterprise dedicated to leadership. Participants comprised of secondary school students from SMK Methodist (ACS) Kampar and undergraduates from UTAR.
During the motivational talk, Wong Chui Ling shared her personal experiences on how to succeed in life and to continuously pursue their dreams. The trainers from Leaderonomics led an interesting interactive workshop that taught participants how to identify their inner leadership potential, how to nurture these talents and how these talents will lead them to leadership greatness.
During her one and a half hour motivational talk, Wong Chui Ling shared her secrets to success and important lessons on achieving your dreams. She said, “Learn from your mistakes. Don’t let your own arrogance stand in the way. Continously pursue your dreams and do your best in all aspects.”
The Leadership Workshop led by Leaderonomics, was a fun filled one. The workshop was split into two, one for secondary school students and another for undergraduates. The trainers in Leaderonomics conducted a series of interactive sessions to teach the participants about leadership.
“An ambitious leader-to-be must be courageous, has the ability to spearhead the members and is willing to take risks. There is a saying “no pain, no gain”, we must put in our efforts first in every opportunity as the sky is the limit,” said Fong Sue Ying, a 23-year-old undergraduate, after attending the S.E.L.F Education Day.
The campaign was to inspire and motivate youth to explore their unlimited potential in the process of pursuing knowledge and eventually achieve their ideal lifestyles. The main objective of the campaign was to raise UTAR and secondary school students’ consciousness about the significance of education and its profound benefits towards their entire lives. The campaign also aimed to raise funds for SMK Methodist (ACS) Kampar for improvement and repair work besides igniting the spirit of volunteerism amongst students.