This seems like great news, especially for the students!
Every Malaysian school now has an option to skip the morning assemblies because there’s an effective module that’s more engaging for children. According to The Star, this 10-minute assembly module was created by a group of lecturers and students.
This module will definitely cure the students’ Monday blues because it’s filled with fun activities like arts and crafts, and special projects. Fatin Nuratikah Ahmad Shuhaimi was quoted as saying,
“There can be a physics project where students put different types of objects into a balloon. They then shake it and listen to the type of noise each object makes.”
FYI, Fatin is a student from the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) Kampus Ilmu Khas, Cheras. She was a part of the team which developed the aforementioned module.
Fatin explained that the module allows students to run the show for 10 minutes and it gives them a chance to lead. She reckoned that it would be a positive change for students to see their peers perform in front of the whole school.
This module is meant to alter students’ perception about assemblies and make it appealing to them, said the module team leader and IPG Kampus Ilmu Khas communications lecturer Norani Abd Rahim after attending IPG’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.
If you didn’t know, in 2017, 253 schools have adopted this module and there was positive feedback from 30 schools in the first six months itself. Norani shared that some even reported that there was a decrease in absentees rates.
Adding on, the module has 42 activities ranging from Science to Music subjects and it can help students work on their leadership and communication skills.
This is because the activities involve Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs), school-based assessments and values that will hone the students’ ability to think critically and speak in front of crowds.
On the other hand, education minister Dr Maszlee Malik said that every school is entitled to choose and explore their own creativity in how they run their morning assemblies.
Even though schools are not forced to follow this new assembly module, he hopes that the teachers would pick it up. He also stressed that the Malaysian education system needs “fresher ideas and unconventional approaches” towards education. Do you agree with him?
All in all, this seems like a great module to practise but do you think that schools should adopt this method? Let us know in the comments below!