Malaysia has its advantage being a cross-cultural society and the culture and traditions brings the highest value as each student receives those values. The richness of Malaysia is the additional value that needs to be injected into the value in education, shared (Dr.) Jeffery J. Louis, COO, UCSI Schools, and Principal, SRI UCSI School, Bandar Springhill in an exclusive interview with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts: Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:
Could you share your vision and strategic plan for developing UCSI Schools Bandar Springhill over the next 5 years? What are your goals for growth, academic programs, campus facilities, student life, partnerships etc.?
We are currently a Microsoft Showcase School and have awarded this recognition for the past three years. We are keen to maintain this status continuously. Additionally, we are engaged in STEM programs like Kids Science, where our kindergarten students develop their STEM skills in the classroom. Our educational pathway and goal is centered on 21st-century education, with our daily lessons and activities emphasizing 21st-century skills.
Being a national private school, one change I personally wish to see and implement is prorating students today for tomorrow. While many argue that the rapidly evolving technology and society make it challenging to predict the future of education, I believe that the essential skills every child needs are life skills. These will equip each child to adapt to and embrace the ever-changing world around them.
One of the key skills and activities we aim to instill is ensuring that all students engage in leadership and real-life experiences that are applicable to their daily lives. We have initiated an extended curriculum model that offers dual learning, combining both the local national curriculum and the Cambridge International Examinations syllabus. This allows students to sit for their IGCSE ‘O’ Level examinations, providing them with both local and international examination exposure.
As a school, we are moving towards creating an international exposure through a local curriculum. This approach eliminates the financial and economic barriers, enabling students to gain the experience and exposure of an international curriculum within a local setting. By implementing this system, we aim to produce well-rounded students who can thrive in both local and international environments. We are actively seeking and establishing partnerships with global schools to foster cross-cultural understanding, sports development, STEM skills engagement, and leadership exposure. As a school with a focus on sports, we are keen on forming more sports related partnerships to ensure our students gain extensive experience and skills in the various sports we emphasize.
What do you see as the biggest challenges currently facing international schools in Malaysia, and how can they be addressed collaboratively across different institutions?
The most alarming challenge is that everyone is offering similar programs with only slight variations. The only benefits some institutions have stem from their infrastructure, quality, recognition, results, and reach. The offerings across the board are quite similar. Many parents opt for international schools for a feel and difference, while many choose the schools based on affordability. Foreign parents often select schools based on economic value and the ease of obtaining visas in the respective country.
Malaysia has its advantage of being a cross-cultural society, and its culture and traditions add immense value, which each student benefits from. The richness of Malaysia should be incorporated as an added value in education. Instead of competing with one another, I believe we should focus on cultivating our unique strengths, creating a “diamond” within that makes a difference in each child.
What key trends in areas like technology, learning styles, global mobility etc. are most impacting education today? How is your school preparing students for an increasingly VUCA world?
VUCA education is something I personally have been introduced to and engaged in since 2019 and that for one has allowed me to embrace the Pandemic years from 2020 to 2022 effectively when we introduced VUCA education through a 10 real world skills program. The 10 real world skills that we had implemented brought a huge change in our perspective in education and had provided robust skills based education. We used VUCA models in all our subjects leading to a major change in education. Since 2019, I have continued to use VUCA education in every way possible through the 21st century skills learning model.
With Malaysia’s aim to become a regional education hub, what more can be done to attract top foreign students and faculty? What policies and resources are still needed?
We will need a total transformation in our mind set. One most important skill when designing education strategies is to think beyond the box and not just out of the box. Approaches like research, project-based learning, skills based education, TVET, and activity based exposure must be forward thinking. The innovative and creative mind is what we need, not the mind of a follower. Collaborative teaching and learning, internationalisation, partnership, engagements and thinking with a trend setting mindset is what I would encourage.
Assessments and evaluations are evolving rapidly with a focus on competencies beyond tests. How do you measure holistic success at your school and know that students are truly ‘future ready’?
Well reference to all questions above, the moment we embrace innovation, creativity, skill-based learning, or adopt a boundary pushing approach to education, our methods of assessment, evaluation, and examination will evolve to reflect the holistic skills we engage in. VUCA education emphasizes on-the-job or project-based immediate evaluations. Imagine assessing skills in real time as students fix robots, code solutions, sew, cook, read compasses, administer first aid, practice self defense techniques, inspect car engines, or hone public speaking skills. The diverse range of real-world skills offers tangible assessment and evaluation.
This is the evidence that learning has taken place and students are ready to take on the world out there no matter if they learn a local or international curriculum.
