Students rise by lifting others

 

From Noraini Ahmad

During my visits to higher education institutions around the country, I am more than happy to engage with students. My interactions with them are frequently eye-opening and they have broadened my perspective in many ways.

Students have shown me how resilient they are. Some have been living in extreme poverty and some have faced various adversities. Time and time again, they strive to rise above it all. Their tenacity is praiseworthy. Their passion for life is admirable, to say the least.

Students have shown me that they are benevolent and enthusiastic in giving back to society. I enjoy listening to their ideas on how they want to change the world for the better.

Students have shown me that they want to feel connected to others. They appreciate precious moments of human connection.

Students, like most of us, are looking for meaning in what they do.

As with many priceless lessons attained from the higher education experience, the meaning that they search for transcends the four walls of lecture halls.

The government in general, and the higher education ministry in particular, have always supported the championing of students’ ideas while, simultaneously, cultivating towering personalities.

The ministry has been organising meetings for Malaysia’s National Student Representative Council (MPPK) since October 1999.

The MPPK is a platform for student leaders to forward ideas that can contribute towards the country’s development agenda.

On June 30, 2020, 11 proposals were presented to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. One of the proposals was to establish the Students’ Welfare Foundation.

The Students’ Welfare Foundation, a work in progress, is a formal body at the national level that will manage and coordinate students’ welfare as a whole.

The foundation aims to improve the competitiveness of graduates in the labour market. It also aspires to foster the skills and abilities of students, particularly those in the MPPK, to manage issues pertaining to the well-being of students.

With the vision of shaping holistic graduates while caring for their welfare in the process, there is much to look forward to in the establishment of the foundation.

This includes (but is not limited to):

• the empowerment of student leaders to plan and implement programmes that safeguard the well-being of students, such as the Students’ Foodbank;
• the coordination of assistance to students in an effort to aid the process of teaching and learning activities through the data plan and devices programme, as well as cater to other special needs, based on their specific field of study;
• the coordination of financial and non-financial aid to students who have been affected by accidents, fires, floods, pandemic, etc;
• the coordination of students’ medical needs, particularly those that require treatment due to chronic or life-threatening diseases;
• the coordination of long-term and short-term educational funding for students who have obtained excellent academic results; and,
• the organising and implementation of sponsorship programmes for students to attend courses, training or workshops to reskill and upskill themselves as well as to develop their soft skills in order to increase their marketability upon graduation.

Considering the many benefits to come from this resolution, the prime minister has stated his intent to be the patron of the Students’ Welfare Foundation.

The board members will comprise senior management from the higher education ministry, and public and private institutions of higher education; current members and alumni of the MPPK; as well as members of student representatives from higher education institutions.

As stated by the prime minister at the MPPK meeting held on March 16, the finance ministry will be contributing RM5 million as a seed fund to kick-start the foundation’s efforts.

To sustain its noble endeavours, the foundation is also open to receiving sponsorship from corporations, GLCs, NGOs, industries, higher education institutions, and individuals.

I strongly believe that with some guidance and encouragement, students from higher education institutions would be more than capable of achieving the goals set for the establishment of the Students’ Welfare Foundation.

There is a lot that we can learn from them. The young, in general, have toppled old structures and work processes through their creation of start-ups and participation in the gig economy.

We can look forward to more innovative solutions that can address our nation’s issues should our students be given the chance to lead.

Heeding the words of Robert Ingersoll, “we rise by lifting others”. -- FMT

Noraini Ahmad is the higher education minister.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.