WITH COVID-19 affecting students’ education, particularly among the B40, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Pertubuhan Magik Matematik recently organised the Brain-Synchro programme for 200 students, so as to the prepare the latter for the upcoming SPM exams.
Organised in collaboration with the Hasanah Foundation, Finance Ministry (MOF) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the programme was held second time following its success in 2020, where 84% of the students who participated in the free course managed to up their Modern Maths results by at least one grade back then.
“The programme, based on the home-based teaching and learning method (PDPR) module, was conducted using both online and physical classes to allow an effective intervention, particularly among students who are struggling to get good grades.
“Apart from guiding them on Modern Maths, students were also taught several fun mental calculation methods which attracted their interest.
“In addition, we also organised counselling for the students so as to deal with the latter’s stress and mental health issues. This will help them to be prepared physically, mentally and emotionally when SPM exams take place,” its founder M Selvaraju told FocusM.
Elaborating on the programme, Selvaraju said that it began online in October last year, with students from seven different schools taking part in the course via Zoom, after school sessions have ended.
The schools involved were SMK Sri Permaisuri (Bandar Tun Razak), SMK Bandar Tasik Selatan (Cheras), SMK Raja Abdullah (Kepong), SMK Seri Pantai (Kg. Kerinchi), SMK Segambut (Segambut), SMK Jinjang (Jinjang), SMK Bandar Baru Sentul and SMK Convent Sentul (Sentul).
And one month before SPM this year, he added, students attended several workshops physically (Bengkel Teknik Menjawab Matematik Moden SPM 2021) at several low-cost housing flats area (PPR).
“We conducted 16 of such workshops for the B40 students, with five of them being PPR Desa Tun Razak, PPR Sri Aman, PA Sri Kelantan, PPR Pekan Kepong dan PPR Seri Pantai.
“The workshops, held for four hours each between Jan 29 and Feb 27, helped us prepare the students their Modern Maths paper in SPM,” Selvaraju mentioned.
Morale booster for students
To boost the students’ morale, he organised the Brain-Synchro Olympiad Test at the end of the programme, virtually and physically, to test the students’ comprehension following the programmes conducted.
“Throughout the programmes, students were served breakfast, lunch and tea time meals.”
On how the students were during the programme, Selvaraju admitted that there were constraints during the online classes.
“However, students were overjoyed when we organised the physical classes as they could ask the trainers questions face to face.
“And they got motivated when we taught them the mental calculation methods,” he noted.
On whether he would conduct another programme for next year’s SPM students, Selvaraju replied in the positive.
“Hasanah Foundation has provided us funding for the upcoming programme too and we are delighted to help the next batch of students,” Selvaraju remarked. – April 14, 2022
