Cheryl Ann Fernando, who is now the director of Pemimpin GSL (Global School Leaders), said the NGO is on the track to empower 60 teachers from 30 Orang Asli schools in the state through a series of workshops.
The initiative, which kicked off in April last year, is aimed at training teachers on how to engage with students and adjust their approaches in line with Orang Asli culture.
“We want these teachers to be able to develop in their students a growth mindset and, to that end, we help inculcate indigenous paedagogy,” she told FMT in conjunction with Teacher’s Day today.
According to the 38-year-old, teachers at Orang Asli schools often face a challenge in making teaching “exciting and relevant to their students’ surroundings”. For example, a textbook might talk about KLCC, but this would make it difficult for kids from indigenous communities to relate to.
The idea for the initiative began during the pandemic, which resulted in the students’ education being affected by the movement control order.
“This group was the most vulnerable,” she said. “They didn’t have access to online learning during the MCO, so for two years, they were left behind.”
Looking ahead, the NGO aims to work with all 98 Orang Asli schools in Malaysia, with its next state being Pahang, which has more than 30 such schools.
‘Superheroes’
Fernando was in the spotlight after “Adiwiraku”, which means “superhero”, was produced based on her experience as a rural English teacher who assembled a choral-speaking team for a competition in 2013.
She taught at SMK Pinang Tunggal in Sungai Petani, Kedah, for three years.
While the team only managed to get into the top five in the district competition, she was able to inspire her young charges to learn English after the feat, and the impact on them has lasted until today.
“Last month, I passed by the school and saw a big banner saying ‘Adiwiraku’. That’s their tagline. The principal carried the spirit to remind students that they are superheroes,” she shared.
Fernando added that the experience had opened her eyes to the possibilities that come from empowering public schools.
“To work on improving the education system has become a personal goal for me,” she concluded. “I want to ensure my children and all the children out there get the best education possible.”