KUALA LUMPUR: Stellantis, the world’s fourth largest automaker and leading mobility solutions provider, is partnering Teach For Malaysia (TFM) on the “EduPower for Quality Education” initiative.
In a statement, Stellantis says this initiative aims to uplift underserved and indigenous communities, including B40 families, Orang Asli and Orang Asal groups in Selangor, Perak and Sarawak by providing access to quality education.
In Malaysia, 1 in 5 children do not complete secondary school, and 58% of 15-year-olds do not meet minimum proficiency levels in reading.
More than two-thirds of students in underperforming schools come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds as they face significant barriers in being engaged in learning.
For example, a student who may need to work after school would struggle to complete homework due to time constraints or the family may not be able to afford basic necessities like calculators, or textbooks and exercise books, creating further obstacles to learning.
Besides this, schools in rural areas often face challenges in being able to recruit and select high-quality teachers.
Furthermore, the education system can be demanding as it emphasizes paperwork.
Stellantis noted that this, combined with limited resources, teachers face burnout and lack access to quality professional training and development that would help them learn new teaching skills and methods.
Stellantis chief operating officer (Asean) Daniel Gonzalez said, “Education is a key driver of economic and social mobility, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no community is left behind. We are excited to partner with Teach For Malaysia to break the cycle of educational inequity and provide support for education to communities that need it most."
The “EduPower for Quality Education” initiative will focus on building quality teaching capacity through TFM’s 2-year Fellowship Programme.
TFM will train 90 best talents to be teaching partners, also known as TFM Fellows, who will be placed at the most high-need schools across Perak, Selangor, and Sarawak, regions with significant populations from B40, Orang Asli and Orang Asal communities.
Over the 2-year Fellowship, the Fellows will teach and impact 19,950 students aged 7 to 17 years, with efforts concentrated on improving foundational literacy and numeracy.
“At TFM, we believe that all children in Malaysia should have the opportunity to realise their potential through quality education, regardless of their background. We are thrilled to have Stellantis onboard as a like-minded partner who understands the value of education,” said Teach For Malaysia CEO Chan Soon Seng.
Down the road, Stellantis and TFM will also look to develop student leadership and advocacy through a Student Leader Advisory Council under the initiative.
This program aims to empower student leadership and voice by fostering strong mentoring and networking opportunities between students and Stellantis employees.
At the same time, the program serves as a platform to inspire students to reach for bigger dreams.
