Tzu Chi & USM Education Care Mentoring Program
Introduction
This program is inspired by Teach for America (TFA), which was started in 1989 by Wendy Kopp with the main aim of eliminating educational inequity, especially for children from poor families. Wendy Kopp is one of the greatest teachers in America, and her intent is to give all children the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
The program is collaborating with Buddhist Tzu Chi Merits Society Malaysia (NGO), USM, and Selected Schools with underprivileged students in Penang. The Buddhist Tzu Chi Merits Society Malaysia (NGO) is a charitable organization from Taiwan founded by Master Cheng Yen. In Penang, one of Tzu Chi’s regular activities is visiting needy families in the area (e.g. visiting cancer patients for palliative care, single-parent families, and low-income families) to provide financial aid, support, and encouragement. Normally, children from low-income families do not have opportunities to receive better education. In some cases, students drop out of school before completing their SPM.
Therefore, the long-term aim of the project is to alleviate poverty in the local region and to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. The short-term aim of the project is to provide quality education to local students from underprivileged families, enabling them to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their academic pursuits and future careers because we believe that every child deserves quality education, regardless of their background, race, or religion.
In conclusion, the best way to fight poverty is through education. Indeed, the importance of education is already well-known. The problem lies in how to ensure equal access to education for all children, how to effectively help struggling students improve their learning outcomes, and how to support them in their pursuit of further education at the college or university level. Therefore, the program adopts a small-group teaching method by assigning an individual tutor to each struggling student.
Main Objective:
- To alleviate poverty in the local region and to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor
- To provide quality education to local students from underprivileged families, enabling them to acquire the knowledge and skills
- To increase the sense of community service and volunteerism among USM students, encouraging them to give back to their communities and make a positive impact on society
Education Ambassador (EA)
Education Ambassador (EA) is a volunteer group established in 2019 at USM. The group consists not only of current USM undergraduate and postgraduate students but also of USM graduates, college students, retired teachers, working adults, and volunteers. The EA aims to provide personalized or small group tuition to underprivileged primary and secondary students in the local community who are enrolled in the program
Student Group:
Underprivileged/B40 students recommend by Tzu Chi NGO
**CRITERIA **
1.If you love to teach and are dedicated, this program is for you
2.Be patient with the primary or secondary students you guide
3. If you do not have any teaching experience, do not worry. We will guide and provide training for you
Benefits of joining this teaching program
1.You can gain unforgettable community service experience through this program
2.You can gain valuable experience by working directly with B40 communities through this program
3.Through this program, you can gain unforgettable teaching experience and enhance your CV
4.You can earn MyCSD points (*for USM undergraduate student only) and receive a certificate upon completion of the program
