Sticking together through the pandemic
After a successful run in 2020, the Magic Maths Organisation (Pertubuhan Magik Matematik) was given another opportunity to help the youth of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With the support of Yayasan Hasanah and Prihatin, Brain-Synchro SPM 2021 was launched. The aim remains the same, which is to help the underprivileged and underperforming students academically and mentally.
For 2021, the organisation decided to continue working with the schools contacted in the previous year for Brain-Synchro SPM 2020 largely because of the bond of trust formed between the two parties plus a few other newly contacted schools.
The chosen schools were :
- SMK Jinjang
- SMK Segambut
- SMK Sinar Bintang
- SMK Raja Abdullah
- SMK Sri Pantai
- SMK Bandar Tasik Selatan
- SMK Sri Permaisuri
- SMK Bandar Baru Sentul
- SMK Convent Sentul
A total of 203 B40 students had enrolled in the program. The students were selected based on their result in Modern Mathematics from the final examination held in their previous year. About 54% of them failed while 46% obtained grade D and E. At the very start of the sessions in each location, the students were asked to take a diagnostic test via online to further check on their current aptitude on Modern Mathematics. This program keeps track of their academic achievements to make sure the aim of improving their grade by at least 1 can be achieved.
Starting from the 2nd week of October 2021 to the end of December 2021, a total of 80 online sessions have been conducted successfully. These 2 hour sessions covered SPM Modern Mathematics and mental calculation techniques which complement the first. A reminder with the link will be sent on a weekly basis to the related group prior to the online class. It will be sent 1 day before the class with the lesson module in pdf format. The topics were tailored to fit the students based on the results of their diagnostic tests. Furthermore, the topics covered were specifically chosen for these types of students.
Due to great feedback from the previous program(2020), the 2021 program also included counselling sessions. A total of 14 online sessions were dedicated to counselling which covered 2 modules where the students took the DASS test and a personality test. The counselling sessions touched on the importance of mental health and stress management.
Even with online capabilities, Pertubuhan Magik Matematik believes that knowledge is best taught and learned in person. Therefore, physical sessions were promised to the participating students in 7 locations in Kuala Lumpur. Each physical class lasts for 4 hours from January 2022 until February 2022, a month before SPM 2021, scheduled in March 2022. The tutors tasked to each location offered help out of class hours as well which helps the students who were shy in class.
Based on the result of the SPM 2021, a total of 174(87%) of the students who attended the program increased at least 1 grade from the borderline.
Like any endeavors, there were, are and will have challenges to overcome. Pertubuhan Magik Matematik always strives to reach the best output to prove that the participating beneficiaries have received help from the best that can be offered thus making an impact on the community, aligned with Yayasan Hasanah’s vision.
