From Rural to Urban with (ICT) Education

By Melati Mohd Ariff

BALIK PULAU (Pulau Pinang), Jan 9 (Bernama) -- For the 'average' academic achievers, failure to get a place in universities is not the end of the world as the Island College of Technology (ICT) here provides the opportunity for them to pursue degree, diploma and certificate-level studies.

"When the college (ICT) was established (in 1998), there were only a few Bumiputera private colleges in the Peninsula's north. At that time, Malay students with average academic performance did not have ample opportunities to pursue further education.

"In Pulau Pinang, many of the Malay girls chose to work in factories as the easy way out to look for money to assist their families. We do not wish to see the Malays particularly the girls end up as factory workers," ICT President/Chief Executive Datuk Siti Mazenah Saat told Bernama here recently.

"Such a scenario is rather poignant, as even though the academic achievement is good, they have to give way to poverty," said Siti Mazenah who has 21 years experience serving Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) before retiring in September 1998. She had also served the Education Ministry and Public Service Department.

ICT'S COMMITMENT

Since ICT's inception in 1998, the college's vision is to be a premier tertiary-level education institution with its commitment for excellence via exemplary work quality and culture.

According to Siti Mazenah, who had served as the USM Registrar, the college is unwavering in implementing its social obligations towards human capital development.

"From my years in the academic field, I have witnessed the gap between the brilliant and average performers. For those who have good results, usually there would be no problems in getting a place in the universities but what about students who have average results?

"They (average performers) appeared lost. Hence, we need to show them a way to pursue higher education," she said.

Siti Mazenah said ICT's academic staff would go to the field regularly to attract school leavers to attend English language classes at the college for three months.

"While attending the English Language class, we would fire their spirit to learn as high as possible as academic excellence would change their life and that of their family as well," she said.

CHILDREN OF FARMERS, LABOURERS

Siti Mazenah said 80 per cent of ICT students are Malays who were from the rural areas of Pulau Pinang, Kedah, Perlis and south Perak, most of them being the children of farmers and labourers.

According to the 65-year-old Siti Mazenah, she always reminded the ICT students on the sacrifice made by their parents and the occasion they spend at the college is the time to 'reimburse' the sacrifices made.

"This is the time to repay their parents' sacrifices by studying very hard for them to have better future," she said, adding that apart from having students from the Peninsula's north, ICT also admits students from other states including Sabah and Sarawak.

COURSES OFFERED

Each year, ICT admits between 600 and 700 new students and among the courses that the college offers are those in the business management, information technology, accounting, human resources management and entrepreneurship.

ICT also collaborates with Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) for its diploma programmes like that in science as well as business and communication studies. The college also has a tie-up with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for its bachelor's degree courses in management and pharmacy.

For short-term programmes, ICT offers various courses like English Language, Executive Development, Marketing, Computer Application and Information Technology.

According to Siti Mazenah almost all of the ICT's students receive funding from either MARA or National High Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) while for those who are unable to get the funding, they could negotiate with the MARA Education Foundation.

"Hence, there is no problem studying here. The students need only to come and study," she said with a smile.

10-YEAR PLAN

Siti Mazenah said ICT has laid out various programmes to boost the college's academic fineness over the next 10 years.

"Our previous focus was on management and health science including pharmacy. The next focus on health sciences is nursing and dietetic.

"Within the next 10 years, we hope to offer more degree programmes. I am in the midst of negotiations with Asia-e University (Kuala Lumpur) for e-learning programmes like the Master's in Business Administration (MBA)," she said.

With the e-learning programmes, expected to commence either this February or June, Siti Mazenah hopes more ICT students would go for the degree programmes.

"For the time being, only half of the diploma-level students pursue the degree programmes. The main reason is that they wish to work early to help their family.

"With the Asia-e University programmes, they could both work and study through the e-learning," she said.

MORE PLANS

Siti Mazenah said ICT plans to expand its English Language course.

"At this college, the focus is on the English Language and every Monday and Wednesday all students are required to speak in that language. It appears effective.

"We need to have more avenues to improve the students' command of English for their own good particularly upon moving into the job sector," she said, adding that ICT plans to have collaboration with universities in Australia and United Kingdom either by sending students there or having twinning programmes.

The ICT has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kuala Lumpur University for the university to send 100 students from Africa including Botswana to attend the one-year basic course at the college.

"They would be our first batch of foreign students," she said.

UNIVERSITY STATUS

Siti Mazenah said ICT hopes to be upgraded into a university college within the next 10 years.

"With the upgrading, we would have our own degree programmes as compared to that franchised by other universities," she said.

The college also plans to boost its student population by taking up to 4,000 to 5,000 students.

"For now, the ICT campus is able to accommodate only 1,500 students. To have more students, the college administrators need to provide more lecture rooms, hostels and other facilities," said Siti Mazenah, adding that high-rise buildings would have to be constructed to replace some of the existing chalet-like premises.

At the moment the college has an academic staff of 45 where 44 of them are full-time lecturers. More than half of these lecturers have the Master's qualification while three are PhD holders.

She said the college has achieved its first 10-year objective and is striving towards having a curriculum that meets the industry and nation's needs.

PERSONAL SATISFACTION

For Siti Mazenah, nothing satisfied her more other than seeing the ICT graduates queueing up proudly to receive their respective scrolls on convocation day.

She was also touched when parents of the graduates came to thank her personally.

Siti Mazenah said she also received 'Thank You' cards from the ICT graduates who found employment.

"That was very touching. At least we have managed to extricate these children from the poverty cocoon and their success proved that those from the rural areas could succeed if given the chance.

"ICT would continue to implement its social obligations for the benefit of the society and Malays," she added.

-- BERNAMA: Higher Education Chance For Rural Children