UMP collaboration organises SKAC Entrepreneurship Week

KUANTAN, 8 October 2021 – The Sekolah Kebangsaan Assunta Convent Entrepreneurship Week 2021 (MK SKAC) collaboratively organised by SKAC Co-curriculum Unit and Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and Centre for Industry and Community Network (ICoN), Graduate Development Department, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) held online has attracted the participation of 71 school students recently.

Although the programme was not held physically, it did not prevent various activities from being successfully carried out only using the Telegram platform through the organisation of the most creative poster competition, the most creative sales style and the most systematic ledger.

Also present at the closing of the programme was SKAC Headmistress, Siti Hajar Hashim, Assistant Vice-Chancellor, UMP Graduate Development Department, Associate Professor Ir. Dr. Nurul Hazlina Noordin, President of the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA), Mohd Akmal Kong Abdullah and Director of ICoN, Associate Professor Dr. Saiful Anwar Che Ghani.

According to Associate Professor Ir. Dr. Nurul Hazlina, the organisation of this Entrepreneurship Week coincides with the government’s goal to make entrepreneurship a career choice among the community that does not only depend on employment opportunities, but also creates employment opportunities.

“The government’s effort to inculcate an understanding of the importance of entrepreneurship in building a better life is very appropriate when the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) itself strongly encourages schools to organise Entrepreneurship Week and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) focuses on entrepreneurship as one of the main thrusts in co-curriculum in all institutions of higher learning,” she said.

She also congratulated the school for successfully organising this Entrepreneurship Week even in the state of teaching and learning at home (PdPR) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, according to Siti Hajar, the idea of MK SKAC sparked from the Pahang Education Transformation Programme, which targets the characteristics of student models to form a generation of entrepreneurs.

“This nonprofit programme is aimed at providing business knowledge and skills.

“This programme can also provide hands-on business skills besides being able to help parents affected by this pandemic.

“Through this programme, students will also learn how to plan and make promotions and market products,” she said.
She added that higher-order thinking skills among students are also enhanced with a creative and innovative business style.

“Finally, they will be guided to generate a ledger system for their own business.

“Congratulations and well done to all students involved in this programme.

“Even though they are still green, but with guidance and support, it has been successfully proven that effort is the key ingredient to achieve success,” she said.

Also held was an Entrepreneurship Talk Session presented by the Director of the UMP Entrepreneurship Centre, Dr. Mohd Nizar Mohd Razali and Creative Director, Tea Prima International Sdn. Bhd., Dr. Areej Torla.

Both panels shared their tips and experiences in the field of entrepreneurship.

Dr. Areej is also the owner of the Telekung Tea brand as the official sponsor of the programme.

Apart from that, the winner list was announced by Suaizi Zainudin, the Managing Director of SZ Excel and an alumnus of SK Assunta Convent.

By: Halizan Mohmood, Centre of Industry and Community Network (ICoN)
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology