Iskul

Author: Iskul

  • Hari Sukaneka dan Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang 2018

    By the fourth quarter of 2018, Iskul is fortunate to have recruited a team of two field coordinators working hand-in-hand to manage the operation on the ground in Omadal Island, providing guidance to Mastal Arikik (MA) and giving support to our Headmistress.

    After some time of planning and preparation, Iskul coordinated the Hari Sukaneka & Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang on 30 December 2018, aptly marking the end of another year of learning and acknowledging everyone’s effort for the year. Our students (including our MAs) enjoyed sukaneka activities, thus, our Field Coordinators, Aida and Sikin planned a full-day event starting with sukaneka in the afternoon followed by awards ceremony at night.

    This blog entry would be slightly different as we will be extracting from the reports our Field Coordinators have put together. We wish to acknowledge the hard work they put into sharing the details of the day with us.

    Hang in there because this will be one of our longest posts yet! Nevertheless, we hope you will enjoy the post as much as we do!

    Hari Sukaneka Iskul 2018

    Hari Sukaneka Iskul Sama Dilaut Omadal telah berjaya dianjurkan pada 30 Disember 2018. Penganjurannya disambut baik oleh kesemua pihak yang terlibat. Tambahan lagi, objektif penganjuran Hari Sukaneka dapat dicapai dengan jayanya. Dua objektif utama penganjuran Hari Sukaneka Iskul adalah untuk (1) memberi latihan pelaksanaan program yang lebih strategik dalam kalangan pasukan pelaksana dan pelajar Iskul, dan (2) melahirkan hubungan baik dalam kalangan komuniti tempatan dan komuniti tidak bekewarganegaraan. Persiapan awal telah dilakukan sejak 29 Disember lagi oleh Penyelaras, MA dan dibantu oleh beberapa orang pelajar dan juga ahli komuniti kampung Pulau Omadal Selatan.

    Sepanjang pelaksanaan Hari Sukaneka Iskul, beberapa acara telah dilakukan dan peserta setiap acara adalah dari kalangan ibu bapa dan pelajar. Selain itu, pelajar Iskul bergotong royong membersihkan kawasan yang gelanggang selepas pelaksanaan program. Pelaksanaan Hari Sukaneka yang teratur ini memberi manfaat kepada semua pihak dan sekaligus hubungan baik antara dua pihak terjalin erat. Dan yang paling utama, hasil daripada penganjuran sukaneka dapat memberi suntikan semangat ingin belajar dan berdaya saing dalam kalangan pelajar Iskul.

    Jam 2.00ptg: Ibu bapa dan penjaga pelajar dijemput untuk turun aktiviti Hari Sukaneka Iskul. Aktiviti dijadualkan berlangsung pada jam 3.00ptg kerana air laut mula surut pada masa tersebut. Sekiranya dibuat awal atau dibuat pada masa air laut sedang pasang, ramai ibu bapa dan pelajar tidak dapat turun kerana ketiadaan bot. Pada masa yang sama, Penyelaras, MA dan sukarelawan dari Pulau Omadal bertungkus-lumus menyiapkan peralatan sukaneka di setiap stesen.

    Jam 3.00ptg: Hari Sukaneka Iskul dimulakan dengan penerangan ringkas berkenaan sukaneka, kemudian diteruskan dengan pembahagian kumpulan. Setiap peserta diikatkan riben pada pergelangan tangan mereka untuk memudahkan pembahagian kumpulan. Pembahagian kumpulan dilaksanakan oleh Pn.Roziah dan Aida. Semua peserta dibahagikan kepada 4 kumpulan iaitu merah, biru, hijau, dan kuning.

    Aktiviti 1: Isi Air Dalam Botol

    Dua orang peserta dari setiap kumpulan ditugaskan untuk mengisi air dalam botol menggunakan tin yang dilubangkan. Peserta dikehendaki berlari sepantas yang mereka boleh dalam masa 3 minit.

    Suasana meriah sorakan kepada kawan sepasukan untuk aktiviti mengisi air dalam botol.

    Aktiviti 2: Makan Biskut

    Biskut diikatkan pada tiang gol gelanggang, kemudian peserta perlu mencapai biskut tanpa menggunakan tangan. Peserta yang dibenarkan bermain adalah 3 orang setiap kumpulan dan permainan ini diperuntukkan masa 5 minit.

    Nampaknya kepanjangan tali yang digunakan untuk mengikat biskut merupakan cabaran untuk beberapa peserta untuk stesen ini!

    Aktiviti 3: Lari dalam Guni

    Dalam permainan ini, setiap kumpulan perlu menghantar dua orang wakil untuk bermain. Masa permainan adalah 6 minit. Peserta perlu berlari di dalam guni ke garisan penamat dalam tempoh masa yang singkat. Guni telah dipinjam oleh komuniti kampung Pulau Omadal.

    Nampak susah juga untuk berlari dalam guni yang kecil begitu!

    Aktiviti 4: Bowling Kelapa

    Permainan ini dimainkan oleh 3 orang peserta setiap kumpulan. Masa permainan adalah 4 minit. Peserta dibekalkan dengan kelapa dan dikehendaki membaling kelapa ke arah botol yang berisi air yang disusun dalam bentuk segitiga. Kumpulan menang dengan mengambil kira masa digunakan untuk menjatuhkan kesemua botol-botol tersebut.

    Aktiviti 5: Lari Sambut Baton

    Permainan ini dimainkan oleh 3 orang peserta dari setiap kumpulan. Peserta pertama perlu adalah dari kalangan ibu bapa atau penjaga manakala peserta kedua dan ketiga adalah dari kalangan pelajar. Setiap peserta perlu berlari untuk suatu jarak yang ditentukan dan kembali menyerahkan baton kepada rakan mereka seterusnya dalam masa 4 minit.

    Aktiviti 6: Futsal

    Permainan terakhir Hari Sukaneka Iskul adalah pertandingan futsal. Pasukan dari Kampung Hujung Omadal akan bertanding dengan Pasukan dari Kampung Bajau Laut Omadal. Had masa permainan adalah 5 minit setiap perlawanan. Permainan futsal disertai oleh 6 pasukan yang terdiri daripada 3 pasukan untuk kategori wanita dan 3 pasukan untuk kategori lelaki.

    Gotong-royong juga telah dilakukan sebelum semua peserta beredar pulang ke Pondok Iskul untuk berehat.

    Jam 5.00ptg: Sesi terakhir Hari Sukaneka Iskul adalah jamuan ringan. Menu jamuan adalah jus oren dan mee goreng yang disediakan oleh Puan Roziah (Guru Besar Iskul) dan penyediaannya dibantu oleh wakil PIBG iaitu Ibu kepada Manoel, dan Ibu kepada Mohd Akdam. Sebelum jamuan berakhir, kesemua peserta dan pelajar Iskul mengambil gambar kumpulan sebagai kenangan.

    Acara perasmian dan penyampaian hadiah ditangguhkan kepada sesi malam semasa Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang.

    Peperiksaan Akhir Tahun Sesi 2018

    Peperiksaan Akhir Tahun Sesi 2018 telah berlangsung pada 16 Disember 2018. Peperiksaan ini diadakan bertujuan untuk menguji akan tahap penguasaan 3M (Membaca, Menulis, Mengira) pelajar. Peperiksaan kali ini dihadiri oleh 18 orang pelajar Iskul. Mata pelajaran Bahasa Melayu dan Matematik adalah dua mata pelajaran yang perlu diuji. Kertas soalan disediakan sepenuhnya oleh Penyelaras Aida dan juga MA Noraida dan kertas soalan disediakan berdasarkan pelajaran yang sudah dipelajari oleh pelajar sebelum ini.

    Hasil daripada ujian tersebut hampir kesemua pelajar yang hadir dapat menjawab kehendak soalan. Namun begitu pelajar masih memerlukan latih tubi yang lebih lagi untuk meningkatkan penguasaan mereka dalam menguasai 3 kemahiran iaitu membaca, menulis dan mengira.

    Pelajar-pelajar Iskul sedang menumpukan perhatian menjawab kertas soalan yang telah diberikan.

    Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang 2018

    Jam 8.00mlm: Ucapan daripada Pengerusi JKK Kampung Pulau Omadal Hujung, Tn. Haji Jimlan Bin Sabtuhari.

    Ucapan alu-aluan dan perasmian Hari Sukaneka Iskul dan Majlis Anugerah Cemerlang disampaikan oleh Tn. Haji Jimlan Bin Haji Sabtuhari. Dalam ucapan beliau, beliau berterima kasih kepada urusetia Iskul kerana penganjuran program yang teratur. Hasilnya dapat dilihat selepas program iaitu ada gotong royong dilakukan. Sampah sekitar gelanggang terutamanya ditanam dalam pasir. Selain itu, dengan wujudnya Iskul, pelajar-pelajar Iskul tidak terpengaruh dengan tabiat hisap gam. Semua ini hasil didikan nilai-nilai murni di Iskul dan juga di rumah masing-masing. Harapan beliau agar pelajar dan juga seluruh warga yang tidak berwarganegaraan memanfaatkan sepenuhnya Iskul untuk menuntut ilmu agar dapat menjadi pelajar yang baik dan modal insan yang berguna di masa akan datang.

    Jam 8.10mlm: Tayangan video montaj Iskul

    Dua tayangan video telah disediakan oleh Penyelaras Aida. Video pertama menunjukkan sejarah penubuhan dan keadaan dalam Iskul, manakala video kedua menayangkan video sukaneka yang telah berlangsung pada petang tersebut. Pelajar dan ibu bapa teruja melihat gambar dan video klip mereka dalam tayangan tersebut dan mereka meminta agar aktiviti seperti ini kerap dianjurkan pada masa akan datang.

    Jam 8.30mlm: Penyampaian Hadiah untuk Sukaneka dan Penyampaian Anugerah Pelajar Cemerlang

    Penyampaian hadiah telah disempurnakan oleh JKK Kampung Pulau Omadal Hujung, Tn. Haji Jimlan Bin Haji Sabtuhari.

    Terdapat 3 orang pelajar setiap kelas yang diberi Anugerah Pelajar Cemerlang. Selain itu, Anugerah Pelajar Cemerlang Keseluruhan juga disediakan. Kesemua pelajar dinilai berdasarkan markah yang berjaya mereka perolehi semasa peperiksaan akhir tahun, kehadiran dan sahsiah yang baik dalam kelas.

    Pelajar cemerlang bagi Kelas Tahap 1
    Pelajar cemerlang bagi Kelas Tahap 2.
    Pelajar cemerlang bagi Kelas Tahap 3.
    Pelajar cemerlang bagi Kelas Tahap 4 dan Pelajar Cemerlang Keseluruhan.

    Majlis bersurai pada jam 9.00mlm.

  • Iskul introduces Mentor-Mentee Programme

    Iskul implemented the Mentor-Mentee program following the Strategic Planning Meeting in May 2018. Our Headmistress (Kak Roziah) and Field Coordinator, Aida meet with our ‘Mentor Pelajar’ (Mentor) to brainstorm how to kick-start the programme. This resulted in having four (4) Mentors to guide Level 1 and Level 2 (Pre-School levels) students from Monday to Wednesday in the Pondok Iskul for two hours daily. Each Mentor guides 3-4 students to revise lessons after the weekend classes. Mentors get an allowance of RM35 (for 3 days per week and 3 hours daily).

    However, the journey met many bumps along the way. We faced challenges mainly from both mentors and students. Overall, we only managed to conduct 9 classes between June to July. Despite having agreed to teach during the initial meeting, Mentors were noncommittal throughout. Only two Mentors attended nearly half of the classes while one Mentor attended twice and another one, once. Therefore, our FC had to teach instead. The initial lukewarm responses was also a result of some students’ refusal to be taught by their friends. A few students prefer to be taught by either the Mastal Arikik (MA) or the Field Coordinator (FC).  Students’ attendance was also poor, only less than 5 at the beginning.

    The Mentor-Mentee program may be a helpful method to give both students and mentors more time to learn and practice writing. It may work in the formal school setting in the city but it did not work in our community possibly due to various reasons. Firstly, our students and mentors live in a different reality than students who attend formal school. They need to work to help support their family. One of our Mentor had to miss classes because he was away at sea fishing with his family. He only managed to teach twice out of the 9 classes. Another mentor was busy washing clothes at one of the Omadal resident’s house during at least two of the classes. Despite that, this particular Mentor managed to attend 4 classes. Secondly, during the high tide, some of our Mentors couldn’t find transport (sampan/wooden boat) to go to Pondok Iskul. Hence they had to miss the class. Finally, the Mentors were shy to teach and took some time to warm up to the idea of speaking in front of a group.

    Despite the challenges, our 7th class and 8th class saw the attendance of 3 Mentors with at least 10 to 16 students. However, that did not last as the attendance dropped in the next class. Due to that, we decided to put this program on hold while we find ways to improve it.

  • Iskul 2nd Strategic Planning Meeting and Iskul’s first Annual General Meeting

    The team begins preparation for Iskul 2nd Strategic Planning Meeting and Iskul’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM). We have searched for the venue, deliberated on the dates, curated the agenda, drafted the official invitation letters for the event, and finally, purchased the flight tickets for our Headmistress and Field Coordinators.

    Following the successful Strategic Planning Meeting which was held early 2017, the management team finds it crucial to hold the second meeting to reflect on the past year and to review plans for the following year. Compared to the first meeting which was only held between three core members from the management team, this meeting included our Headmistress, Pn Roziah and Field Coordinator, Aida, from the operation team. They spent their first fasting week here in Kuala Lumpur, away from home in Omadal Island! The meeting schedule was hectic as we attempted to discuss and resolve as many issues as we can. In conjunction with this planning meeting,

    Iskul also holds it’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) and we were joined by our committee members, advisors and donors as we presented our vision, missions, challenges, financial summary for 2017 and plans for year 2018/2019. We received constructive and valuable feedback from them and we look forward to ensuring that this year, Iskul will be on track!

    The faces behind Iskul! (From left: Ee Chia, Aida, Kak Roziah, Hui Ling)

  • Pondok Iskul Dream Made Possible with Mah Sing Foundation Grant!

    After submission of application in September, Iskul received notification of approval from Mah Sing Foundation for our application for funds to construct Pondok Iskul. Mah Sing Foundation had allocated RM 50,000 fund for the construction and basic furnishing of the space!

    Iskul jumped into work immediately and kickstarted the purchasing of raw materials and recruitment of builders. The construction and the furnishing took a total of six (6) months. Classes commenced in the Pondok once the construction was completed in February and whilst the furnishing was in progress.

    Setting the foundation
    Side view: Skeletal of the Pondok Iskul
    View from the ground: Skeletal of the Pondok Iskul
    Inside of the Pondok Iskul with it’s plank wall erected
    The external view of the finished Pondok Iskul!

    At the moment, Pondok Iskul electricity is hosted by the nearby home of our Headmistress and the registration with the SESB is underway.

     

    Thank you, Mah Sing Foundation and all who have funded this dream!

  • Roundtable to Discuss Methodology of Participatory Assessments with Bajau Laut & Neighbouring Communities

    On 11th August 2017, Iskul Sama Dilaut Omadal was invited by UNHCR to attend the Roundtable to Discuss Methodology of Participatory Assessments with Bajau Laut & Neighbouring Communities at Sandakan Styles Hotel. The objectives of this roundtable are to exchange information and share potential common challenges, as well as to prepare for the planned consultations and participatory assessments with Bajau Laut communities settled on the land and neighbouring communities.

    The session intended to build the participants capacity and to develop a framework for implementation for the participatory assessments and consultations. These should be conducted with considerations of these communities’ situation, the best approaches to outreach, and good practices in conducting participatory assessments and consultations.

    There were 22 participants from various background such as academician, government agencies, anthropologist, activists and few come from humanity NGOs in Malaysia. Ee Chia and Shafiyyah shared about Iskul Sama Dilaut Omadal, from how we started, the challenges and problem that we are facing on the ground, and milestones Iskul has achieved over the couple years.

  • Annual Field Visit & Induction with Iskul’s first Field Coordinator

    The management team made the second visit for the year represented by Ee Chia. The visit while it was in conjunction with attendance to the invitation to the UNHCR Roundtable on Bajau Laut in Sabah in Sandakan. The brief 5-day visit from 5 – 9 August was also critical to follow-up on permissions from District Officer and Ketua Kampung to build Pondok Iskul on Omadal Island.

    Dr Hj Chacho Bullah, Semporna District Officer has written a support letter for the construction of Pondok Iskul and recognising Iskul as a citizen initiative to provide basic education to the stateless Bajau Laut community residing at Omadal Island. The recognition provided us with the confidence to continue the project and injected a boost of faith that this initiative is a welcomed one. It was an important milestone marking the 2nd anniversary of Iskul.

    Besides the meeting with the District Officer, Ee Chia also took time to provide a brief induction with Iskul first Field Coordinator – Roza, observed classes and conducted meeting with Headmistress, Mastal Arikik and students to find out challenges they still faces.

    During this visit, it was also decided that a monthly allowance of RM 100 be provided to Headmistress, Pn Roziah for her management of Iskul operation base as well as a decision to increase the food budget from RM 1 per meal to RM 2 per meal for Iskul students.

  • Year 1 – The Experiment

    Year 1 has been a colourful year for Iskul. Here are some of the highlights:
    • Our Mastal Arikik divided the school to two classes: beginner and intermediate. They created school anthems and the students sing the anthem at the beginning of every class. Some students now can count from one to hundred, do simple addition and minus operation, read and write from A to Z. So far, they had a number of tests. The average class size is around 21-24 students. They are given homework after every class. And they also have ‘gotong-royong’ after their Sunday class to keep the beach clean. The Mastal Arikik also conducted extra classes during their school holiday in December 2015. (Aug,2015 – Sept 2016)

     

    • One of our Mastal Arikik was nominated as Unicef Young Changemaker 2015 that has garnered much attention to Iskul. As a result, the Trustee created an InfoKit for media, potential donors and Volunteer Tutors who wish to contribute to Iskul.

     

    • A video called Mastal Arikik were produced by WAPO and presented during a meeting with Datuk Masidi Manjun – Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah during the meeting he was surprised and proud of the Iskul initiative and the local kids for teaching the Bajau Laut friends. (Dec 2015)

     

    • For the first year, Iskul spent RM500 monthly to cover the four Mastal Arikik allowance (RM50) and the students food after every class. We have one monthly donor. We also received donations in form of workbooks, bags and toys.

     

    • The Trustee has ten online Board meetings and made four visits to Iskul from Aug 2015 – July 2016. We also welcomed a new member into the Board of Trustees, Shafiyyah on July 2016.

     

    • The Trustee made an assessment trip to Omadal on September 2017, and identified four gaps to be addressed:
      • lack of proper classrooms and it has affected our students attention during class
      • our MA has yet to master the teaching skill, they would need more trainings to teach better
      • lack of monitoring and supporting mechanism on the ground for our Headmistress, MA and students
      • lack of self-esteem and high-consciousness amongst students.

     

    • Iskul celebrated its one year anniversary and Awards Day on 20 September 2017 to celebrate the time and efforts our students, Mastal Arikik, Headmistress have invested in Iskul! We had invited our student’s parents to witness the historical moment when their child walks up to the stage to receive a certificate of enrollment from the Head of Omadal Hujung village.

     

    • To improve our MA’s teaching skills, our friend Cikgu Wai Yan guided them on how to prepare a Teaching Plan before class on 24 September 2016.

     

    • After one year, 71% of our students can write their own names while 57% can write A-Z based one a test result conducted in September 2016

     

    • On November 2016, Hui Ling attended YSEALI GO NGO on behalf of Iskul to seize the opportunity to introduce Iskul and its journey thus far to other participants while very much looking forward to receive their collective ideas on how to better improve Iskul because there is no one fits all solution. Indeed, Hui Ling returns with abundance of reflections and eager to bring the knowledge she obtained from speakers during the workshop which she proposed would be suitable for Iskul to consider or adapt.

     

    • The Board of Trustee (BoT) had a two-day Strategic Planning Meeting online in January 2017 to reevaluate, restructure and plan Iskul’s milestones for the next 12 months. One major change is the restructuring of the BoT as each member assessed our circumstances and commitments to Iskul. For now the BoT cease to exist and we are absorbed as the Iskul Management Team. For the purpose to increase accountability, transparency and legality, we have also registered an enterprise named Kahanga Enterprise where official account can be registered and bank statements can be audited in the future.

     

  • Students’ Progress Evaluation after 1 Year (September 2016)

     

    The above table and chart only depicts the performance of 21 Iskul students based on written examinations drafted and evaluated with designated marks conducted in September 2016. Our observations shows that our students are able to enumerate the alphabets from A to Z and 1-50 eloquently.