Latest news with #InstituteofTeacherEducationMalaysia
The Star
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Cancer survivor goes from battle to blackboard
Proud moment: Aisyah posing for a photo after the 15th IPGM convocation ceremony. — Low Lay Phon/The Star KAJANG: Breast cancer survivor, Aisyah Humaira' Mohd Aqbal, is a step closer to achieving her ambition of becoming a Bahasa Melayu (BM) teacher. The 23-year-old Alor Setar native dedicated her achievement to her late mother, her pillar of strength who encouraged her to take up teaching. Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching with a major in BM for primary education, Aisyah said her journey was filled with obstacles – but she never gave up. She was diagnosed with Stage Four breast cancer last year. 'Right after the diagnosis, the doctor started me on chemotherapy. I went through nine sessions and it was a painful experience. 'We had to change the chemo drug three times because it wasn't working. Eventually, I was put on hormone therapy and now take medication daily,' she said during the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) convocation ceremony in Bangi yesterday. Throughout her battle with cancer, Aisyah was determined to finish her studies. 'I didn't want to waste the five years I had put into this journey. 'Being sick was never an excuse. I was determined to complete this,' said the IPG Darulaman campus graduate. Even though she often missed classes on chemotherapy treatment days, Aisyah kept up with lessons thanks to her lecturers and friends. 'I would WhatsApp my lecturers after chemo sessions and catch up on what I missed. 'My friends really helped me, especially with assignments. They shared materials and even their food with me,' she said. The second of three siblings explained that her father was her other pillar that kept her strong. 'My father makes and delivers kuih to local shops in Alor Setar. He and my late mum built the business together, and now he continues it. '(My mother) had knee problems and couldn't walk, but in the end, it was a stroke and Covid-19 that took her. I just wish she could be here to witness this. 'My mum encouraged me to apply to IPGM after my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams. She always loved teaching and recommended me to major in teaching BM. 'If she were here, I'd just want to say thank you. This degree is for her,' she said. Asked what kept her motivated throughout her illness, she said it was all about purpose. 'Stay strong. If you feel down, look at the people around you. 'We all have someone we want to make proud – our parents, our siblings. Don't give up,' she said. The four-day 15th Education Ministry IPGM Convocation Ceremony, which started on June 30, involved 5,390 graduates who completed their studies and teacher training at 28 IPGM campuses and English Language Teaching Centres.
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
School reform begins in classroom, minister tells teacher graduates
BANGI: Teacher training graduates must become the driving force behind school reform and that transformation begins in the classroom, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. She said teachers play a vital role in implementing the Education Ministry's reform agenda, which introduces a new approach that categorises schools into three types: Focus Schools, Aspiration Schools, and Inspiration Schools. "Once you receive your school placements, it will be an exciting and nerve-wracking moment. "But what I want to emphasise is this: once you're placed, you become the frontliners of school reform. "Under this agenda, the ministry has outlined three categories: Focus Schools, which need the most support; Aspiration Schools, which have strong potential; and Inspiration Schools, which serve as models for others. "This is your mission: to enter the classroom as new educators and lead reform where it truly matters," she said. Fadhlina was speaking at the 15th Convocation Ceremony of the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) here today. She added that graduates are key to shaping the upcoming 2027 School Curriculum and the Malaysian Education Development Plan 2026 to 2035. "I want to see all of you take the lead in the national curriculum. The current curriculum ends this year, and the new education plan begins. This is your moment to become part of the heartbeat of reform." She also noted that with growing interest in teacher education, reflected by the increasing number of applications to IPG each year, the ministry has expanded admission pathways beyond just SPM school leavers. "The current one will end this year, and the new education plan will begin. This is your time to become part of the heartbeat of reform." She said, given the rising interest in teacher education with IPG applications increasing each year, the ministry had widened admission pathways beyond just SPM school leavers. "Previously, entry was mainly for SPM graduates, but it is now open to those with STPM, STAM, and Tahfiz Model Ulul Abab (TMUA) qualifications. "Next year, the first cohort of master's students at IPG will graduate.
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Aisyah lost her mum, fought cancer but never gave up her teaching dream
BANGI: The road to achieving her dream of becoming a teacher was anything but easy for 23-year-old Aisyah Humaira' Mohd Aqbal. She lost her mother during the first year of her studies, and her situation was compounded when she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in her fourth year. Despite the odds including enduring nine rounds of chemotherapy, the Teacher Education Institute (IPG) graduate who specialised in Malay language education persevered and completed her degree. "I wasn't too disheartened when I was first diagnosed with cancer. All I wanted was to complete my studies as soon as possible. "My doctors were very encouraging and urged me to begin treatment immediately. "Some of my friends were shocked and saddened when they found out," she said when met at the 15th Convocation Ceremony of the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) in Bangi today. Aisyah said she had to miss several classes during her recovery, as each chemotherapy session left her too weak to attend lectures. "There were many challenges. I had to skip classes while undergoing treatment because I couldn't return right after chemo. "That was one of the sacrifices I had to make to finish my studies. For me, I had to keep fighting to complete these five years," she said. Aisyah said her mother died due to Covid-19 and a stroke during her first year at IPG, a tragedy that became a source of strength and motivation to carry on. "My late mother was a Malay language teacher, and I inherited my passion for teaching from her. "When she fell ill, I was able to return home to take care of her before she passed away." Due to her medical condition, Aisyah was transferred from the Sarawak campus to IPG Darulaman so she could continue her studies while receiving treatment at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital. Meanwhile, the ceremony turned sombre when the parents of the late Nurul Alya Fatnin Mohd Mawardzi took to the stage to receive their daughter's scroll on her behalf. Nurul Alya, an Islamic Education student from IPG Sultan Mizan Campus in Besut, Terengganu, died in a road accident shortly before completing her studies. Her scroll was presented by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
The Star
03-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Fadhlina says teacher shortages a thing of the past
KAJANG: The Education Ministry and the Education Service Commission have implemented reforms to ensure teacher shortage issues do not recur, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. "We have put an end to the matter to ensure that the issue of teacher shortages can be addressed through various mechanisms, particularly to ensure that the teachers we deploy are of high quality and can specifically meet the needs of our students. "Together with the Education Service Commission, we have successfully overcome the issue of teacher shortages," she said in her speech during the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia (IPGM) convocation ceremony on Wednesday (July 3). Meanwhile, she also said that applications to the institute continue to rise yearly, showing high interest in becoming educators. "However, teaching is not easy – it requires a genuine passion for the role, not just academic qualification," she said. She also said entry pathways into the institute have been expanded to include Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Tahfiz Ulul Albab (TMUA) graduates, reflecting the ministry's push to admit high-potential candidates from diverse academic backgrounds. The four-day 15th Education Ministry IPG Convocation Ceremony, which started on June 30, involves 5,390 graduates who completed their studies and teacher training at 28 campus IPGs and English Language Teaching Centres. The convocation ceremony involved students from the June 2021 intake of the Bachelor of Teaching Degree Programme.
