Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in collaboration with the National Library of Malaysia (PNM) has successfully organized a program with the theme “Setitik Ilmu, Sejuta Harapan” with the Special Needs Group on March 23, 2019 in Kuala Lumpur
Located close to the National Library of Malaysia adds value to UTMKL being its partner for the #malaysiamembaca nationwide program. UTM KL was represented by 12 staff and lecturers from Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah (PSZ) UTM KL and Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics Adopt-a-Kampung team. Additionally, 32 UTM STEM Literacy students were involved in this program. Other collaborators include organizations and groups, as the following:
- Yayasan Chow Kit
- Buku Jalanan Chow Kit
- Rohingya Integrated School of Excellence (RISE)
- Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih Chow Kit
- Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa
- Guru Muda Malaysia Kuala Lumpur (GMMKL)
The special needs children are mainly from the Children’s Activity Center, Chow Kit Foundation, Buku Jalanan Chow Kit (BJCK), Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) and Rohingya Integrated School of Excellence (RISE). Each group gave a performance during the opening ceremony, such as coral speaking, busking, and dance, which showcased their ability and talent, in addition to being entertaining. Their story had managed to touch the hearts of the audience.
Various activities were conducted by the groups and organizations throughout the program for the special needs children. There were colouring projects, reading programs, and telematch activities that ran concurrently with UTM activities. Specifically for primary school aged children, was an activity called Let’s Read Together by the children’s book author, a former UTM lecturer, Pn. Shahidah.
The main activity conducted by UTM was the STREAM Fun Learning Toy Library -Box (FLTL-Box). FLTL-Box is a newly launched product of Adopt-a-Kampung team from Razak Faculty. STREAM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The concept of STREAM is integrating and applying the knowledge of math and science in creating technologies and solutions for real-world problems, using engineering design and approaches, and adopting creativity for innovation, whilst ensuring ethical and moral values for sustainable and inclusive education. FLTL-Box is to create a mobile fun learning environment for STREAM learning, promoting activities that are interesting with the concept of learning through playing.
The involvement of lecturers, librarians and students from UTM in conducting the STREAM FLTL-Box had made a great impact on the children from the ages of 5 to 12 years old. Feedback from the teachers and other volunteer groups that were present was positive. Most of the children had for the first time actually hold and play with such toys, like playdo, cooking sets, DIY sets. The children were also immersed in reading some colourful educational books that were provided in each box.
