The Malaysian model

In a previous column, I wrote about Malaysia’s great strides in the cooperative movement through a mandatory co-op education in secondary schools which began 44 years ago.

School cooperatives in Malaysia were set up in 1968 through a pilot program that had nine  schools selected to inculcate the cooperative model among school children.  The school co-op programme was later institutionalized by the government, which recognized it as a co-curricular activity.  The members are mainly students ranging from 12 to 17 years old who participate in co-op projects under the guidance of their respective school principal and teachers.  The main service of the school co-op is savings.

Today, the program is not only thriving but has become a potent tool to advance the government’s economic agenda.

Malaysia attracts some 28 million tourists a year, generating at least US $80 million in tourism-related business.  The government is resolute in maintaining the lead in Asian tourism through a program designed by Angkasa, Malaysia’s apex body of cooperative organizations and the national Ministry of Education.

I’m writing about Malaysia’s school cooperative program because the system can very well enhance our own educational system. Moreover, because it has evolved into a vehicle for tourism, the strategy directly stimulates the economies of inner communities.

Here is how it works:

School co-ops invite and host guests from all over the world to stay and visit places of interest under the trained guidance of a particular school cooperative.  Through a well-planned itinerary around the school co-op’s sphere, students manage and implement tourism packages that emphasize education rather than the typical shopping and sight-seeing activities.

I had the privilege of participating in Malaysia’s 1st International School Cooperative Tourism Program organized by Angkasa from June 15 to 20 in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur and Perak state.  My invitation came through Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Administrator Mercedes Castillo who gave up her slot owing to a previous co-op engagement in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The international program had 20 delegates from the Philippines and Singapore.  The rest, numbering around 150 were local delegates considered as performers of Malaysia’s school cooperatives tourism program.

The school cooperative host for the first ever school cooperative tourism activity is SMK Simpang Beluru in Kuala Kangsar, Perak state.

Day 1 opened with a visit to the Sultan Idris Education University at Tanjung Malim where we saw activities inside Malaysia’s oldest teacher’s college. Named after Perak’s 28th sultan, UPSI, as it is popularly known, is located in a sprawling 80-hectare complex that straddles the borders of Perak and Selangor states.

The delegates interacted with a university official who told us about UPSI’s entrepreneurial programs aimed to help and enhance business ventures.  Then it was time to depart to Sungai Siput’s MH Hotel where we stayed for the rest of the three-day program.

On opening night, Hj Zainud Bin Abas, the director of Curriculum and the Arts of the Ministry of Education and Dato’ Hj. Abdul Fattah Bin Hj. Abdulla, president of Angkasa welcomed the delegates in the Saujana ballroom. Their messages stressed the importance of the PKS and how the programme opened wide opportunities for young people in Malaysia.

Day 2 saw us browsing over a collection of beautiful pottery made by a local artisan who runs the Labo Sayong Industries in Sayong Village. A member of the Philippine delegation, Gem Sanico tried her hand in molding clay, then it was time to shop around for gifts. My own pick was a carafe or pitcher.   Lunch was at a popular restaurant in Lenggong, similar to local eateries that serve grilled fish and meat.

One of the highlights of Day 2 was a visit to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site of the Perak Man in Lenggong Valley, Peninsular Malaysia’s important areas for archaeology.  In 1991, the skeleton of Malaysia’s Stone Age man, popularly known as Perak man, believed to have lived 8 to 11,000 years ago was discovered. A visit to the Archaeological Gallery capped our learnings about Malaysia’s prehistoric past.

Then it was time to visit the SMK Simpang Beluru where we saw how students run a co-op store selling school supplies and snack foods. Our student hosts also led us to a mini-gallery where pictures of school officials and awards of the school cooperative were on proud display.