This year, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between Playbook X and the National Co-operative Movement of Malaysia (ANGKASA) to offer online courses to 10 million school students through more than 2400 school co-operatives nationwide. This collaboration is an investment in human capital development—a reflection of both parties’ dedication to building the next generation.
It is cliche but true that today’s youth hold precious value as future leaders. They are the ones who will build communities and lead nations. However, many kids and youths still struggle to obtain education, much less exposure to growth industries. This is a problem because the skill sets our world needs changes as technology advances. In addition, most structures for academic education don’t cater to the variety of interests and potential skills that kids have. All these lead to youth unemployment issues and unsatisfying careers.
Fortunately, technology makes it possible for us to protect our children’s futures. Information is accessible to everyone thanks to the internet. Anyone can learn almost anything nowadays—all you need is a direction and a plan to turn your passion into a profession.
First things first: Inspire our children to discover their passions by exploring different interests. There could actually be a demand for your child’s talents. Find out what career prospects are; you may do research or speak with the mentors on EduPlay, who are professionals in their respective fields.
Next, be flexible! Kids have the luxury of time to try things. For example, if your child spends too much time on video games, help them make the most out of their hobby by enrolling them into a gaming or esports course. It’s an easy way for your child to find out whether or not a career in gaming is for them! If you’re not sure where to start, check out EduPlay’s Professional Programme in Fundamentals of Gaming and Esports.
Whatever your child chooses, it is important to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to be good in their chosen subject matter. Self-learning, coupled with relevant training, can jumpstart your child on their path to become qualified professionals.
But how do you do that? The traditional academic education system, which usually comes with rote learning and coercive teaching, is not an environment that inspires passion.
Jing Hui, one of the co-founders of EduPlay, points out: “Exams are the only system we have nowadays to ‘judge’ or ‘rate’ students. To me, that isn’t right. There is so much more about our kids that we need to learn. Why don’t parents and teachers get as excited when they notice the spark in children when they discover that they’re good at something they love? There’s more to life for our young people than just getting high scores in exams.”
This makes alternative education important. One way is to help your child develop independent-learning skills through self-paced courses, such as EduPlay’s library of programmes. Project-based learning is also crucial as it supplements your child’s know-how with valuable skills such as teamwork, communication skills, and critical thinking.
Next, take advantage of communities. Open forum discussions enhance collaboration and learning outcomes for everyone. In addition, more ideas and diverse sources of knowledge can flow freely in such networks. There is also a fulfilling sense of belonging that can help keep your child engaged in the learning process.
Mervyn Lai, also a co-founder of EduPlay, shares that, “As a passionate gamer-turned-entrepreneur, I knocked into a lot of walls. There was no one who could teach me what I needed to know. Seeing millions of youth flow into the space with minimal knowledge, I can’t help but be reminded of the person I was years ago. This is why we’re dedicated to EduPlay. We want young people to explore their passions, be it gaming, music, or art, in a guided and fulfilling way.”
Exactly.
Learn more about EduPlay at https://www.eduplay.com.my/
-EDUCATION+TVET ASIA